The Wedgister - Princess and Ambassador Records

[adw1977]

I reckon that's a HL, it seems to have the larger fuel gauge (compared to a HLS with econometer and smaller fuel gauge) and the seat fabric looks right for a HL.

[JMB]

On 04/06/2025 at 07:25, wesacosa said:

I have dropped you a few messages on instagram, would be great to get in touch. 

[wesacosa]

22 minutes ago, JMB said:

I have dropped you a few messages on instagram, would be great to get in touch. 

it's not my car unfortunately, I just posted a pic from someone else's Instagram 

[JMB]

On 03/07/2025 at 09:56, wesacosa said:

it's not my car unfortunately, I just posted a pic from someone else's Instagram 

Ah ok, thats a shame. It would be nice to speak to the new owner. Give them a bit more history. 

[wesacosa]

4 minutes ago, JMB said:

Ah ok, thats a shame. It would be nice to speak to the new owner. Give them a bit more history. 

Did you try messaging them on Facebook? The snapshot I took there was on Facebook 

[JMB]

On 07/07/2025 at 13:27, wesacosa said:

Did you try messaging them on Facebook? The snapshot I took there was on Facebook 

Ill give it a go, I hadnt seen anything on there. Ta 

[Asimo]

On 23/06/2025 at 19:41, SilverMachine said:

did the ambassador also use the four pot brakes?

Yes it did.

Front suspension parts identical to Princess. My Ambassador had a faulty hub carrier/ knuckle which I replaced with one from an early Princess.

[Christine]

PGO 953P    -  2200HL   ,PKR 573R - 2200HL , PKR 578R -  22200HL, GKP 806V - 1.7 ,  HKR 813V- 2000HL , JKN 93V-  1.7 ,  JKN 94V-  1.7 ,   NKK 589W - 1.7  , NKK 591 W - 1.7 ,  NKK 593W - 1.7, SKL 20X  Ambassador  .  MKL 139P  -1800HL ,   FKR 617V -   1.7  ,  MKL 136P- 1800HL ,BKL 619T-  1.7 L   

 

 

[Knotty Ash Towers]

Y-reg Princess BFC281Y and an unidentified Princess in the background of this photo, courtesy of GOLDSCOTLAND71 on Flickr.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47381765@N04/54751448590/

[vulgalour]

Hey, after about five million years I managed to update the Wedgister page today: https://www.angyl.co.uk/work/wedgister

That's the bulk of it sorted, I now need to go through the last year or two of stuff you fine folk have been posting in here and get that all formatted to match what's on there.  Keep up the superb work with the wedge spotting out there, I continue to be pleasantly surprised when a new one pops up.

[Knotty Ash Towers]

On 29/08/2025 at 14:19, Knotty Ash Towers said:

Y-reg Princess BFC281Y and an unidentified Princess in the background of this photo, courtesy of GOLDSCOTLAND71 on Flickr.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47381765@N04/54751448590/

The blue one is a Wolseley - JSO143N

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47381765@N04/54761931469/

[comfortablynumb]

@vulgalour have you seen the bloke on YouTube restoring the ambassador? It's absolutely hanging, but he's determined to get it sorted, think it's Scirocco restoration or something?

Autoshite beige too 😁

[vulgalour]

Yeah, and I've messaged him too with photos to help with the rebuild.  Man after my own heart that one, I really hope he succeeds, the nutter.

[bunglebus]

I take it we've all seen this one on YouTube 

Personally, I think it's comprehensively fucked and needs to donate parts to a better one, but each to their own

 

[Christine]

All the above ones i posted were  company cars  of Arnolds group of  companies , of East Peckham Tonbridge , Kent..probably all dead now

[beko1987]

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

I take it we've all seen this one on YouTube 

Personally, I think it's comprehensively fucked and needs to donate parts to a better one, but each to their own

 

That came up in my feed last night! Hat off to him! I did laugh as he kept saying "ah that's not too bad..."

[vulgalour]

I believe I now have all the images uploaded to the Wedgister: https://www.angyl.co.uk/work/wedgister

Things to do:

• Go through all the cars I have reg numbers for that don't have photos, and update the sections accordingly
• Go through all the special variations - police car, limousine, hearse, etc - and set up sections for quick reference on that
• Maybe set up a Wolseley section
• Go through DVLA records to update the status on all the cars
• Split off the known survivors into their own quick reference section to give some sense of what survives

Quite a lot of cars ended up being added in the latest update, hopefully I haven't missed any of the ones with pictures that have been posted here.

 

[Billy - Medhurst]

Vehicle make - LEYLAND CARS

Date of first registration - November 1975

Year of manufacture - 1975

Cylinder capacity - 1798 cc

Fuel type - PETROL

Export marker - No

Vehicle status - Untaxed Since December 1990

Vehicle colour - BRONZE

Date of last V5C (logbook) issued - 12 July 1990

[adw1977]

Vinyl roof and 1800 engine means it was a HL.

Vinyl roof not available on base, option on HL, standard on HLS but HLS was 2200 engine only.

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, adw1977 said:

Vinyl roof and 1800 engine means it was a HL.

Vinyl roof not available on base, option on HL, standard on HLS but HLS was 2200 engine only.

HLS = High Line Special, IIRC

[adw1977]

11 hours ago, High Jetter said:

HLS = High Line Special, IIRC

I'm not sure. HL was certainly High Line.

The Princess was the first model to have a HLS trim level.

[Richard_FM]

From what I've observed most if not all Princess police cars had no vinyl trim or roof, but possibly had 2200 engines.

[Essex V6]

My mate in NZ has just acquired this 1800 HL

[High Jetter]

37 minutes ago, Richard_FM said:

From what I've observed most if not all Princess police cars had no vinyl trim or roof, but possibly had 2200 engines.

Not sure I remember a cop wedge!

[adw1977]

On 30/03/2018 at 14:22, vulgalour said:

Suffix reg P - 77 entries, 9 survivors

 

 

 

NOTES:

• COL400P - no records found
• HON502P - no records found
• HON503P - no records found
• HON505P - no records found
• HON507P - no records found
• JVP904P - 1975 Austin 2.2 tax expired February 1982. Police car
• KCF875P - 1975 Austin 1.8 SORN (April 2020)
• KMG538P - 1975 Leyland Cars 1.8 taxed until July 2020
• KOA263P - 1975 Austin 2.2 tax expired March 1982. Police car
• KOH278P - 1975 Leyland Cars 2.2 (white) tax expired October 1985
• KPK770P - 1975 Wolseley 2.2 SORN (April 2020)
• KPV537P - 1975 Morris 1.8 SORN (April202)
• KUJ124P - 1975 Wolseley 2.2 taxed until April 2021
• KUK861P - 1975 Austin 1.3 tax expired December 1988 (erroneous engine size or number applied to a different Austin)
• KUK915P - 1975 Austin 1.3 (white) tax expired December 1984 (erroneous engine size or number applied to a different Austin)
• KUK916P - 1976 Austin 1.3 (red) tax expired October 1991 (erroneous engine size or number applied to a different Austin)
• KYT1P - 1975 Wolseley 2.2 tax expired july 1983.  Ministerial car
• KYT2P - no records found
• KYT3P - Scrapped 1988.  Ministerial car
• KYT4P - 1975 Wolseley 2.2 scrapped January 1988.  Ministerial car
• KYT5P - 1975 Wolseley 2.2 tax expired March 2006.  Ministerial car
• KYT6P - 1975 Wolseley 2.2 scrapped October 1987.  Ministerial car
• KYT7P - 1975 Wolseley 2.2 tax expired July 1987.  Ministerial car
• KYT8P - no records found.  Ministerial car
• KYT9P - no records found.  Ministerial car
• KYT10P - 1975 Wolseley 2.2 tax expired January 1979.  Ministerial car
• KYT11P - 1975 Wolseley 2.2 tax expired June 1999.  Ministerial car
• KYT12P - 1975 Wolseley 2.2 tax expired October 1986.  Ministerial car
• KYT13P - 1975 Wolseley 2.2 tax expired January 1983.  Ministerial car
• KYT14P - 1975 Wolseley 2.2 tax expired February 1988.  Ministerial car
• KYT15P - 1975 Wolseley 2.2 tax expired January 1979.  Ministerial car
• KYT16P - 1975 Wolseley 2.2 tax expired July 1989.  Ministerial car
• KYT17P - 1975 Wolseley 2.2 scrapped December 1989.  Ministerial car
• KYT18P - 1975 Wolseley 2.2 tax expired February 1986.  Ministerial car
• KYT19P - 1975 Wolseley 2.2 tax expired March 1984.  Ministerial car
• KYT20P - 1975 Wolseley 2.2 tax expired August 1984.  Ministerial car
• LAJ16P - 1975 Morris 998cc tax expired November 1990 (erroneous engine size or number applied to a different Austin)
• LAS734P - no records found
• LDP256P - no records found
• LGU698P - 1975 Wolseley 2.2 SORN (April 2020)
• LJJ130P - registration assigned to a Vauxhall
• LJT130P - 1975 Austin 2.2 (white) tax expired April 1990
• LMX281P - 1976 Leyland Cars 2.2 (white) tax expired January 1987
• LLA552P - 1975 Austin 1.8 tax expired June 1987
• LLJ986P - registration assigned to a Ford
• LOC950P - 1976 Wolseley 2.2 tax expired January 1978
• LPT147P - no records found.  Police car
• LRX19P - 1976 Leyland Cars 1.8 tax expired September 2018
• LTF941P - 1976 Leyland Cars 2.2 tax expired May 1987
• LVH943P - 1975 Austin 2.2 tax expired January 1994. Limousine
• MAU552P - 1976 Leyland Cars 2.2 tax expired February 1985
• MEC396P - 1975 Leyland Cars 2.2 tax expired September 1992
• MHA758P - 1976 Wolseley 2.2 SORN (April 2020)
• MKG2P - registration assigned to a Volkswagen. Hearse when assigned to Princess
• MKN296P - 1976 Leyland Cars 1.8 tax expired April 1984
• MFS556P - no records found
• MSO804P - 1976 Leyland Cars 2.2 tax expired December 1983
• MUM531P - 1976 Morris 2.2 tax expired October 1984. Police car
• NAY790P - NEW ADDITION
• NBW377P - 1975 Austin 1.8 (gold) tax expired October 1984
• NCS500P - no records found
• NGM507P - no records found
• NGT964P - 1976 Leyland Cars 1.8 tax expired January 2011
• NRT443P - 1976 Leyland Cars 1.8 tax expired June 1994
• OBD1P - registratin assigned to an MG
• ODU978P - NEW ADDITION
• OEL825P - 1976 Leyland Cars 2.2 SORN (April 2020).  Limousine
• OFC689P - 1975 Austin 1.8 (gold) tax expired October 1988
• OGN372P - 1976 Leyland Cars 1.8 SORN (April 2020)
• OHP221P - 1976 Leyland Cars 1.8 tax expired July 1984
• OLD197P - 1976 Leyland Cars 1.8 tax expired December 1982
• OUS910P - 1976 Leyland Cars 1.8 tax expired February 2008
• PCX642P - NEW ADDITION
• RHD528P - 1976 Austin 2.2 tax expired February 2001.  Hearse
• RSC813P - no records found. Police car
• SAA998P - 1976 Leyland Cars 1.8 tax expired August 1993
• SFC475P - 1976 Leyland Cars 1.8 SORN (April 2020)
• WVF737P - no records found.  Police car

 

There are six police cars recorded in the P reg post, all without vinyl on the C pillar. Three of them have the 2200 engine, so clearly police forces were able to specify combinations not available to the general public.

[motorpunk]

On 09/09/2025 at 16:46, bunglebus said:

I take it we've all seen this one on YouTube 

Personally, I think it's comprehensively fucked and needs to donate parts to a better one, but each to their own

 

I don’t watch much YouTube but that’s a great video. I love such blind optimism! 

[vulgalour]

6 hours ago, adw1977 said:

There are six police cars recorded in the P reg post, all without vinyl on the C pillar. Three of them have the 2200 engine, so clearly police forces were able to specify combinations not available to the general public.

None of the police cars I've got examples of have vinyl on the C pillar, I'm pretty sure they went for what were effectively L spec cars and then specced whichever engine was best suited for the car being either an urban or motorway use.  Given the sedate performance, I doubt the Princess was ever intended as a pursuit vehicle and was more likely used for patrol and other duties, perhaps some motorway work as you'd be more likely to use a Metro or Allegro in the city.

Anecdotally I'm informed that if you really wanted to, and were a long-term British Leyland customer (or BMC customer), you could spec whatever you wanted and BL would make it for you.  I've never found proof of this, so who knows if it's true or just apocryphal.

[Missy Charm]

21 hours ago, High Jetter said:

Not sure I remember a cop wedge!

Haskins occasionally tooled about in one in 'The Sweeney'.  I don't think they ever clarified whether it was his own car or firm wheels.   

[Datsuncog]

New wedge up on FB Marketplace tonight; local car but also sadly probably beyond repair.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1114089633708397/

With a bit of squinting, I make that out as RIA5740, which is a Co. Antrim registration though it's hard to be definite- no DVLA records are returned for that combination anyway, or other plausible combinations (3740? 9748?).

Looks like it's quite possibly been slumbering since before SORN requirements came in.

Funny, I went to look at an identical Princess in 1996 or 1997 - can't now remember the numberplate, sadly. I viewed it on a dark and wet winter evening just up the road, but didn't buy it as £700 seemed a bit pricey back then for a Wedge, even if it did have aftermarket electronic ignition fitted and came with a full interior and body panels taken from a spares car.

Wonder if it might be the same car, nearly 30 years later?

[Formula Autos]

If you look on Google Earth at these co-ordinates 54°16'33"N 3°14'04"W, there’s an abandoned Ambassador in a field. It’s been there nearly thirty years that I’ve been passing there for work, and last time I went past the roof seems have collapsed, but it’s still there. It’s a fair way from the main road, but the road’s elevated so you can see it fairly easily if you know where to look. It’s near Duddon Bridge on the A595 in Cumbria.