Asimo Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 Saw one for the first time outside TC Longford's in Ross on Wye on launch day. Metallic blue is how I remeber it but was that ever an 18-22 colour? That shape was really something, until we got used to it. And now they are rare again, that shape is really something again. IMHO.
Lankytim Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 Just watching a water filled princess on top gear. Great looking motors I recon.
Ghosty Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 Metallic blue is how I remeber it but was that ever an 18-22 colour? Sounds to me like a Wolseley.
NorfolkNWeigh Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 I had just started a new school in the middle of term in Bromsgrove not far from Longbridge, I was 11 and hated life. The high spot of my time there was that for two weeks in the big layby in front of the school loads of 18-22s would stop to change drivers, they must have been press,dealers etc on a set route.This was a few weeks before the launch and I couldn't wait to get the brochures from the local dealer( I've still got the Wolseley one) . They were so exciting and futuristic compared to any British cars at the time, they looked more like a Citroen or Renault to me at the time
The Reverend Bluejeans Posted March 13, 2015 Author Posted March 13, 2015 Saw one for the first time outside TC Longford's in Ross on Wye on launch day. Metallic blue is how I remeber it but was that ever an 18-22 colour? That shape was really something, until we got used to it. And now they are rare again, that shape is really something again. IMHO. Yes. Very early (pre Princess) cars were available in a STUNNIN' metallic bright turquoisey blue also available on the last Landcrabz and AllEgress. No idea what it's called. Early ones also available in a shade of yellow reserved exclusively for winners.............Citron. Asimo, Charlie Croker and Craig the Princess 3
406V6 Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 The pedant in me will correct the title - the 18-22 was launched 40 years ago while the anniversary for the Princess will be in ~6 months time. I remember them being launched and thinking they looked a bit strange although these days I think they look great. Then the newspapers followed a few months later with all the BL bashing horror stories.
vulgalour Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 Everything bad/good that people tell you about them is true. They are brilliant and terrible in equal measure. I miss driving mine, it's far superior to any other vehicle.
Craig the Princess Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 Yes. Very early (pre Princess) cars were available in a STUNNIN' metallic bright turquoisey blue also available on the last Landcrabz and AllEgress. No idea what it's called. Early ones also available in a shade of yellow reserved exclusively for winners.............Citron. Lagoon Blue, and it is one of the best colours of all time. Here is one (of two) 1100 delux Allegro in Lagoon Blue. Skizzer 1
The Reverend Bluejeans Posted March 13, 2015 Author Posted March 13, 2015 The pedant in me will correct the title - the 18-22 was launched 40 years ago while the anniversary for the Princess will be in ~6 months time. I remember them being launched and thinking they looked a bit strange although these days I think they look great. Then the newspapers followed a few months later with all the BL bashing horror stories. We know. The 18/22 was renamed Princess after the Lord Ryder plan to save BL*. Everyone just calls it the Princess now though. No bad thing really - the humped bonnet was absolutely gopping. I saved not one but two very early cars (supposedly prototypes) from scrapyard death 20 years ago, booth still exist and one iOS on the road. Both were Morrises. Meanwhile: Skizzer and dugong 2
The Reverend Bluejeans Posted March 13, 2015 Author Posted March 13, 2015 A well rounded article from Motor Sport: http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/april-1975/51/new-1822-series-austin-morris-range warren t claim 1
theorganist Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 Considering when I bought mine I was expecting the negative things to be true. 1700 engine underpowered for such a big car - I haven't noticed reaches 70 on the motorway with little effort and pulls away pretty smartly, I don't drive it hard due to its age but find I am constantly having to ease off. Non PAS heavy - well a bit at parking speeds but nicely weighted on the move, the gigantic wheel helps. Manual Gearbox heavy and ponderous - A little heavy and first can be like a recalcitrant but I find it quite slick with a nice positive action. The positives certainly are - smooth ride, extremely comfortable, quiet. After driving it to Devon last year on holiday the only other car I had which was that comfortable was a Rover 800. I did not feel like I had just driven 200 miles. It is big but I find now that it doesn't feel as big to drive as it used to. It is a bit thirsty, why they didn't get five gears when the Maxi and Allegro 1500 did I don't know. It wallows a bit and the electrics sometimes take the day off but generally I love it and it turns heads. I think with a bit more quality control and if it had a hatch from the off it could have been a world beater. The Reverend Bluejeans, Craig the Princess, Twiggy and 2 others 5
gordonbennet Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 I had a lovely early 1800 in plain navy type blue, bloody good car that, unfortunately got rammed up the arse by a Jag which wrote it off. Me dad's last car was a 1700HL, in black, think it had been a funeral mourners car cos it had been polished to the nth degree, that got sold on after he died. I drove 1700 taxis on sat and sunday nights to earn some extra dosh, just like the Landcrab the older customers loved 'em (the company was and still is a bit upmarket) for the comfort and space, often heard 'em saying quietly its a Princess thank goodness (where most of the other PH companies were using Cortinas)...bloody good on fuel too...but i preferred the lazy low engine speed torque of the old 1800 engine. Still had the never ending BL problem of having to reshim the bottom ball joints regularly, but at least you could dismantle and grease the buggers unlike nearly all other designs.
Skizzer Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 I've always liked them, especially with vinyl roof and those ribbed trimz on the Princess 2. Never driven one, mind. I was outbid on a jade green 2200 HLS a couple of years ago and am still a little bit sad about it. Fab velour.
Craig the Princess Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 On and back on Topic Princesses (and Ambassadors) are great. I've only driven mine at BL Day when a couple of lads from the Princess club got it running.Maybe this year now the welding is done. The Red Ambassador has done about 6,000 miles wuth us and is a really really useful load lugger, the Brown one is way down the queue. vulgalour, Grundig, Angrydicky and 2 others 5
robinmasters Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 BL 18/22 Princess. Launched 40 years ago this month.Any of you that have an opinion on that: you're getting on a bit. (I have an opinion on it, which is mainly 'surely they're not that old?') mouseflakes 1
gordonbennet Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 I've always liked them, especially with vinyl roof and those ribbed trimz on the Princess 2. Never driven one, mind. I was outbid on a jade green 2200 HLS a couple of years ago and am still a little bit sad about it. Fab velour.Don't be too sad, i had a 2200 Landcrab which goes down as one of the worse cars i've ever owned.The engine and gearbox weigh Christ knows how much, but i put holes in the road outside when the lifting gear sank, 6 ply reinforced tyres a must such is the weight, it's one and only redeeming feature was it was unstoppable in snow.It's party piece being a manual was that an oil change required 22, yes 22, friggin pints of oil!!
The Reverend Bluejeans Posted March 13, 2015 Author Posted March 13, 2015 Any of you that have an opinion on that: you're getting on a bit. (I have an opinion on it, which is mainly 'surely they're not that old?') 48 this Nov. Bohemian Rhapsody was No.1 on my 8th birthday and my headmaster at school had a red 1800/Princess that year.
Asimo Posted March 13, 2015 Posted March 13, 2015 1972 Austin 2200 weighs 1185 kg 2014 Mini Cooper weighs 1220 kg Heavy enough to need the optional power steering, but not THAT heavy! *approaching gifferdom fast: 58 years! mouseflakes, theorganist, Craig the Princess and 1 other 4
mouseflakes Posted March 14, 2015 Posted March 14, 2015 Those early turquoise Wolseley versions used to put me in mind of this Matchbox model. It was quite a period for toy car manufacturers to produce models of prototypes - there had also been the BMC 1800 Pininfarina before this. I just recall there were quite a few toy cars with the wedge profile and a 'shovel' nose at the time and as a kid when the Princes came out, I thought it was another one of those futuristic styling exercises made real. I reckon the Princess is a great-looking thing. Nothing else like it really.
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now