That vandalised Ambassador...

[0ldCh0d]

This is a little OT, & i apologise....However, the Ambassador was also the car of choice for fraudsters.....Check out this mans "Abandoned house" driveway.....lol

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2288349/Fast-Eddie-Maher-Double-life-fugitive-spent-20-years-run-U-S-working-cable-engineer-stealing-1-2m-Securicor-van.html

 

[59Impala]

I'm full of wonderment at you for rescuing the poor old thing. While I've never owned such a vehicle I always thought they weren't that bad and heard that they are very comfortable indeed. Good luck with rejuvenating it and have fun when you get it back on the road.

[Guest Breadvan72]

Internetz PHACKTOID: This car has the distinction, if such it be, of having been a Pistonheads Shed of the Week back in 2011.

 

http://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-features-sheds/sotw-austin-ambassador-and-princess/24074

[mercrocker]

This is a little OT, & i apologise....However, the Ambassador is also the car of choice for fraudsters.....Check out this mans "Abandoned house" driveway.....lol

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2288349/Fast-Eddie-Maher-Double-life-fugitive-spent-20-years-run-U-S-working-cable-engineer-stealing-1-2m-Securicor-van.html

 

 

He needs to play hunt the soap for torching that Ascona....

[rovamota]

It is the same Ambo, Breadvan72, and the chap who bought it had nothing but problems with it, including an epic clutch slave cylinder failure on the way home. I think it actually encouraged him to give up his driving license.

 

Here it is back in 2011.

 

 

 

[Guest Breadvan72]

It is a cool Yarmouth, and has a fair claim to be appointed Honorary Flagship of Fleet Autoshite.

[Parky]

If this ever met "The Base", a black hole of Awesomeness would form spewing Tagoras and Horsey Horselesses into the street

[greengartside]

Only just saw this thread. What a great save!

 

Can't get my head around why anyone would think it's fun to smash up any car, let alone one of these. That JRG paintjob really suits it.

[Guest Breadvan72]

That Daily Mail story is a real downer (as per yuze). The ex squeeze sounds like a right misery.

[chaseracer]

If this ever met "The Base", a black hole of Awesomeness would form spewing Tagoras and Horsey Horselesses into the street

 

This would be the "Autoshite Event Horizon".

 

In the absence of one of these, obvs...

 

 

[Braddon81]

... not in anyway trying to hijack this thread...but is that a recent pic of that Horizon?...it very much looks like the remains of a rocking horse poo rare diesel??.........Anyhow back to Ambassadors!

[Dick Cheeseburger]

... not in anyway trying to hijack this thread...but is that a recent pic of that Horizon?...it very much looks like the remains of a rocking horse poo rare diesel??.........Anyhow back to Ambassadors!

Looks like it's seen a couple of Scottish summers.

[trigger]

Just fantastic yet again guys, all the best with it.

[Vince70]

That lovely wedge couldn't be in better hands and a low mileage car as well so I bet it will end up another minter by the time you've finished with it.

 

If you ever need a man to change a fan belt on one of those I'm your man as when we had our one I must of changed a good 30 belts on it as no one could get to the root of the problem.

 

I even passed my test in a vanden plas Ambassador back in the 80s and was the first car I used as a daily driver (when it would start) so have fond memory's of it and most of my mates were jealous as it was so posh with electric Windows and central locking and a radio cassette and sunroof the only downside for a 17 year old was it didn't have a rev counter.

 

Have you got any interior pics.

[rovamota]

We braved the frosty air this morning and got on with more jobs to be done. First job was to refit the door cards removed for window fitments, then a clear up of the interior with a good going over with a vacuum cleaner to remove grime and lots of broken glass. All the seats will need a deep clean but we're hoping they'll come up clean and fresh. I also replaced the faulty window switch and that works ok now.

 

 

Next job was to fit the front screen. After a quick trip to the local DIY shop for a washing line we cleaned up the original screen rubber and glass and got on with refitting. It took a couple of attempts to get the line to pull the rubber over the aperture lip but we got it fitted with no dramas. The bright screen trim got damaged when the screen was smashed but I think we can overcome that.

 

 

Pleased with how well that went we moved on to the tailgate glass which was a tad easier as we could move the tailgate up and down for easy access to fit the glass. Another job done. All we need now is the nearside bonded quarter glass.

 

 

I then gave the car a quick wash as it's probably the first time this car has seen water in at least 5 years, though I left the roof well alone as we still have the problem of repairing the sunroof panel. The sunroof manufacturer is Golde and the panel attaches to the roof frame via four fixings and all four are broken. I'm hoping that they are available and the parts weren't indigenous to the Ambassador and other Austin Rover cars used the same sunroof manufacturer.

 

These photos show one side of the parts that are broken, the other side is the same but mirrored.

 

 

 

So, the list of parts we require at the moment are: -

 

Sunroof parts

Offside rear bonded quarter Sundym glass

Passenger door mirror

Nearside front wing rubbing strip.

Number plate light unit

Rear wiper arm

Dash mat

 

In the meantime we will be sending the head off for skimming and once that's back, rebuilt and in the car we can think about getting an MoT.

[riek]

I spotted this on ebay earlier, perhaps it will help?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Austin-Montego-1986-88-Ambassador-Sunroof-Cam-Plate-RH-Side-BDP1578-/361852725703?hash=item54401a69c7:g:jMwAAOSwgZ1Xws2I

 

also seems to be shared with some montegos....

[rovamota]

Thanks riek, I've bought that and asked what else he has!

[danthecapriman]

Brilliant work saving this. Sad that a bunch of little bastards with nothing better to do caused so much damage though!

[dollywobbler]

Aye, a heartwarming tale of a car that has suffered some blood-boiling hardships.

[Bren]

Internetz PHACKTOID: This car has the distinction, if such it be, of having been a Pistonheads Shed of the Week back in 2011.http://www.pistonheads.com/regulars/ph-features-sheds/sotw-austin-ambassador-and-princess/24074

Surely a white background and ££££ beckons then?

 

Good to see you BV. How is your fleet?

[Junkman]

I remember Donggone having a helluva trouble obtaining bits for the Golde roof of his Amazon.

However, looking at the broken bits you have, they look familiar.

You may want to check contemporary VAG products.

 

Are there any part numbers cast onto the broken bits?

I could search Ebay Kleinanzeigen for you.

[Pillock]

Anyone got access to a 3D printer, and more importantly knowledge on how to work it? Those plastic clips look like the sort of thing that could be knocked out, especially if all 4 are the same.

[greengartside]

You may want to check contemporary VAG products.

 

Spot on Junkman, the old man used to smoke about in a Mk1 Pisshat and that had a Golde sunroof.

[greengartside]

Noticed the Austin badge on the back is broken. Not sure if you have a spare but here's one on ebay...

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BL-LEYLAND-ROVER-AUSTIN-MINI-MAESTRO-METRO-VANDEN-PLAS-AMBASSADOR-BADGE-EMBLEM-/291966593523?hash=item43fa90a9f3:g:-pAAAOSwEzxYSdz6

 

Also I think the early Maestros share the same rear wiper arm? They look identical.

[Guest Breadvan72]

 

Good to see you BV. How is your fleet?

 

Wotcher.  Updates on Bolly Dolly thread.

[AlabamaShrimp]

I put a couple of likes on some posts then thought really this whole thread needs one giant like!

[ShiteRider]

Is there not a scrapyard in or around St Helens with a couple of Ambassadors in? There was a thread somewhere on here but the title escapes me, i think some one like Mr Bollox or Nigel Bickle managed to get a side window for an almost extinct 80's Seat.

I seem to remember it was full of 80's chod, Wades may have been the name.

Maybe try Balby motor spares at doncaster?

[worldofceri]

Anyone got access to a 3D printer, and more importantly knowledge on how to work it? Those plastic clips look like the sort of thing that could be knocked out, especially if all 4 are the same.

 

Excellent idea.  Mat_the_Cat got his Stellar hubcaps 3D printed thanks to the CAD skillz of Mrs_Mat_the_Cat iirc, so he's the man to ask.

[Guest Breadvan72]

Can we please buy this house to be Autoshite HQ?   We could negotiate hard and insist on keeping the net curtains (as well as the cars, obvs).

 

 

[Willy Warpit]

I was given a Princess as a company car in the late 70s pretty much the same colour as the vandalised Ambassador

but with a brown vinyl roof. Comfortable and extremely spacious but despite having been run in carefully the

engines oil consumption was heavy from the start and got progressively worse as it seemed to convert itself

in to some sort of two stroke motor.

 

I hesitate to say it but I did not enjoy running it and I do not miss it in any way. Good luck with the restoration.