The new news 24 thread

[Bucketeer]

Anyone fancy an Autoshite meet in Istanbul?

When Mo? I'm only a bus ride (and a bit more) away.

 

 

 

Just before the forum went down I made a post about the mostly forgotten Bucketeer quiz of last year, or whenever it was - well apparently I won (Alex never finished the answers!), and I have now received my prize in Rover Lord sterling silver. Cheers!

I really did think I had posted all the quiz aftermath but it seems not. In mitigation, as I said to you before Max, I am completely flipping useless.

[Lord Sterling]

When Mo? I'm only a bus ride (and a bit more) away

I'm there now until next Sunday.

[Bucketeer]

I'm there now until next Sunday.

 

Sweeeet. Are you up for a visit? I can stroll over to Turkey any time.

[Lord Sterling]

Sweeeet. Are you up for a visit? I can stroll over to Turkey any time.

Yep. Just stroll over chap. I'm here until Sunday next weekend.

[gm]

I'm supposed to be collectioning today but for some odd reason I can't set up a bank transfer to go through until tomorrow I'll just take cash in the morning, watch this space tomorrow

[richardmorris]

Because even in the Internet age, banks only work five days a week.

[captain_70s]

'81 Princess for sale less than 10 miles away.

 

It's in my colour (reynard metallic brown), my spec (Princess 2, 2.0HL, brown everything), genuine 42,000 on the clock and runs smooth, the numberplate has the first three letters of my name on it for god's sake... Been off the road for 15 years and need work, but it is quite possibly my dream car. How can I do this... How can I make this car mine...

[billyboy406v6]

'81 Princess for sale less than 10 miles away.

 

It's in my colour (reynard metallic brown), my spec (Princess 2, 2.0HL, brown everything), genuine 42,000 on the clock and runs smooth, the numberplate has the first three letters of my name on it for god's sake... Been off the road for 15 years and need work, but it is quite possibly my dream car. How can I do this... How can I make this car mine...

Get some money, go there, haggle a bit, drag it home ?

[ruffgeezer]

Doeeeet!

[johngarty]

'81 Princess for sale less than 10 miles away.

 

It's in my colour (reynard metallic brown), my spec (Princess 2, 2.0HL, brown everything), genuine 42,000 on the clock and runs smooth, the numberplate has the first three letters of my name on it for god's sake... Been off the road for 15 years and need work, but it is quite possibly my dream car. How can I do this... How can I make this car mine...

 

You have to do this. For all that is holy. Your fame awaits you sir. DO IT !

[captain_70s]

Phoned about a row of garages in town, one is available as of the 1st of September so the Prinny wouldn't be rotting on the drive with the Doloshite if by some horrible* turn of events it becomes mine... 

 

Car is on eBay, guy doesn't want to end the auction early so we'll see how it runs.

[anonymous user]

Today I saw someone on the M4 living the dream, a very nice, lhd, two-tone green, Amazon estate, on Dutch plates, towing a very 1960's rounded fibreglass maroon and cream caravan. The towing mirrors were a sight to behold as they cantilivered forwards from the roof-rack. (in a similar fashion to the enormous ones you see on coaches these days) The Volvo was also fitted with a dashboard mounted interior fan. No pics as I was driving

[vulgalour]

BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS BUY THE PRINCESS 

 

 

 

I have brown spares.

[320touring]

princess aquisition is much to be happenings

[MarvinsMom]

'81 Princess for sale less than 10 miles away.

 

It's in my colour (reynard metallic brown), my spec (Princess 2, 2.0HL, brown everything), genuine 42,000 on the clock and runs smooth, the numberplate has the first three letters of my name on it for god's sake... Been off the road for 15 years and need work, but it is quite possibly my dream car. How can I do this... How can I make this car mine...

do you really, REALLY need 2 kidneys?

 

thought not,

 

so that is the solution for you....

[AMC Rebel]

Mended the screenwash on on the Puma.  In a piece of genius design, Ford put a little filter screen at the bottom of the screenwash bottle.  A 30 second clean of said filter involves removing the front wheel and arch liner. You then need to undo two 10mm nuts on the trailing edge of the inner wing - you can only do this by opening the door and reaching into the gap (or presumably removing the entire door which is what they seem to have done for the Haynes BOL. Another 10mm bolt at the top, pop off the filler neck and undo all all the pipes and electrical connectors, and you can drop the reservoir (which must have been an exercise in how many different shapes can be incorporated into a single washer bottle, take out the motor, clean the little filter and put it all back.

[vulgalour]

That's the proper way.  But the proper* way is the Savvy-approved method of diverting the screenwash pipes to a bleach bottle that has an aftermarket washer pump fixed to it with cable ties.

[captain_70s]

Seems everybody wants me to buy a Princess...

 

 

As an overview it's bloody clean for a Prinny, for a local car (registered in Nairnshire) it's outstanding. Work has been done in the past, the wheelarches have been replaced nearly seamlessly and the sills seem to have been in the process of being sorted but never finished. There is a smattering of rust along the door bottoms, on the bonnet, front valance (+ bonus hole), a tiny bit above the rear screen and the bottom of the bootlid is rotten on the inside at the bottom although the guy said he has a better one. Boot floor is good at the back where it meets the arches and the front floors look alright, couldn't really get past the carpet, it's a bit better fitted than the Doloshite's!

The worst bit is where the rear bumper bolts to the body work on both sides, on the O/S it's completely rotted through and the N/S isn't far behind. Paintwork is all pretty good quality but is a variety of shades.

 

The suspension is a bit low on one side but isn't slammed so there must still be pressure in the system, won't run on fuel from the tank as the tank is full of rust, currently has a Mini fuel pump fitted as the original is buggered, the car does run (from a fuel can), drive and stop but the clutch hydraulics stick and the carb needs refurbed so it's 4,000rpm or nothing. The engine sounds sweet though, no rattles or knocks, the 42k on the clock seems genuine judging by the lack of sagging in the complete but dirty interior.

 

The tyres are essentially brand new but 15/16 years old and most of the exhaust looks like it's never seen any action on the road. Certainly looks like it was being prepped for an MOT but never quite got there, been in storage for 15 years so perhaps the owner got scared by the amount of money he was putting into his car which would have been worthless in 2001 and shelved it?

 

The eBay advert is set to end at a time when I will be utterly wasted at a house party and will have access to eBay on my phone so this endeavour can only end well...

 

Oh, the guy selling it also owns this place:

 

[vulgalour]

That's not just a Princess 2, it's a really super late one, just before the Ambassador was released.  The door mirrors are the big clue, on the boot lid there should be plastic-with-chrome letters and a blue 2.  Other clues are the chunkier coach stripe, dark grey wheel trims and lack of crown on the bonnet.  Yes, I know, nerdy mcnerdface over here.  The areas outlined are all standard for Princess and if tackled sooner rather than later, shouldn't cause you any further trouble.  You do need to check the back corners of the floor but it does mean removing the seat base - a single nut in the middle, which sounds easy unless you've never done it before) as they go here spreading from the back of the sill.  Sills aren't easy to get hold of, but cheap when they do appear.

 

Valance rust sounds normal, door bottom bubbling especially so, rear screen rot is caused by the C pillar vinyl trim being a water trap.  Boot lids rot out for fun, if there's a spare make use of it.  Clutch hydraulics can be fixed with a flush and bleed of the system, you may find there's almost no fluid in there.  It won't be as bad as the infamous red one Phil bought off me and if you can afford it you should absolutely buy it before they're both too rare and too expensive.  Even during my brief four year ownership I've seen prices double on Princesses.

 

The very late Princesses are the best ones to have, really.  The rust is much less of a problem and more in line with 90s cars than what is essentially a 70s car.  The majority of the build quality issues are dealt with and they're generally very good cars.  I'd advise that if you do go for this one, don't rush out and get the suspension pumped up straight away.  Displacers are difficult to acquire and I don't have any spares.  It's safer for the suspension's longevity to put up with it being a bit low than it is to try and get it to stock pressures and heights.  I'd recommend you getting the displacers fitted with valves in the gas half so you can get them regassed if you can, to date I've only known one owner have problems with the regassing of old displacers this way and that was down to a faulty displacer rather than the work done to convert them to refillable.

 

If you have any questions do ask.  I'm always happy to be your shortcut through my neverending Princess blog.  Alternatively, if you're bored and have lots of spare time, feel free to click on the Princess link in my signature for literally days of boring beige bloggery.

[17-Coffees]

If you've the space, time & money...save the princess! Always wanted an excuse to way that.

 

Been a few years since I've been to Buckie, let alone past that garage!

Last time I was there there was 2 or 3 Avenger Tigers and a white Rapier fastback as well as a few other things if memory serves me correctly! 

[Bear]

Mini collection (no. not a mini) on my mind, feeling the sort of anxious excitement I felt when getting cars as a teenager. One of my proper dream cars of youth (I was an odd teenager). Hoping the XJS bits arrive this week too so it has two mirrors, a service and a complete leaper (I have bought whole cars for less, but optimistic it's the correct one to directly replace and will be nice solid metal, not some chromed-plastic knockoff tat :/) instead of the miserable remains of a leaper base!

[burraston2006]

Off to collect some new shit in a bit. A Peugeot 206hdi so shit rather than shite and not worth a collection thread unless it shits itself on the way home. These are getting so cheap now, couple of months test service history and leather interior for just £250

Couple of weeks back bought a 1.1 206 as the daughters first car ( no pics as it was only 10 miles away!). Seems o.k as a first car but fxxk me is it slow/crap/basic. On the whole of the dash there are only 2 buttons- rear demist and the hazards ( my C-Max has 40!). Ideal as kids are too pampered/spoilt/ have an easy life today!

[plasticvandan]

I have brown spares.

 

That is such an autoshite comment

[tooSavvy]

Mended the screenwash on on the Puma.  In a piece of genius design, Ford put a little filter screen at the bottom of the screenwash bottle.  A 30 second clean of said filter involves removing the front wheel and arch liner. You then need to undo two 10mm nuts on the trailing edge of the inner wing - you can only do this by opening the door and reaching into the gap (or presumably removing the entire door which is what they seem to have done for the Haynes BOL. Another 10mm bolt at the top, pop off the filler neck and undo all all the pipes and electrical connectors, and you can drop the reservoir (which must have been an exercise in how many different shapes can be incorporated into a single washer bottle, take out the motor, clean the little filter and put it all back.

Just sold 'MrSavvy' and the guy enquired "Whats with the bleach bottle, M8?"

I explaind the saga... he listened intently then opined "aye, you'll have to take the bloody headlight out an' all"..

 

Sale Agreed

 

TS

[AlabamaShrimp]

Much car related money spent in the last two weeks on cars in Shrimp land.

 

Mk2 Fiesta tested and passed, supposedly needed a bulb but then it would wouldn't it..

 

Oil pressure gauge going mad on the Frontera. Was very low on oil (my fault I hadn't checked it. So oil and filter change, I only managed to spill a bit on the drive, and it's settled down a lot but still seems high so will have to eventually change the gauge.

 

But the biggest cost was £220 for a shocker, track rod end and some bits in the steering rack for the Fiesta ST as it was banging on the back and making a noise when slow turning. Came back from the garage still making the noise and juddering at about 70.

Went back and they balanced the wheels, should have done that in the first place, but they now think the noise is the bearings in the top of the front struts, not sure which ones. I didn't get the work done as you can only hear the noise inside the car so I'm not convinced it's that.

 

Coming up is the Frontera's test and a shit load of insurance woes

[johngarty]

That scrubbed up lovely considering the state of it when it came out of the 'barn'.

The most comfy car I ever drove, like sitting in your favourite armchair.

Pics show it needs work but looks very salvageable.

I personally hope you are very pissed around ten on Saturday night Mr Captain 70's and your bid finger is going like the clappers.

There wont be many more like this come up.

[gm]

I'm sat on a train with an envelope of ££ in my pocket - this can only mean one thing - collection time

[stuboy]

Gf gone to ireland for 4 days so ive fitted one other presents i got her for her birthday, some flappage.. wasnt happy with fixings so added so beefier fixings..

[Supernaut]

Romance ain't dead.

 

The girlfriend goes on holiday for her birthday, so you fit some mud flaps to her car as a present.

[cort16]

From someone who currently has 3 broken cars I would say give that Princess a wide berth unless you can establish what it need to get it road worthy and make sure you have the money and a plan to get it there.

If you've already got 2 projects a third isn't going to help unless you can get it on the road.  I find constantly chucking money and time at cars in a never ending stream, which never seems to get them any closer to being roadworthy un motivating to the point of depression. In these times (like now) I constantly think about selling them all and getting brand new Golf GTi or just creating a massive bonfire out of them.

 

On the plus side if I didn't have them to tinker with I may end up taking up golf.