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Vauxhall VX 4/90 (FD)


Low Horatio gearbox

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51 minutes ago, JeeExEll said:

20220503_105902.thumb.jpg.55ebd56db28d92bf65b7ab8af9294cb3.jpg

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Sorry, not VX4/90 but interesting if you haven't seen it before. We've seen this roadtest elsewhere (thanks Trigger) and I think someone mentioned what happened to the car, but I don't remember the outcome.  I think it was stripped for parts.  Two were built.

(Text is blurry but click on the pic).  Note position of gearstick.

Fuel consumption, -  standard Ventora  20.8mpg / Black Prince V8 13.0mpg.  Ouch.  Bet it sounded lovely though.

Roadtest is dated June 1972 so any further conversions would have been on the FE Ventora.  (Unless they bought a stock of the outgoing FD Ventoras at bargain prices).

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'Vauxhall and Rover', I'm suprised that  Rover sanctioned Winchester motor co.  popping V8s in Vauxhalls, even if they were GM ones.

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2 hours ago, JeeExEll said:

20220503_105902.thumb.jpg.55ebd56db28d92bf65b7ab8af9294cb3.jpg

20220503_110000.thumb.jpg.5b1fb218901405cbd5bab97877f1020b.jpg

Sorry, not VX4/90 but interesting if you haven't seen it before. We've seen this roadtest elsewhere (thanks Trigger) and I think someone mentioned what happened to the car, but I don't remember the outcome.  I think it was stripped for parts.  Two were built.

(Text is blurry but click on the pic).  Note position of gearstick.

Fuel consumption, -  standard Ventora  20.8mpg / Black Prince V8 13.0mpg.  Ouch.  Bet it sounded lovely though.

Roadtest is dated June 1972 so any further conversions would have been on the FE Ventora.  (Unless they bought a stock of the outgoing FD Ventoras at bargain prices).  The newer FE Ventoras were around £2000 when introduced in 1972, a new Granada GXL was around £2300.

20220503_112427.jpg

Wow, that is a bit of local history I didn't know about, wonder if it survives?

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One of the two Black Princes has been for sale a few times over the last few years. I remember when it first popped up back in 2013 (!) I was really surprised, thinking it had long ago been scrapped. Last log book was issued in that year, so perhaps it did find a new home. The second car was supposedly cut up years and years ago. One was manual, the other auto, and I can't remember which one survives.

Also worth mentioning that these are the BEST LOOKING British saloon of the era. So weird that Vauxhall was building the ugliest cars on the market (HA Viva, FC Victor) which were replaced by the best looking ones (HB Viva, FD Victor). Anyway I'd absolutely love one of these things.

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21 minutes ago, barrett said:

One of the two Black Princes has been for sale a few times over the last few years. I remember when it first popped up back in 2013 (!) I was really surprised, thinking it had long ago been scrapped. Last log book was issued in that year, so perhaps it did find a new home. The second car was supposedly cut up years and years ago. One was manual, the other auto, and I can't remember which one survives.

Also worth mentioning that these are the BEST LOOKING British saloon of the era. So weird that Vauxhall was building the ugliest cars on the market (HA Viva, FC Victor) which were replaced by the best looking ones (HB Viva, FD Victor). Anyway I'd absolutely love one of these things.

Absolutely agreed, just wreaks of 70s muscle (and tobacco most likely as it should). I thought one of the Black Princes was turned into a dragster, but I'm probably crossing my wires. Does anyone know what these cars (FD/FE VX4/90) are actually worth? I've hardly ever seen them for sale

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I had a 1968 FD Ventora in the late seventies. Absolutely loved it. The 3.3 made a lovely sound with twin exhausts and it was smoooooth. Black vinyl interiors are not recommended on hot summer days. It was brown which was a crap colour to have in those days so I coach painted it a nice mid blue. To this day I have no idea what happened to it.

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20 minutes ago, MisterH said:

Absolutely agreed, just wreaks of 70s muscle (and tobacco most likely as it should). I thought one of the Black Princes was turned into a dragster, but I'm probably crossing my wires. Does anyone know what these cars (FD/FE VX4/90) are actually worth? I've hardly ever seen them for sale

About a third of the equivalent Ford!

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Well after so much  success I decided to chance the school run this morning . We made it about a 1/4 mile from the house before it died and refused to proceed and we abandoned it  out of the way and staggered back to the houss for the modern. Running thru the garage and grabbing my jumper cables and an empty fuel can to fill on the way back fro  the school run.

 

A gallon slung in and  she fired up but wasnt happy, popping and generally nkt anying to go unless I gave it full beans. I was a bit mystified as to how it could ahev gone thru 2 gallons since Sunday.

Well I did run  out if something, tho it was electricity not petrol..  I presumed the battery was a bit meh when actualy the alternator connections were to blame

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3 hours ago, MisterH said:

Absolutely agreed, just wreaks of 70s muscle (and tobacco most likely as it should). I thought one of the Black Princes was turned into a dragster, but I'm probably crossing my wires. Does anyone know what these cars (FD/FE VX4/90) are actually worth? I've hardly ever seen them for sale

I think you can probably name your price for a really top FD VX4/90, or any big-engined car in good condition or a nice spec. I've seen five figures asked, but not sure if they ever get there.

IIRC the Black Prince was an absolute lash-up and a horror to drive. Maybe I'm misremembering, I'll have to dig out the road test. I'm sure it's generally thought they only built two because they were absolutely lethal and few people were stupid enough to buy one. Still deffo would, obvs.

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3 hours ago, Low Horatio gearbox said:

Well after so much  success I decided to chance the school run this morning . We made it about a 1/4 mile from the house before it died and refused to proceed and we abandoned it  out of the way and staggered back to the houss for the modern. Running thru the garage and grabbing my jumper cables and an empty fuel can to fill on the way back fro  the school run.

 

A gallon slung in and  she fired up but wasnt happy, popping and generally nkt anying to go unless I gave it full beans. I was a bit mystified as to how it could ahev gone thru 2 gallons since Sunday.

Well I did run  out if something, tho it was electricity not petrol..  I presumed the battery was a bit meh when actualy the alternator connections were to blame

1651593836603_IMG-20220503-WA0001.jpeg

Check carb diaphragms….. if they’re perished, you’ll get symptoms that you’re describing 

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8 hours ago, Rocket88 said:

FD and FE Vauxhalls were both supposed to have V8 as an option. Vauxhall, unsurprisingly, bottled it.

The '73 fuel crisis might have had a little to do with it too; some fantastic motors were in the pipeline before then, only to be cancelled or at least modified. 

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47 minutes ago, Uncle Jimmy said:

The '73 fuel crisis might have had a little to do with it too; some fantastic motors were in the pipeline before then, only to be cancelled or at least modified. 

Straight 6 that was in the Ventora was not a paragon of economy…🤣

mind you, neither was the four pot….

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Sorry, I had to edit my post on the Black Prince as, for some reason, the pictures became in-accessible.  That's never happened before.  Also, I can't re-instate them in the same order.  Don't know whats going on there as I've posted thousands of pics over the years.

I've edited and put the pics and road test back up on the previous page but it's messed up where some folks have quoted my post, sorry about that.

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15 hours ago, Rocket88 said:

My FE….. being converted into a panel van

Aaaah, is that the one I did some very amateur 'cartoon photo-shops' for some time back.  I'd forgotten all about that.  I lost loads of images when my tablet fucked up.

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Good to see the project progressing, an update would be good.  Lots of space in that engine bay for a small block Chevy.  A Ventora V8 estate should have been offered from new,  (and a 302 Consul /Granada).

But 73 oil-crisis.

Some folk bought Aussie V8s instead at the time instead because factory RHD.

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Vauxhall FD Series is the best looking saloon car of the period. Bar none. It looks so correct in every way. I love them when I discovered it in pictures. When I finally get to see one in metal (an exceedingly rare chance considering over here they sold about 5), even though it was in shocking condition, it's still clear how correct the designers got it.

 

I don't care how it is dynamically, not that I'll ever get a chance to experience one, I love this car in every way.

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5 hours ago, JeeExEll said:

Aaaah, is that the one I did some very amateur 'cartoon photo-shops' for some time back.  I'd forgotten all about that.  I lost loads of images when my tablet fucked up.

Right update on my purple throbber….. front and rear screen rubbers were shot, and replacements are either unavailable, or don’t fit properly. Decided to attempt something I haven’t seen done before, and bond the screens in.

This means making the screen apertures smaller…rear one done by cutting the rear hatch, and moving everything up to close the cap. Front one required a little more work…..

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On 5/3/2022 at 9:46 AM, MisterH said:

Bloomin 'eck

I have only just found this thread an wow, what a survivor. 

These have long been top of my 70s dream list, what is it like to drive?

I already have Sam Tyler's jacket (well a replica) so have long been looking for a 70s bruiser....

 Sterling is tight and it's nice and light above 10 or 15 mph. Despite American 70s soft suspension it seems to handle well and not overly rolly-poly.

As soon as the carbs are in a better state of tune (I tried today but got interrupted by the GF and given a dirty look -ironic as it's her project)

And also fit a new temp sender I will relax and  enjoy the moment instead  looking at the temp gauge like this and panicking! (Key on and it maxes  out straight away)

20220507_163956.jpg

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57 minutes ago, Low Horatio gearbox said:

 Sterling is tight and it's nice and light above 10 or 15 mph. Despite American 70s soft suspension it seems to handle well and not overly rolly-poly.

As soon as the carbs are in a better state of tune (I tried today but got interrupted by the GF and given a dirty look -ironic as it's her project)

And also fit a new temp sender I will relax and  enjoy the moment instead  looking at the temp gauge like this and panicking! (Key on and it maxes  out straight away)

20220507_163956.jpg

Fuel gauge in normal position!

 

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  • 1 month later...

More mild progress.  Still waiting  on a new temp sender but a multitude of minor jobs have been ticked off.  A few vaccum leaks cures, a weeping valve cover gasket - finger tight fastners strike again,  and an oil change.  The oil was dirty but no speckly shiny stuff, tho to me it seemed very thin. A sniff check revealed no nasty petrol smell so I suspect it was a modern too thin oil .

Certainly when I added 4 and a bit litres of Valvoline VR1 it made a noticable difference. For one the valvetrain was quieter when warmed up and the idle dropped to about 700 rpm with the choke off whereas before I'd really struggled to make it idle below 1000. Oil pressure remained a robust 40psi. I can only presume it was too thin and slippery when warm.   Were now finally at the pijt if using it and finding gout if the GF likes driving it and wants to keep it  🤦🏻‍♂️🤷‍♂️  

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On 5/7/2022 at 12:19 PM, Low Horatio gearbox said:

 And also fit a new temp sender I will relax and  enjoy the moment instead  looking at the temp gauge like this and panicking! (Key on and it maxes  out straight away)

20220507_163956.jpg

You'll see the steam coming out from under the bonnet before you'll notice that gauge in the red. It's so far off your line of sight it's silly. Consider fitting a thermo-switch that comes on at 110C that puts on a light or buzzer. 

Ask me how I know.

 

Also, Rover V8 with Borg-Warner model 35 gearbox on the 3.3 rear axle netted me about 20 mpg in town and 33-35 on the motorway at 60-70 mph.

Much better than Vauxhall's efforts.

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