Vulgalour's Vehicles - 10/03 Ignition Switch Woe
Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 11:05 pm
Always tough to start a new thread on a new forum to cover old ground and get everyone up to speed. So, if you want to read the whole gory story there are two links below. Otherwise, I'll provide a brief rundown of my two classics.
1980 Austin Morris Princess 2 1700HL - 1981 Austin Morris Princess 2 2000HLS
Funnily enough, I hadn't expected to get either car. When I got the first Princess I was interested in buying one as they seemed to tick all the boxes on paper but I thought I'd have a long wait until I found what I was after. I did not expect to be the owner of a Princess in the trim level and engine size I wanted, nor that I'd find it just a few miles from home. Ever since then I've not looked back. This is what my brother spotted back in February of 2012 entirely by chance and reported back to me. A knock on the door and a note left for the owner who was out at the time netted a viewing and the car was purchased with short T&T for a modest £450.
Useless wipers, one headlight blown, dashlights that wouldn't work, no reversing lights, suspension that had sagged too low, tyres that were the wrong size, a blowing exhaust and an engine that didn't sound healthy combined with an interior that was a bit damp and both sticky and shiny from the traditional silicone-everything approach to car cleaning made for a rough drive back for my Dad. Would have driven it myself but there were some insurance uncertainties. It was really very cold too.
Later the same night I got to drive it myself and found that the steering was very heavy, the gear selection less than brilliant and while it should have been a disappointing experience I knew this was the car for me and I had fallen for it. I don't think I had ever been in a car so comfortable before.
The car had received a restoration in the 90s going off what information came with it and had up until that point been a daily driver for a Leeds United fan. The restoration was a sloppy thing, the paint finish was, and still is, terrible being not only the wrong shade but applied badly. To cut a very long story short, the car needed extensive fettling to get it sorted including new points, condenser, track rod ends, suspension pump up, rear drum shoes, handbrake cable adjustment, gear lever fixing, fuse replacement, timing adjustment, carburettor service, air filter, coolant... you name it, this car has pretty much had it done.
Eventually, though, she was primed for service and when my '85 Polo decided to highlight more problems than I could solve the Princess became my daily driver. There was a small incident where her nose got put out of joint on the way to an MoT which she later passed (only failed on a tyre that I thought was borderline) that saw me borrowing an automatic Austin Maestro to commute... which I replaced when I bought a '98 "Ledbury" Maestro, which in turn was replaced by a very rusty '91 Citroen BX estate (which was amazing! I'd have one again) and in turn replaced that with a '84 Golf cabriolet that had been languishing in a field... that meant she wasn't my daily driver for a while.
Sometimes, I do have the worst luck. This poor old thing has ended up battered and bruised but I persevere because she's a tough, reliable (now) old thing that's super comfortable and I couldn't replace her even if I tried. Best of all, I can maintain this car on a shoestring budget, which is all I have. We've been to car shows, like RAF Waddington's do.
Survived break downs.
When a neighbour reversed into the car in their Corsa, that was survived and repaired on the drive using improvised panel beating tools.
Had a gut-wrenching incident that nearly saw the car written off.
But that was fixed with yet more experience, a Maestro, some hammers and being fortunate on eBay.
Really, with a car like this, you have to laugh.
Now, touch-wood, she's gremlin free and I've enjoyed using her everyday for every thing. The Golf has gone to pastures new very recently because I wasn't getting on with it and has been replaced with another Princess... more on that story in just a moment.
1980 Austin Morris Princess 2 1700HL - 1981 Austin Morris Princess 2 2000HLS
Funnily enough, I hadn't expected to get either car. When I got the first Princess I was interested in buying one as they seemed to tick all the boxes on paper but I thought I'd have a long wait until I found what I was after. I did not expect to be the owner of a Princess in the trim level and engine size I wanted, nor that I'd find it just a few miles from home. Ever since then I've not looked back. This is what my brother spotted back in February of 2012 entirely by chance and reported back to me. A knock on the door and a note left for the owner who was out at the time netted a viewing and the car was purchased with short T&T for a modest £450.
Useless wipers, one headlight blown, dashlights that wouldn't work, no reversing lights, suspension that had sagged too low, tyres that were the wrong size, a blowing exhaust and an engine that didn't sound healthy combined with an interior that was a bit damp and both sticky and shiny from the traditional silicone-everything approach to car cleaning made for a rough drive back for my Dad. Would have driven it myself but there were some insurance uncertainties. It was really very cold too.
Later the same night I got to drive it myself and found that the steering was very heavy, the gear selection less than brilliant and while it should have been a disappointing experience I knew this was the car for me and I had fallen for it. I don't think I had ever been in a car so comfortable before.
The car had received a restoration in the 90s going off what information came with it and had up until that point been a daily driver for a Leeds United fan. The restoration was a sloppy thing, the paint finish was, and still is, terrible being not only the wrong shade but applied badly. To cut a very long story short, the car needed extensive fettling to get it sorted including new points, condenser, track rod ends, suspension pump up, rear drum shoes, handbrake cable adjustment, gear lever fixing, fuse replacement, timing adjustment, carburettor service, air filter, coolant... you name it, this car has pretty much had it done.
Eventually, though, she was primed for service and when my '85 Polo decided to highlight more problems than I could solve the Princess became my daily driver. There was a small incident where her nose got put out of joint on the way to an MoT which she later passed (only failed on a tyre that I thought was borderline) that saw me borrowing an automatic Austin Maestro to commute... which I replaced when I bought a '98 "Ledbury" Maestro, which in turn was replaced by a very rusty '91 Citroen BX estate (which was amazing! I'd have one again) and in turn replaced that with a '84 Golf cabriolet that had been languishing in a field... that meant she wasn't my daily driver for a while.
Sometimes, I do have the worst luck. This poor old thing has ended up battered and bruised but I persevere because she's a tough, reliable (now) old thing that's super comfortable and I couldn't replace her even if I tried. Best of all, I can maintain this car on a shoestring budget, which is all I have. We've been to car shows, like RAF Waddington's do.
Survived break downs.
When a neighbour reversed into the car in their Corsa, that was survived and repaired on the drive using improvised panel beating tools.
Had a gut-wrenching incident that nearly saw the car written off.
But that was fixed with yet more experience, a Maestro, some hammers and being fortunate on eBay.
Really, with a car like this, you have to laugh.
Now, touch-wood, she's gremlin free and I've enjoyed using her everyday for every thing. The Golf has gone to pastures new very recently because I wasn't getting on with it and has been replaced with another Princess... more on that story in just a moment.