RMweb Gold russ p Posted January 20, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 20, 2020 Incidentally the O series in these cars was quite different to later ones , the head was the opposite round for a start 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 3 minutes ago, russ p said: The 2200 E series which was deleted on the ambassador didn't have one either which seemed odd to me as the E series in allegros and maxis had them as standard so if there was room for it on the 4cyl ones you would think the 6 pot 2200 would have room. Apparently the reason the princess didn't have a hatchback was to protect sales of the maxi. It would have meant a new 'box as the 4cyl one from the Maxi wouldn't have fitted (and had an awful reputation not in keeping with the Princess's market). Regards the hatch, it wasn't to protect the Maxi but the soon to launched Rover SD1, the Maxi dibn't come into it... "The truth was (as always) more disturbing. The Princess never received a hatchback because, as one senior insider at the time put it, ‘…I believe there was some politics about not conflicting with SD1. [A bit odd really, given that we’d had the Maxi since 1969, and ‘executive hatchbacks’ were still a bit daring.]" https://www.aronline.co.uk/cars/austin-morris/princess/ Rather handily it also shows the Crayford hatchback conversion!! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Traxson Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 (edited) I have to say that I wanted a hatchback on my Princess 2200, massive boot with a letterbox for a lid that you couldn't get a reasonable size suitcase in and very poor rear visibility. I had the chance of, and bought, an Ambassador which addressed the problem of boot access and rear visibility, and with the back seats folded took two push bikes without stripping them down at all, only this one had an awful weak knee'd 1.7 engine that struggled if you filled all the seats , let alone the boot. My perfect "wedge" would have been the Ambassador body with the 2200 engine. At the time I didn't mind the poor MPG, it was a decent trade off for the comfort and smooth torque of the Princess, almost a poor mans "Roller". Edited January 20, 2020 by Phil Traxson Poor English 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 2 hours ago, russ p said: Incidentally the O series in these cars was quite different to later ones , the head was the opposite round for a start I can't find any mention of that anywhere, have you got a link showing it? I suspect the only difference would be the location of the gearbox compared to other FWD users of the engine, the Maestro/Montego using an end on gearbox rather than under the engine? 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted January 20, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 20, 2020 2 hours ago, Hobby said: It would have meant a new 'box as the 4cyl one from the Maxi wouldn't have fitted (and had an awful reputation not in keeping with the Princess's market). Regards the hatch, it wasn't to protect the Maxi but the soon to launched Rover SD1, the Maxi dibn't come into it... "The truth was (as always) more disturbing. The Princess never received a hatchback because, as one senior insider at the time put it, ‘…I believe there was some politics about not conflicting with SD1. [A bit odd really, given that we’d had the Maxi since 1969, and ‘executive hatchbacks’ were still a bit daring.]" https://www.aronline.co.uk/cars/austin-morris/princess/ Rather handily it also shows the Crayford hatchback conversion!! I'd forgotten the SD1 but that was part of it too They always had trouble selling the maxi really, main problem was styling due to using ADO17 doors but for some reason certain parts of Leyland management were protective over it in the mid 70s The 2200 box was different from the 1800 , they all should have been five speed as although the maxi box wasn't great it proved they could make a five speed one Incidentally don't know if it was intentional but a rover V8 will fit on the 1800 box, a couple of minis have used it 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted January 20, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 20, 2020 1 minute ago, Hobby said: I can't find any mention of that anywhere, have you got a link showing it? I suspect the only difference would be the location of the gearbox compared to other FWD users of the engine, the Maestro/Montego using an end on gearbox rather than under the engine? Look at a picture of a princess engine then one of a montego and you I'll see the timing belt on opposite end but manifold at the rear They did the same when the R series was turned into the S 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium boxbrownie Posted January 20, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 20, 2020 I don’t know who the lady in the “NOG” is, but she looks a bit embarrassed to be there First picture also shows what a pig’s ear the face lift was, must be the ugliest “improvement” to a design ever! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 Is that to do with the fuel injection version and the carb version? I can find plenty of photos of the EFi Monty but none of the carb version. The injected version definitely shows it the other way round but also different location of the points.. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 2 minutes ago, boxbrownie said: I don’t know who the lady in the “NOG” is, but she looks a bit embarrassed to be there First picture also shows what a pig’s ear the face lift was, must be the ugliest “improvement” to a design ever! Ha! I hadn't noticed that, she should have got out when she had the chance!! I agree about the facelift! 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted January 20, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 20, 2020 4 hours ago, Hobby said: Is that to do with the fuel injection version and the carb version? I can find plenty of photos of the EFi Monty but none of the carb version. The injected version definitely shows it the other way round but also different location of the points.. The carb version is the same just different manifolds. Im putting a new engine in my maestro and that was originally destined for a two litre carb montego but its only the manifolds that are different 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 12 hours ago, Hobby said: Here's Noggin (the Nog!) at Coventry on a Princess Club outing in 2011, at the end you'll see an Ambassador! Noggin was (is?) a 2.2HLS Auto. By comparrison here's a 1.7L (I think!) 4 headlight version of the Princess a couple of years ago at another show: You'll be pleased to know that according to the DVLA, Noggin is still around :-) KWV441W is also still around, having been taxed already this year. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 On 19/01/2020 at 19:58, Hobby said: Princess if I remember rightly, the Ambassador was a very different looking car... Yes, watching some more episodes, clearly a 4-headlamp, T-reg Princess, with the thick B pillar. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 Various scenes around the UK in the '60s and '70s : the first five are Reading in 1973, the sixth is Queensferry, seventh and eight are Bath (the colour one is at Green Park station), ninth is Brighton, the tenth is in Chester and the last two are in Cambridge... 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwealleans Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 Looks like the Coldham's Lane Sainsbury's (if it was Sainsbury's then). 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 Does that show fuel rationing queues as well? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 1 hour ago, alastairq said: Does that show fuel rationing queues as well? Yes they do Alastair A few more oldies, the first one is Coldham Lane Sainsburys in Cambridge again, the rest are fairly random... 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium boxbrownie Posted January 21, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 21, 2020 Aha first Mini so far with a fibre glass replacement bonnet and wings. Fuel rationing for sure, I remember it well as I was issued with a reserved occupation ration book.......although having a Mini at the time I didn’t need quite as much as I sold to mates 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jchinuk Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 On 20/01/2020 at 12:46, Phil Traxson said: I have to say that I wanted a hatchback on my Princess 2200, massive boot with a letterbox for a lid that you couldn't get a reasonable size suitcase in and very poor rear visibility. I had the chance of, and bought, an Ambassador which addressed the problem of boot access and rear visibility, and with the back seats folded took two push bikes without stripping them down at all, only this one had an awful weak knee'd 1.7 engine that struggled if you filled all the seats , let alone the boot. My perfect "wedge" would have been the Ambassador body with the 2200 engine. At the time I didn't mind the poor MPG, it was a decent trade off for the comfort and smooth torque of the Princess, almost a poor mans "Roller". It was possible, conversions, but like most BMC and BL cars, great ideas were never properly developed through the lack of cash for investment. jh 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 10 hours ago, jwealleans said: Looks like the Coldham's Lane Sainsbury's (if it was Sainsbury's then). And the Reading shots (apart from the first one) look to be the petrol station near the Holiday Inn/Caversham Bridge. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockershovel Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 Just watched The Italian Job on the plane on the way over! The original, that is... My main recollection of the Austin Princess and its contemporaries was of working for a drilling company in Nottingham which had several as company cars. They were awful, constantly giving trouble. I had a 1600 Vauxhall Cavalier which was far superior. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 John Cooper with one of his weekend toys... 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve1 Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 What is the station that Mini is at? It looks GC London Extension to me. Can't make out the writing but is it 'Woodhouse'? Thanks steve 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RANGERS Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 38 minutes ago, steve1 said: What is the station that Mini is at? It looks GC London Extension to me. Can't make out the writing but is it 'Woodhouse'? Thanks steve It is Quorn and Woodhouse. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 1 hour ago, RANGERS said: It is Quorn and Woodhouse. By the way, the date of that photo is May '74 . A few more oldies.... can anyone identify the Deltic at Peterborough...? 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northmoor Posted January 22, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 22, 2020 58 minutes ago, Rugd1022 said: A few more oldies.... can anyone identify the Deltic at Peterborough...? The nameplate has two lines of words; with just one short word on the first line I'll nominate "Royal Highland Fusilier". 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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