British Cars

[Edmund Fifield]

Ironside,when I had mine I found a scrap one at a scrap merchants,took off the rear stop lights had them chromed an converted them to new at the time flashing indicators,had them wired up by a motor factors in Handsworth

[Phil]

One of the best cars I ever owned was a Austin Princess Vanden Plas R it was black with red leather upholstery and polished walnut trim it was like the attached photo,  the engine and intertior trim was by Rolls Royce. I took it in part payment for a job that the client was having difficulty in settling (his idea) it was about three years old at the time. It drove and handled like a dream and the only reason I parted with it after about a year was the wife thought it looked like a hearse.

[ironside]

Thanks for the offer Roy One

[townie]

Austin A40 Farina
My friends dad had one of these same colour and he had it for years.


 

[countrylad]

what colour would you like it

Mint green and white please Roy

[countrylad]

One of the best cars I ever owned was a Austin Princess Vanden Plas R it was black with red leather upholstery and polished walnut trim it was like the attached photo,  the engine and intertior trim was by Rolls Royce. I took it in part payment for a job that the client was having difficulty in settling (his idea) it was about three years old at the time. It drove and handled like a dream and the only reason I parted with it after about a year was the wife thought it looked like a hearse.

I remember working on one of these in 1971 at Cateswell Lodge Garage Hall Green. The main problem was worn linkages on the column change gear stick. Couldn't get new parts so we spent ages building up metal on the worn parts with the gas welder and drilling out. And replacing the front outriggers for the MOT. Nice motor though, 4 litre if my memory serves me well.

[roy one]

will this do for now

[ironside]

Those large prestige cars are thin on the ground now, there wasn’t much demand for them second hand. The people who could afford to buy and run them wanted new cars. I was disappointed in the number of Humbers  in Coventry Transport Museum. Hawks and Super Snipes in the early 50’s were beautiful cars to drive also. Saying that in the latest Practical Classics magazine it says 81 Morris Minors were crushed in the 2009 government scrappage scheme. Phil can you remember the size of your engine in the Princess, seems there were more than one.

[countrylad]

will this do for now

Looking at the white wall tyres on this reminds me of my dad's first car. Mk1 zephyr - Zodiac second hand from Hangers, I think they were on Broad Street or Bristol Road. It was a 1956 model Reg - 442 HRF. Going on holiday in it one year the gearbox packed up going up Dinas Mawddwy while crawling behind a car transporter lorry. Then the differential packed up on a fishing trip to Stourport 

[roy one]

one like this perhaps

[Edmund Fifield]

My very first car was a Morris 8 series E  CWD 905 my mother bought it for me it cost £60 from a man in Cole Hall Lane,my insurance for the year was £20 in 1957