Princess and Ambassador Owners Club.
 

            Princess Items Today.

 

Club News.

Updated 9 September 2011.


Here are the 2011 club meeting venues and dates for this year:

Sun 5th June - Midland Air Museum, Coventry Airport.
Gates open 10am. Easily found in Baginton Village, just off the A45 - CV8 3AZ. Just look for the Avro Vulcan and you can't miss it!

Sun 7th Aug - BL Show, Peterborough.
Our usual annual stand at the show on the Ferry Meadows show grounds, Nene Park. Day arrivals from approx 10am although a number of visitors camp on the night before. All details and entry forms at www.bmcblrally.co.uk


Sun 18th Sept - Dyrham Park, Bath
Stunning 17th century estate and mansion, easily found right on the A46 between Bath and J18 of the M4. Gates open from 10am, house from 11am.

Harry is looking for a Northern volunteer to arrange a meeting for Northern Members this year - please drop him a line on the club email address if you would like to spare a few moments. Our Northern members would really value an opportunity to get together.

Looking forward to seeing you all at these events. Fingers crossed for a great 2011!

Matt Holden

Pride of Longbridge Rally 2011.

 

 

Meeting at National Motorcycle Museum - Harry Parker & David Wicks.

Harry's well scrubbed Ambassador.
 

 

Derek Pearson's Princess after his 220 mile epic journey

David Wicks Princess!
 

 

Next to arrive - Blair and Family

Not sure who owns it, but it was there.
 

 

and Dan Rubinstein's Princess,

Last to join us-Paul Vincent (after a couple of running problems).
 

 

Thanks to all club members who turned out on 16th to support the POL.  We understand that around 850 cars made an appearance this year, together with 2,500 visitors.  In total we had seven Wedges in our plot - not bad considering the M1 closure problems towards London, which we are told kept many South and East of England visitors away.  (Blair says there were 8 Wedges present - perhaps I missed one!).  As usual, the weather was more than kind for early spring. 

The organisers had a last minute change of heart on Thurs 14th, when they decided to allocate areas for member clubs, rather than have cars circulating around the park - trying to get together with their club members. This was a great help to us, as we were able to get together from the start.  First to arrive was Derek Pearson, who had driven down from Durham on Friday 15th, a distance of 220 miles each way.  Next, Dave Wicks and myself who had met up earlier at the National Motorcycle Museum car park off junction 5 M42 before driving the 18 miles to Longbridge.  Blair and family arrived next and made themselves comfortable in the sunshine at the rear of their Princess, followed shortly afterwards by tidy red Ambassador (Owner not known).  An hour or so later, Dan Rubenstein appeared in his Beige Princess, followed by Paul Vincent (who had a bit of trouble getting it to propel itself - probably caused by a duff new condenser).  Thankfully he managed to get it going reasonably well and was able to get himself home later.  It was great to see member John Johnson, who I had not seen for 5/6 years.  As he lives just around the corner from Longbridge. John came in his Vauxhall van. Unfortunately, he had to leave early so we did not get much chance for a catch up.  Phil and I left at around 2.30 leaving space in the line for Paul to park. 
it was pleasing to see the level of interest shown by visitors to the rally in our small line-up of Wedges.  They looked just great, and were well photographed.

Very many thanks to the Austin Federation for organising such an enjoyable event, especially to John Baker and other committee members who spent their entire (day wearing yellow jackets) directing traffic around the park. 

Phil and I have already pencilled in the date for POL 2012 - April 14th, we look forward to this and have ordered fine weather for 22 Wedges.
 

     
 

 

 


               


          more information contact john Miller at milleraj@xtra.co.nz
       

 

                                
NEC Time of Year Again. 

Stop Press Picture of the Princess and Ambassador stand at the 2006 Classic Car Show. 

Robin Siggs Princess is looking fantastic on our club stand at the NEC Classic Car Show 2006, alongside wedges owned by Alex and Jim.  Jim tells me that (as always) there are many complimentary remarks from visitors who are amazed to see the quality of our display.  We hope you will be able to get along to Birmingham to see their fine cars on display, and to encourage Robin, Alex and Jim who have put in massive effort as always.  More pictures and news as soon as they become available.

The Club would like to thank all those members who attended the Classic Car Show at the NEC over the weekend, it was a great show and presentation of Club Wedges. The Club would also like to thank Robin Siggs, Alex Sebbinger, along with Valerie and Terry Sebbinger for their time, effort, hard work and expense over the weekend in the build up and break down of the event.

Interesting Wedges:


Princess 1700 HL, owned by members Mike and Neil Lias, South Wales.


Very fine Princess 2.2HLS these days owned by member Jim Gray - Shetland
  Islands. Formerly owned by Roland Ward - Club Founder Member. Jim
 will be a part of the Shetland Island Classic Motor Show 2006, and offers
 a warm welcome to any member who might be able to attend.
 Please Click the link for more information.
www.shetlandcms.co.uk


A still image from a very early episode of the 'Professionals' from the seventies.
 Director (Brian Clemmens) met with such a lack of interest in support cars from BL for the series that he ditched the Princess and TR7 for Fords - where marketing was totally committed  to PR like that!
Photo with thanks to Gaz - Australia.
 


James Zeun's Newly re-painted Princess.  (Fresh from the paint-shop today, following much hard work).

I thought I'd let you how I've been and what's been happening recently with the Princess *cue drum roll* I've got the windows back in the car!!! and boy was that a fiasco. I managed to get my hands on a full set of windows last year for the car along with the window rubbers. So finally got the roof lining glued back in place and booked a windscreen specialist to come fit the front and rear windows. So with that arranged me and my father went out to the shed where we have been storing most of the spares, only to find the front rubber is already attached to my spare front windscreen and on removal discover its cut in several places and also drying up in one corner. You can imagine the words that passed by my lips while on the backyard, yep - sent the air blue I did.


                                                                         All Windows in place!

After a quick call to Terry Miller I was fortunate enough that he'd actually got a newly fabricated rubber seal for the front. So at 1:30PM Tuesday afternoon we sped off down and picked one up. When the guy arrived today to fit the screen he was spitting wasps over the fact my front screen wasn't a factory part, he gave it some fancy name like 'rolled off'. He wasn't to confident about it fitting properly but when you look in the photo you will see it all turned out okay.


                                                                        Looking Good James!!

All that is left now is to install the interior and the rubbers that go around the doors. I've also got a bone to pick with the painter as we've noticed one or two bumps that indicate the car wasn't prepped 100% before being painted. But I'll get it sorted as he already agreed to repaint my passenger side door after one of his guys ruined my lock. Took my mate an hour and a half to finally get the door open, causing terminal damage to the lock.

Bringing   the   PRINCESS  back  to  life: This Princess 2200 HLS, chassis number PN4SGJ/23289, body number 11724 was built on 21st October 1975. Colour Tahiti Blue with Mink Interior.


Photo supplied by Peter Fog Laursen - club member from Denmark. The Princess is in a sorry state after 10 years standing in the open.  Looks worse than it is, virtually no rust, just a repaint and a new engine needed.
 To see more pictures and keep up with restoration progress, please take a look at Peter's most excellent and interesting website.
http://www.hr-laursen.dk/content.asp?ID=470
 

 Bert's Drenth's 2006 Princess Build Project:


Arrival at Ruurlo - Netherlands.




Bert's Fine blue Princess and his 2006 project shown left.


Rear View of Bert's Princess being prepared in the paint shop!

More to follow shortly.

(Photographs thanks to Bert Drenth).