1980 Austin Princess mild custom - 1951 Lanchester LD10

Chopped out a rusty section so I could do repairs on the upper valance and found it was much worse on the back than expected, this meant a slight change in plans because replacing exactly as original was going to be time consuming (more not-available panels here) and I don't need the original shape anyway.


A new upper valance section was created from that bonnet I'm still making use of and welded in place. The welds need dressing back to finish. Coincidentally, this removed all of the deformation of the valance panel so the front end looks much straight than it did. The structure behind is undamaged, it looks like all the damage was restricted to the wing and valance.


This is less involved than repairing the original pieces in the way I was going to and took me less time. You'll just have to wait and see how it looks when I've done it, I've got all the pieces I just have to put them all back on the car.

I'm still using the MG B indicator units, I have two possible locations for them which I'll decide between when the rest of the metal goes back on the car. A full height basking shark of a grille is tempting at this point, not something I'd seriously considered until the front end was completely dismantled like this.  What I'm actually planning to do is far more mundane and should, I hope, look completely unmodified to the untrained eye.  I've got some healthier looking headlight bowls in my spares stash too that will probably make their way onto the car, I just have to check the adjusters and such are still good on them.

Watch this space, at any rate, things are moving in the right direction at the moment on this one.

As an alternate sidelight / indicator unit, checkout Marina/TR7 units. They fit much flusher than the MGB units. BL fitted the Marina ones to the TR7 by switching sides and turning upside down.



Available new on RimmerBros website.

This one: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/okk160w-/291574393061?hash=item43e33028e5 Yes. Though where they've got the 'ex-farmers car' bit I have no idea. Phil (who bought it from me), myself, the chap I bought it from and the owner before that were none of us farmers.

Just bought another set of rear lights to try out, a set I'd wanted but hadn't found cheap enough. I've now got offerings from Ford, BMW and Vauxhall, I wonder which I'll end up going with?

Been off work with lurg today and as always that means playtime with Photoshop.  This is only a mock-up to get an idea of shapes and stuff.



It could work, I won't know for definite until the lights arrive and I can get things mocked up properly.  I've been wanting Viva lights for a while, they're not a bad match shape wise, but they hadn't come up cheap enough until now.  I've got enough spare boot lids to make reprofiling the lip easier and the boot seal is a generic sort so won't be too difficult to lengthen if need be.  Number plate would be in a recessed box in the dead space of the rear valance and of a more attractive variety.  No idea what to do with the exhaust, the standard item is pretty ugly.  Cable or electronic remote release on the boot lid would be nice too, the standard lock is a funny looking thing.

I won't need to move the boot latch to do this, that part remains standard and much of the metal work is left as is.  I might have made the Viva lights too big in the mock-up too, but it gives the rough idea of how I'd like to go now I've played with and discarded a number of ideas.  Considering how well the front end has gone I feel more confident I can do the back end now.

I don't like GTVs when they've got a spoiler, badges and unnecessary exhausts.  The last black one would look nicer without the tailpipes and mesh bit for my personal taste and the others would look better without the boot badge.  Great big expanse of nothing, just as I like it.

I find the Viva rear lights one of the strongest and best design elements of the Viva.  Worth noting as well that the GTV rear light bar had been considered but the curves and proportions aren't quite right so it would contradict the Princess shape rather than flowing with it so I discounted it early on.

Back end of a Princess will be hard to reconfigure to look good, it was pretty bland to begin with, I think as said above you need lights that go all the way across or lights either side and a reflector in the middle.

Similar profile, the lower part of the Viva bodywork angles inwards similarly and the curve of the corner isn't too far off either from what I can tell in pictures and remember for seeing HCs in person. They should be a good match and I should like them.

The other lights suggested above aren't doing it for me at all. We shall all have to agree to disagree on this one.

Could be the colour but no , the Viva lights look 'lost' , needs something bold to go with the heavy / angular rear end.