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[Tony H]

Many moons ago I owned a Austin Princess 2.2HLS:
Good points:
very comfy car with loads of room and a large boot
easy to work on, you could actually stand in the engine bay to work on it
Bad points:
straight six twin carb 2.2 producing 105 bhp top speed 105 mph
Prone to the rear hydrolastic suspension units corroding, result you return to the car to find with a 15 degree list and standing in a pool of luminus green fluid, then you have to drive it home on the bump stops at a maximum speed of 30 mph with your head constantly banging into the roof
Those where the days :-?

[STMO123]

I had one too, but not gor long. Someone nicked it and left it outside Edge Hill station smashed to bits.
I never, ever found them to thank them.

[Varche]

I enjoyed the programme. It was a lot better than the one from Africa.

I never owned any of the three cars featured but had plenty other similar cars from that era. Mostly all ghastly looking back.

Does the memory play tricks? I always remember cars pre that era as being more reliable. Maybe they just didn't have as many extras or sophistication. Maybe people didn't do as much mileage as they were so basic.

varche

[Elite Pete]

I was dissapointed they trashed 3 classics

[Marks DTM Calib]

I was dissapointed they trashed 3 classics

Only classics in come peoples eyes.....old BL tack in others......god they were truely awful cars looking back......

I was more concerned about the Fordson Major they hacked up on Scrap Heap challenge.....

[x25xe]

I was dissapointed they trashed 3 classics

Yes, I agree.  I thought at the time that it was three good cars effectively wasted.

1.  Why did Clarkson and Hammond insist on crashing into May's Princess??
2.  What was the deal with the Rover on the Handbrake test?
3.  How did the cars run when filled with water?  Surely the water would have trashed the electrics in the car like the ignition switch?

It would have been nice to focus a bit more on the history of BL, the original car companies involved etc.

[Marks DTM Calib]

2.  What was the deal with the Rover on the Handbrake test?

It displayed the classic problem that the SD1 had,......it was very tail light and hence it was unable to actualy put the power down in order to get up the 1 in 3 gradient let alone apply the handbrake. This is why some who owned them kept the back heavy using paving slabs etc.

The water test is quite real.....basic electrics still work under water and something as simple as an ignition switch would be fine....

[x25xe]

Thanks for the info Mark, I thought Clarkson was doing it on purpose to be honest!

[Marks DTM Calib]

Thanks for the info Mark, I thought Clarkson was doing it on purpose to be honest!

He didn't help it by approaching the ramp slowly and then unleashing the full torque of the V8 by flooring it in a low gear.....

Hammond took more of a run at the ramp which helped him but, he then sufferd from the eternal 'triumph' brake issue.

[TheBoy]

It would have been nice to focus a bit more on the history of BL, the original car companies involved etc.

Why, its not a car program, its an excuse for boys to wreck some more cars...

[bertiecbx550]

me dad had datsun 180b bluebird...much better than me best mates dads ital....

[STMO123]

me dad had datsun 180b bluebird...much better than me best mates dads ital....

My old austin 1100 wasn't on

[Jay w]

i used to have a datsun 120Y similar to the one they used in the timed run, mine was the coupe.

only 60bhp, but it would sit on the motorway all day doing 80 and not bat an eyelid, total reliability, but god could it rust  

im surprised they managed to find one that was still more then 80% metal

and what was the crack with clarksons back doors on the SD1?

[TheBoy]

and what was the crack with clarksons back doors on the SD1?

They said poor restoration at some point...

[Jay w]

me dad had datsun 180b bluebird...much better than me best mates dads ital....

My old austin 1100 wasn't on

that was designed and built pre BL....they couldn't have used one of those.....

aside from the cars they chose they could have had:
Allegro (or vandern plas)
Maxi
TR7
Marina (and the facelited one, the Ital)
Mini (that wouldn't have gone down too well with the mini enthusiasts, and was designed pre BL)
Stag
Triumph accord (god what a bland car that was)
ambassador (facelifted princess)



i cant think of anymore, but no doubt there are plenty