• The Roadster Factory Recovery Fund - Friends, as you may have heard, The Roadster Factory, a respected British Car Parts business in PA, suffered a total loss in a fire on Christmas Day. Read about it, discuss or ask questions >> HERE. The Triumph Register of America is sponsoring a fund raiser to help TRF get back on their feet. If you can help, vist >> their GoFundMe page.
  • Hey there Guest!
    If you enjoy BCF and find our forum a useful resource, if you appreciate not having ads pop up all over the place and you want to ensure we can stay online - Please consider supporting with an "optional" low-cost annual subscription.
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this UGLY banner)
Tips
Tips

Junkyard Find - Vanden Plas Princess

1965_MGB

Jedi Warrior
Offline
While searching my local junkyard today, I came across a 1964 RHD Vanden-Plas Princess. I have never seen one of these before, and initially I thought it was a Mercedes. It was just a shame that the car was totally shot. Someone had installed a Nissan engine (side draft carbs) bolted to the original transmission.

I was going to snap a picture of it, but the junkyard nazi's told me that cameras are not allowed (not sure why).

I managed to snag the grille, horn push emblem, and the clock out of the car along with a few switches that might find new life in my B.

I have a picture from the web just to show that they looked like.
 

Attachments

  • 7946.jpg
    7946.jpg
    21.3 KB · Views: 98

piman

Darth Vader
Offline
Hello Ron,

it is a Van Den Plas, but I think the Princess model was the front wheel drive 1100\13300 model?
The one in the picture is based on the Austin A110 Westminster model with, as Donn says, a 4 litre Rolls Royce engine.

Van Den Plas were coach builders but BMC took them over and used the name on their more luxurious models.

Alec
 

healeyneil

Jedi Hopeful
Country flag
Offline
Hi guys, The Vanden plas princess was sold in 3litre and 4litre versions with a completely different tho similar body. the 3 litre version was an upmarket austin A110 with much better trim, and an alloy rocker cover which seals much better than the usual pressed tin version. That where the works got their alloy rocker covers for the works cars
 

tony barnhill

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
Wish it were closer - that was BL badge engineering at its finest...there are some things off it I could use on my '60 Mk III MG Magnette!
 

tony barnhill

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
hehehe....drivers side fender - mine's got some bondo in it.
taillight lens if they're not faded
 

tony barnhill

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]by the way the fenders on a VdP are different than a MG farina. [/QUOTE]
I was wondering if the parking lights were different...mine look larger - oh well. Taillights are probably different also.
 
OP
1965_MGB

1965_MGB

Jedi Warrior
Offline
Pretty much the car I am looking at is a mess. The fenders are full of bondo, and the lights are there, but have lots of cracks in them.

I am going back on Monday to retrieve the calipers for someone on another board, so if there is something you guys need, let me know.
 

Sherlock

Yoda
Country flag
Offline
Hey Tony,

The bodyshell the VDP Princess is based on is one size bigger than the bodyshell the MG Magnette Farina is based on (despite the similar appearances), so I doubt there are many interchangeable parts for you
 

tony barnhill

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]The bodyshell the VDP Princess is based on is one size bigger than the bodyshell the MG Magnette Farina is based on [/QUOTE]

Really?!

7946.jpg

farina03.jpg
 

Sherlock

Yoda
Country flag
Offline
I'm quite certain Tony, at the very least the front end bodywork is longer in length to accomodate the 6-cylinder engine...

I do know of one fellow in the British Saloon Car Club near Toronto who has been trying to sell a pair 4-cylinder Farina cars (MG Magnette & Riley 4/68) for awhile, or were you aware of that...
 

tony barnhill

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]I'm quite certain Tony, at the very least the front end bodywork is longer in length to accomodate the 6-cylinder engine...[/QUOTE]
hmmm - there's 2' of wasted space in front of my 4-cylinder engine - alwayswondered why: plenty of room for a 6-cylinder.

But, I don't know if there was or wasn't a difference - they look the same in the 2 photos above.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]I do know of one fellow in the British Saloon Car Club near Toronto who has been trying to sell a pair 4-cylinder Farina cars (MG Magnette & Riley 4/68) for awhile, or were you aware of that...[/QUOTE]
No, did'nt know that...but getting them to me would probably be cost prohibitive.
 

Roger

Luke Skywalker
Bronze
Country flag
Offline
I think you'll find the Princess body was both longer and wider than the Oxford / Cambridge / Magnette / Etc.
The VdP was sold with the 6-cylinder BMC motor as well as the R-R lump, when it was known as the Princess 4-litre R.
The Princess name wasn't so much a model name (like Oxford, for example) but was used on various sizes of vehicle simultaneously - even junk like Metro & Maestro!
 

piman

Darth Vader
Offline
Hello Roger,

"I think you'll find the Princess body was both longer and wider than the Oxford / Cambridge / Magnette / Etc. "

Yes, it most certainly is and it is the Westminster shell, (as I said in an earlier post)

Photographs are deceptive as the 'B' series cars and the '' series (I'm talking engines here) were both designed by Farina and one was simply a larger scale of the other.

Alec
 
OP
1965_MGB

1965_MGB

Jedi Warrior
Offline
I have a question guys. The car has a similar braking system to the MGB, single circuit MC, etc. It has an external brake booster, and I have seen kits that allow power brakes to be fitted to the early cars.

Might anyone know if this booster would work with a B'?

I have looked around the net, but info on the Princess is not all that clear, or abundant. I was at the yard today pulling the calipers for another member, and I noticed the booster sitting on the left fender (RHD car).

Any advice, or ridicule is appreciated.
 

tony barnhill

Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
Offline
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]I have seen kits that allow power brakes to be fitted to the early cars.[/QUOTE]
My write-up on putting power assisted brakes in an early car - left side of write-up (right side is putting non-power brakes in a late car):
https://www.theautoist.com/convertingto-fromservoboostedbrakes.htm
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
1965_MGB Spitfire Junkyard Find, Spitfire 1500 I think Triumph 6
1965_MGB Spitfire 71 Spitfire Junkyard Find - West Palm Florida Triumph 0
1965_MGB MGB Junkyard Find - West Palm Fl [75 MGB] MG 0
X junkyard find: body rust: how bad is bad Jaguar 8
HealeyRick Bugeye Junkyard Spridgets 7
aeronca65t MGs [and Triumphs]-junkyard closing MG 2
58Custom Rover V8 in SoCal self-serve junkyard Rover / Land Rover 0
M TR6 rural junkyard search-TR6 Triumph 0
D GT6 MT junkyard GT6 Triumph 3
1965_MGB XJS V12 Junkyard Sighting - West Palm Beach, Fl Jaguar 1
mrsprite MGB-GT '74 MGB GT in Denver junkyard MG 0
mrsprite Stag '71 Stag in Denver junkyard Triumph 14
58Custom Spitfire Spitfire hardtop at LA-area junkyard now. Triumph 2
davester MGB-GT Project car for someone?...junkyard '72 GT - $950 MG 1
58Custom Spotted in SoCal junkyard British Motor Corp 0
aeronca65t Junkyard Jewel Other British Cars 9
MGBGT_noob Junkyard Scrounging MG 7
C British Car Junkyard? Spridgets 0
H Junkyard B with Weber carb MG 4
L Went to the junkyard today... Triumph 24
H WOW new junkyard gems MG 10
H Junkyard bonanza MG 17
T Wedge TR8 junkyard score Triumph 3
H Junkyard score MG 13
H Alfa junkyard parts Other Cars 0
78Z Removing Rusty spindles in junkyard Restoration & Tools 9
78Z Junkyard Swaps Restoration & Tools 0
3798j Barn Find 200+ Cars Other Cars 3
Jim_Stevens TR6 Barn find of TR6 and many TR3 parts Triumph 9
T Storing nuts and bolts (so you can find what you need) Austin Healey 7
Bob Claffie MGA Almost barn find MG 1
T BJ7 Hard to find First Gear when G/Box is hot Austin Healey 3
Basil Spitfire 74 Spitfire Barn Find Triumph 1
Rob Glasgow Can I find Another one as Good? Austin Healey 4
C My BJ8 Barn Find Austin Healey 15
F General MG Field find restoration question ... MG 5
S For Sale RARE FIND BN2-BT7 and? Trans Parts for Sale Austin Healey Classifieds 2
W Find gearbox rebuild [2nd synch shot] South. California Jaguar 1
F 1960 FriskySport Barn Find Other British Cars 6
K For Sale TR3 Engine Lift Bracket...hard to find! Triumph Classifieds 0
R J-H rear transmission seal? Why can't I find it on the web? Other British Cars 1
Alfred E. Neuman General TR Hemmings find of the day Triumph 1
T can't find timing marks on 1275 crankshaft pulley/damper Spridgets 8
D T-Series Trying to find out an interior dimension MG 7
T Trying to find an accurate tyre pressure gauge Spridgets 24
C Garage find '65 XKE Jaguar 12
C Someone can help me to find it Austin Healey 6
HealeyRick Rare Barn Find Valve Cover Racer Austin Healey 9
glemon TR6 Barn Find TR6 Triumph 9
R Questions about a barn find Austin Healey 18

Similar threads

Top