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www.leylandprincess.co.uk
Dave Wicks 1979
Princess 2200HLS
I have had my Princess 2200HLS Automatic for about three
months and bought it almost on a whim.
I went to look at a Minor convertible and saw it sitting
majestically in the dealer’s barn and forgot all about the Minor, which was
crap anyway. I then remembered reading about the same car in a road
test feature in the September 2008 edition of Practical Classics so I
knew it was a good car. I drove it and had to buy it!
Now reality has kicked in and I still think it's a great
motor, I should know as I’ve almost lost count of the classics owned over the
years, ranging from the exotics; an E-Type and Healey 3000, through MGB to,
most recently, a mint Triumph Herald, or going back to when I drove a mundane
1928 Austin 7 as my everyday car - wish I still had that one.
I am planning a bit of paint work on her this winter but
structurally and mechanically she is pretty sound. Russell Godding contacted
me after reading the forum and told me he had been the second owner and
filled in the gaps to the history that came with the car, which was
reassuring.
Anyway, looking forward to meeting some fellow owners at
events this summer but my overwhelming feeling with the Princess is how it
came to be so derided in its day. The design is so right - style, ride,
space and handling outclass quite a few moderns in my opinion. In fact put
a high tech V6 with a six speed or selectronic auto up front and it
would be a car of the year any day.
Dave Wicks. November 2008.
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