1971 Vanden Plas Princess 1300

First registered in August 1971 by Stewart & Ardern of Westcliff-on-Sea, this late Mark II four-door Vanden Plas Princess 1300 has the 4-speed automatic gearbox and a 70bhp motor which could get you (eventually) up to 95mph. At an estimated 40mpg it is pretty frugal too.

Owned and cherished by the Watts family from South Essex for the first 42 years of its life, the Princess was used regularly but sparingly until 1991 when it was laid up with just 30,000 miles on the clock.

In 2013 it was acquired by a Vanden Plas and A-series enthusiast who had previously worked his magic over other ADO16s and also happened to be a car dealership director. Working on it himself and also using the workshop mechanics on internal rates, it underwent a fastidious restoration, which was completed in 2018.

Not being a mainstream model, the project involved hunting down numerous rare “new old stock” parts such as various body panels, subframes, Hydrolastic suspension components and sundry fittings and chrome trims - but the result is utterly amazing.

Sold at auction after completion, the Princess has had a couple of owners since who no doubt determined that it was almost a museum piece and neither used it a great deal.

Beautifully refinished in Damask Red with a hand-painted gold coachline, the repaint was a high quality job now with just a few swirls on the bonnet. The bodywork too looks superb and well-aligned. Top marks too to the restorer for taking the time to source authentic original parts where possible, such as the Lucas “Fogranger” auxiliary lamps.

The renewed chrome around the car - especially the grille and bumpers - is some of the best we’ve seen and it certainly sets off the maroon paintwork beautifully. It is extremely hard to fault the exterior of this Princess at all.

The car sits on black painted 12-inch wheels with chromed hubcaps and trim rings - somewhat reminiscent of those on the Corniche we’re currently selling. All are fitted with matching Camac radial tyres, which (although dated 2005) were replaced during the restoration and remain in a good condition.

Given that the Princess interiors were built by the same Vanden Plas Kingsbury Works craftsmen who would have trimmed contemporary Daimlers, the look and feel inside is understandably not dissimilar to those of the V8-250s we’ve had in recently.

The seats and other leather upholstery looks like it is original as it carries the light creasing and patina of age and careful use as well as the odd wrinkle and small split. Ex-factory, these were trimmed with Connolly leather on the seat facings and other contact surfaces but elsewhere were covered in a matching Ambla vinyl.

Finished with proper wood, the door tops have a beautiful walnut burr grain and the dashboard too looks lustrous with its Smiths dials and Jaeger clock. It all recalls the feel of an early Rolls-Royce Shadow and the attention to detail is probably on a par.

The wooden glove box lid, for example, doubles up as a small table with its neatly inlaid metal cup holders for the driver and front passenger. Attached to the seat-backs in the rear are matching picnic tables, which have a wonderful butterfly-veneered treatment that looks positively regal.

The large diameter steering wheel is relatively plain but enables effortless manoeuvering and the notched gear shift gate is also wonderfully naive in its design and construction, reminiscent of the lever to lower the flaps on a WW2 aeroplane.

The blue edge-trimmed carpets appear recently fitted and are very plush and clean. The headlining, we imagine, was also replaced with new fabric during the restoration and consequently it is unmarked and taut right across the roof.

The “text-book simple” engine compartment looks fantastic, with everything renewed where necessary, but done in sympathy for the period - right down to the braided wiring loom. The paint around the engine bay and bonnet is very strong and there’s nothing in the way of rust, not even a light surface bloom, to be seen.

The undersides of the car appear almost as perfect as the topsides. Everything has been stripped down, repaired and repainted or powder coated and the new nuts and bolts used are still shiny. There’s no underseal applied yet, so it’s a fair weather car for now, but it does look great.

Inside the boot, the lining and carpet appear clean and tidy - most likely renewed recently. Underneath is a full size spare wheel and tyre, jack and wheel brace. Like up front, the boot lid itself and the surrounding metal is in a great condition with no evidence of rust or damage.

The car’s last MOT expired in October 2019 and the inspection the year before was its first for many years, having just come through a meticulous restoration. Needless to say it passed then with no advisories.

As it stands, the car has no MOT and although exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have it tested at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MOT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner and any subsequent purchasers but is also invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies.

The restoration included sourcing original parts to replace the front wings, front panel, front and rear subframes, all four hydrolastic displacers, fog lamps, head lamps, tail lamps, bumpers and overriders, boot fairing, radiator and many more. New parts included the wiring loom, battery, all five tyres, exhaust system, electronic ignition, interior and roof lining. All the remaining original suspension components were blasted and powder coated.

As most of the specialist restoration work was carried out within the restorer’s garage business, there are few invoices that exist from the project but there is a large history file. It contains the original bill of sale for the car when Harry Watts bought it in August 1971 for a total of £1,397.13 as well as correspondence from the supplying dealer.

There are also various V5s and an old style log book, original handbooks and manuals, original sales brochure, VDP Owners Club heritage certificate and an array of historic maintenance and parts invoices dating back to the early ‘70s. A stack of old MOTs confirms the car’s low mileage.

The original Passport to Service booklet includes the following period dealer stamps:

Sep 1971 - 910 - Stewart & Ardern Ltd - Westcliff-on-Sea

Nov 1972 - 5,669 - Kennings - Leigh-on-Sea

Jul 1975 - 11,238 - Kennings - Leigh-on-Sea

Jul 1976 - 13,545 - Kennings - Leigh-on-Sea

Jul 1978 - 18,040 - Signpost Motors (Kennings) - Leigh-on-Sea

Very few cars drive quite like a Vanden Plas Princess 1300; with its floaty Hydrolastic suspension, unassisted but light steering and smooth automatic transmission. Being a small car with a peppy motor and great visibility all round means that the Princess is well suited to city driving as well as pottering around the countryside with a picnic hamper in the boot.

We don’t see asking prices of most ADO16 variants high enough to justify expensive restorations, but interest in the Vanden Plas Princess is growing and we think this utterly, UTTERLY immaculate example will sell for between £12,000 and £15,000.

If you wanted to pick up a project car to restore yourself, you’d doubtless end up paying out more than that by the time you finish. Also ask yourself if you could do it to the same very high standard as this one?

This Princess would make for an interesting entry-level classic alternative to something like a Mini or Minor, or would be a fun and fabulous addition to any collection. Regardless of its museum-piece look, it begs to be used and shown off and it would certainly stand out from the usual suspects at just about any classic show.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.