MEET THE OWNER – ERIC DALTON AND HIS AUSTIN AMBASSADOR VANDEN PLAS

Readers of Practical Classics will instantly recognise Eric’s Austin Ambassador Vanden Plas in all its Opaline Green magnificence. As he explains:

My wife and I were shopping in Asda in Forfar in the summer of 2016. I hadn’t bought a car magazine for five or six years and picked up an issue of Practical Classics. When I got home, I flicked through it, and by the time I’d read the Ambassador story, I’d emailed James Walshe, asking him what he would do with it when he was finished. Two issues later, it was back from its trip to Switzerland, and we made an agreement.

British Leyland commenced work on Project LM19, the Princess ‘Wedge’ replacement, in 1978. The new model would answer complaints about its predecessor’s lack of a fifth door due to marketing fears or internal corporate battles regarding the Rover SD1. By the late 1970s, some dealers complained the Princess’s lack of a tailgate was harming sales.

From a 2023 perspective, the Ambassador is clearly of the same lineage as the Princess. However, despite a limited £29m development budget, BL modified every external panel of the Princess, apart from the outer door skins. The Ambassador debuted in March 1982, and Eric recalls: “I’d worked as a car cleaner for an Austin Rover dealership in the early ’80s and first sat in a launch 2.0 HL. I loved the comfort and space. It took me 34 years to get around to buying one!”.

According to BL, “good looks are matched by efficiency” with the latest Austin and the flagship Vanden Plas was £7,765.28. The VDP’s generous equipment included “modern cast alloy wheels” as well as central locking, front fog lamps, a sliding roof, electric front windows and a radio cassette player. A dealer might have been tempted to say: “The Ambassador’s dapple and crushed velour upholstery will really spoil you.”

When Motor evaluated the Vanden Plas, they complained about the manual transmission – “its least endearing feature” – and found the absence of five speeds the “only real flaw in an otherwise very likeable vehicle”. Many drivers opted for the Borg Warner automatic option, as found on the Dalton VDP. Car also bemoaned the gearbox when testing the 2.0 HLS version but described the Ambassador as “very able” and “one of the best-riding cars in the world”.

Production ended in November 1983 after 43,427 units, although sales continued until April 1984. Over two decades later, James found his Ambassador in less than diplomatic condition. Eric remarks: “The head gasket had gone 25 years previously, and its second owner pushed it into his garage and shut the doors. In April 2016, he phoned James Walshe, saying if he didn’t want it, it was going for scrap.”

Fortunately, Eric’s painstaking efforts resulted in an Austin Ambassador Y-Reg that would surely be the envy of John Shuttleworth. He notes on the road that “the three-speed auto is noisy, but makes for relaxing driving. The seats are velour, and the big armchairs provide excellent comfort, along with the Hydragas suspension.” Most importantly, Eric thoroughly enjoys his VDP:

I had it for just over a year when I decided to go on a group tour to Wales. Andy Perman and I were the only two there with Vanden Plas models. It completed the 1,200-mile weekend without any problems. Since then, I’ve covered more trips, including an 860-mile round trip to Shropshire for the day! I’ve had two breakdowns in the past five years, which isn’t bad for a 40-year-old car!

In terms of current attitudes to the Ambassador, Eric reflects: “They are very undervalued, as are all BL/Austin Rover models. I own a 1989 Rover 216 Vanden Plas auto, too, and together, they have a value of under £10,000. This is ridiculous when you consider a Mk. I or Mk. II Escort can go for tens of thousands.”

And let us not forget the never easily pleased Car once stated: “The new Ambassador hits not only the target but the bullseye.” Cue for a song!

With Thanks To: Eric Dalton, James Walshe and https://www.leylandprincess.co.uk/