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Styled in Italy, built in Britain - The story of the blue Ital Van


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Ok I see, so it's 2 parts per wheel then: a logo'd cap and a cap fixer that covers the nuts.  Now I understand

 

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I mentioned 3D-printing back on page 20, with link to a firm

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/30091-styled-in-italy-built-in-britain-the-story-of-the-blue-ital-van/page-20?do=findComment&comment=1415879

 

Might be worth getting cost comparison

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Those pics brought back some memories of the ones we had at work. Same colour, roof rack, bit of cloth tied around the end of a 15 foot sample probe. Those were the days. And with the Ital, members of the department didn't manage to roll it into a ditch near a pub or snap handbrake cables doing rally impressions on dirt tracks unlike the HA before it.

Unfortunately I did manage to almost take the sump off and damage the gearbox cross member. Wasn't my fault, honestly.

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I'm sure that truck was on copart for ages, the engine bay being covered in overspray rings a bell.

 

I did pinch his idea though of painting the hub centres black temporarily until I sort the caps out, I brought some nut covers of Amazon which came from Hong Kong for £3.50, 4 days later they turned up and do fit nicely but they still don't hold the centre caps on so I've ordered some 25mm rubber chair leg bottoms also from Hong Kong which hopefully I can cut, glue and adapt to go over the other nut covers if you follow my drift.

 

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I've got some of those wheel nut covers.  They're not in great shape, they've suffered the usual cracking problem for the most part, but there's one or two good ones.  I don't know if they'll be of use to you?  Apparently you can get them easily at autojumbles for not a lot, but they're almost impossible to find online.

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The 575 van ones had a bigger size, the standard 5/8th ones are fairly common but the bigger 3/4" ones like mine are near on impossible apparently and they all weather and crack. I thought about 3D printing some but I saw someone say in here that they paid £95 for a set, sod that!

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The 440 vans shared the same nut size as the cars and possibly other BL models but the 575 had the MGA/B banjo rear axle to accommodate for the extra load capacity and the front wheels have hub spacers on them so the wheels would fit.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Rather than 3D print them, would it not be possible to make a mould in plaster of Paris and then cast them with some thick latex type solution?

 

Briefly read this but I wondered if this could be an option?

 

https://medium.com/jaycon-systems/the-complete-guide-to-diy-molding-resin-casting-4921301873ad

 

Might be impossible and you might have already thought of it but I thought I would mention it. A recent copy of Practical Classics had a section on moulding parts in aluminium - bit of a faff but again it might be feasible. Coat of paint on that and you would have something superior to the original.

 

You never know, if you get good at it you might be able to start making rubber wings for Marinas, like post office Moggie vans!

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I can't find the box of spare nut covers, I've put it Somewhere Safe , but I did have a think and may have a solution: If you get some thick walled rubber/silicone hose and cut it to the relevant thickness/height (like a tall, skinny, washer/collar), you can then interference fit or glue that over the Hong Kong nuts and it should hold the centre cap in place.  Shouldn't cost a lot.

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I’m loaded on steroids (medical, not bodybuilder type) and have had two hours sleep since Friday.

 

I am gradually starting to appreciate how sleep deprivation works as a torture method. Literally I will confess to starting the Great Fire of London soon if it means I can get some shuteye...

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  • 2 weeks later...

4ba04688bb37f921b99ee5a9c7a6b4f5.jpg

 

This weekend is the Morris Marina Nationals in South Devon and me and a few friends are taking the 268 mile drive down in our old shite, with this in mind I spent the afternoon cleaning this and going over all mechanics, other than a little play in the front bearings everything seems fine.

 

By the time I've driven there, done the 50 mile convoy on Saturday and then driven home I would have covered over 600 miles, in a van that only 7 months ago was still inside a dusty old barn and full of holes! WCPGW? If any shitters are local to the area we will be at South Devon Railway in Buckfastleigh on Sunday. :)

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