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


trigger

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That's a brilliant survivor and the back story just makes it all the better. Definitely a candidate for a feature in Classic Van & Pickup magazine when you've got it back on the road (and yes there is such a magazine, I acquired some from Chaseracer at the last FOD open day and there's some really interesting stuff in them).

Yes, there absolutely is such a magazine.  My Metro van appeared in it, the one I brought with me from Cyprus.  Definitely go and find the Facebook page and tell Ted what you've got, he will be delighted!

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My memory of these from childhood is being stuck behind one on the bridge in Conwy, North Wales on a hot summers day. It was white and had both a Baldwins dealer sticker and a BL Big Four, Comfort, economy, equipment and price sticker in the rear window.

 

Isn't it funny how some things are burned into your mind even after 35 years?

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It's nice to have the back story, it doesn't look too crispy. Did the Itals still have trunnion front ends?

 

I'm no expert here but it looks like it has torsion bars, trunnions you grease but it also has telescopic dampers.

 

Classic vans are for winners!

Great save Trigger and it's got a nice back story and connection with you too.

 

Are you going to weld it yourself? Tbh it doesn't look all that bad for its age and what it is.

 

Can't wait to see more on this one. It'll be as minty as your old Dolly in no time!

 

My mate Carl who welded my old Dolly for me has offered to do it, and some other friend shave offered to help too.

 

There must only be about two of these left. Looks like a good acquisition with the history you have with it n'all

 

Enjoy and tell us about it as you go please

 

At a guess i don't think there's anymore than 10 left, certainly rarer than my Dolomite and there was very few of them left.

 

If it's the same as our Marina van there are substantial storage areas behind the seats underneath the rear floor, I'm pretty sure you could mount some speakers there

 

Yes there's massives amount of space under there, I'll see how it goes as the build comes together.

 

I didn't know about the commercial magazine, I'll have a look into it.

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I have never owned a van :( I wonder if the dogs would appreciate being driven around in the back of something like this......

I have a 2005 Citroen relay 2.2 Hdi with 2 sort of dog cages already fitted-ish LOL.....not a million miles from you either..;)

I've owned a Marina van Bedford HA van, and  mini van....loved em all.....

 

PS did you clean the estate parked by the proton the other day.. Looked very clean, and 4x4 ish :o

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Bloody 'ell Trig! That looks utterly wonderful! The dash somehow to me looks very homely, it brings back memories of 1985. I love it and I'm sure this become as minty as many of your other cars have done.

 

I spy a set of carpet floor mats, what car are they for? If you don't know, send me a pic and I'll tell you.

 

Thank you, the mats were in the back when i bought it, all brand new Ford ones and bought from auction in the mid 90's, some friends came over today and i told them to take most of them, I think they were mainly mat sets for Mondeo Mk1, Mk5 Escort and rear mats for Mk3 Fiesta and Sierra. 

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That's just the external temporary fuel tank I'm using, i have put some petrol in the tank, I've just not been brave enough yet to connect it and try it yet, although looking in it with a torch it looks clean so i should try it really.

Ah that makes sense, fits there nicely though doesn't it. You could keep it as a reserve tank.

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Personally I would have a thick tailored rubber mat in the back,its not like your actualy going to use it for lumping washing machines around.There are a few BT vans still in preservation,but few "civilian" ones,and from what I can see,all the van parts which usually dissolve are mint,an inner wing and sill repair? Not bad for a 35 year old van! Just think how much salty roads its been spared being in storage.And its an a series,so no engine work required :-P

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I wish that was my garage Angus! I'm probably going to have lots of questions to ask but the first one is that the front footwell area needs some paint where it's had a plate welded over it, my plan is to zip the surface rust off and paint it in Zinc 182, what should i put on top of that? I'm going to paint the inside edge of the sill blue as the mat doesn't cover that so it's seen. I did wonder if black hammerite instead of Zinc 182 would be better?

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I really like this van. Even today it looks like it would be just as practical as a Courier or Doblo but with a heck of a lot less to go wrong. What tradesman wouldn't want something characterful and dead simple to fix? (Albeit a tad slower than today's options)

 

Thick rubber mat in the loadbay is a good idea. And if I were in your position I would be thinking about getting some Tekaloid enamel paint made up in roughly the right colour to go over the zinc primer. I think Smith and Allan also supply it in aerosol format. Good stuff, not cheap but the quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten which I think was the original Ital sales slogan. Or the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow, I always get them muddled up....

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