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


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Or even better the 2.0 as briefly offered in the Ital.

 

I think the vans were only offered with 1.1 and 1.3 A series.

There is this 1.7 pickup about, rebuilt from a wrecked saloon with quite an interesting backstory that featured in the aforementioned mag.

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1978 Morris Marina 1.7 HL pickup by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

 

And a couple of pickups still working for a living. This one has spent its whole life on a potato farm and took first prize at last year's FOTU.

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1981 Morris Marina 575 pickup by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

 

This one appeared at the FOTU this year covered in brick dust

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1983 Morris Ital 575 pickup by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

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I love the "Styled in Italy" claim.

 

Yeah, the first 6 inches of car maybe.

 

Not even that. Ital Design's only input was to take Harris Mann's facelift idea and ready it for production. That's why it has a 'corporate' nose, like the Ambassador. Why Ital Design didn't sue, I've no idea. BL just went along with the myth that the car now had Italian styling!

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Seeing that Proffesionals van with slotted wheels, reminded me that 7cwt vans had saloon type wheels but the bigger payload (9cwt ?) and pickups always had solid , slightly wider or at least different offset rims.

Somewhere in the dusty recesses of my brain, I think there's more to it than just wheel design, different axles maybe?

Possibly the reason you see more pickups/vans with alloys or MGB rims than saloons.

 

Also a mate was given a brand new Ital van as an apprentice sparky for EMEB, we never* towed a 3.0 Capri at up to 80mph from Oswestry to Milton Keynes with wallpaper masking taped over the sign writing .

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I'm told these share the same rear axle as a MGB, lower ratio so it can tow the heavier weight meaning quicker acceleration but rubbish top end.

 

I quite like a cool set of wheels for it seeing as all the tyres are shagged but to keep costs down I'm tempted to just get a set of part worns fitted instead.

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I'm told these share the same rear axle as a MGB, lower ratio so it can tow the heavier weight meaning quicker acceleration but rubbish top end.

 

I quite like a cool set of wheels for it seeing as all the tyres are shagged but to keep costs down I'm tempted to just get a set of part worns fitted instead.

 

Wire wheels it is then!

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I'm told these share the same rear axle as a MGB, lower ratio so it can tow the heavier weight meaning quicker acceleration but rubbish top end.

 

I quite like a cool set of wheels for it seeing as all the tyres are shagged but to keep costs down I'm tempted to just get a set of part worns fitted instead.

 

Ebay Gumtree MongSwapz is full of wheel/tyre combos of ROstyles and stuff

Rather than shod those old rims, buy a good set of the lot

 

 

 

Otherwise, knock-on wires will need knocked-off hubs, as they are quite expensive

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I like that 'vanne. Check out the sales display in that travel-shop window.

 

I could be wrong but I think Hotpoint-brown was a darker brown for their vans. That sort of early 80s plasticky dark brown still seen today on some vintage cooker-hoods and double-glazing surrounds.

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I've been offered a set of MGB Rostyles with good tyres and chrome trims for £100 but I don't think they will suit it.

 

050316-Barn-Finds-1982-Morris-Marina-2-6

 

Yes, too Seventies - needs a proper Marina. 

 

Ital does not have the extra brightwork to carry it off.  Ital is all SinclairResearch-esque black plastics

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