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

[trigger]

You say that but the rear part is still original making me think either only the base was replaced (if that's possible?) Or retrimmed. I'll probably just leave the interior, it really needs a carpet and proper seats but I'm not planning on keeping it long so I'd sooner keep it standard for the next owner, I have a feeling it's going to be mega noisey inside though with no carpet.

[flat4alfa]

Yes the base and back will unbolt, that's how they get them apart to retrim as separate pieces.

Unless of course this a one-piece bucket, but unlikely because BL.

 

Maybe Mr Cain was a clumsy proper old-school chain smoker and hot rocks fell between his legs and burned the seat badly.  A nearby visit to Jaywick can do that, what with all the obscure chod to be gawped at, so you don't look what you're doing and hey presto: ruined seat base

 

I bet the bulkhead is barely insulated anyhow, being a commercial to a price, what with open grommets everywhere; so there's going to be a absolute din coming that way even if you do insulate the floor

 

Anyway there remains a perfect opportunity* if some OCD kicks-in about the seat base difference - how about fitting a matched pair of proper Rover BRM red leather seats.  Lush.

[danthecapriman]

You say that but the rear part is still original making me think either only the base was replaced (if that's possible?) Or retrimmed. I'll probably just leave the interior, it really needs a carpet and proper seats but I'm not planning on keeping it long so I'd sooner keep it standard for the next owner, I have a feeling it's going to be mega noisey inside though with no carpet.

My Transit has no carpets, just a big rubber floor cover thing. It is a bit noisy to be fair! I've got a carpet and sound proofing kit for my Capri ready to fit so depending how that goes I might try to get just the sound proofing set made up for the Transit then put the rubber mat back down on top. I'm going to get some self adhesive bitumen pads for it too, stick them inside the doors, floor pans etc to stop 'drumming' and road noise.

It's ok having noise on an old van but when it's more of a toy now it can get a bit tiresome listening to it all the time!

[kinkersaab]

TRIGGER SAID......" I'm not planning on keeping it long so I'd sooner keep it standard for the next owner".....

 

 

 

wibble...big grin...  <looks at where trigger is located>...  ah well, will worry about that when the time comes..... 

[flat4alfa]

Pretty much guaranteed that after the full-scale Triggerification programme, it will be worth beyond this sort of money:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Morris-ital-440-1980s-classic-van-very-clean-and-looked-after-van-moted-/253201694895

 

 

[kinkersaab]

fuck...im oot.

[trigger]

It will also be worth the extra money than that one!

[trigger]

I've still been chipping away at this on and off, the most recent job was to remove the rear door and tidy the surface rust around the hinge, sort the scabs and dent on the side (the lower half is to be left for now as it needs welding) and tidy the rear valance which had a few scabs.

 

As you can see the paint still went matt even with the heaters on and the panel warmed up with a heat gun so I'm sure it's a Base coat paint which should be clear coated, hopefully flatting it back and mopping it will keep the shine and not dull off again?.

I've given it a good mop and flat this evening though, look alright I think? It's hard to tell though as it's still in the garage and there's not much room.

 

 

I've also treated all the rust underneath ready for underseal and finished the front floor inside by fitting carpet underlay and putting the rubber mat back in.
 

 

To be honest these photos are awful, I really need to get it outside and get my decent camera out.

[wuvvum]

You don't want it too shiny - it's a British Leyland product, it'll look wrong.

[uk_senator]

Looking stunning.. Nice work Trigsta! 

[MorrisItalSLX]

Allegro Equipe Wheels?

 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Austin-Allegro-Equipe-Alloy-Wheels-X-4/122842683541?hash=item1c99fe9895:g:gWIAAOSwridaJBnx

[uk_senator]

I think if you do change the wheels, you should go for a nice "cactus" style rim..

[danthecapriman]

Looks fantastic, nice and shiny!

 

If the paint is basecoat, which it does look like it might be given how it's drying, it most likely will fade and go mat eventually without lacquer on it. I think basecoat needs the lacquer to stop it oxidising and bring up its shine.

I put some on my old Granada and didn't bother with lacquer and within a year it had faded from metallic blue to like a horrible flat purple!

[oldcars]

Is base coat porous?

[BeEP]

Allegro Equipe Wheels?

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Austin-Allegro-Equipe-Alloy-Wheels-X-4/122842683541?hash=item1c99fe9895:g:gWIAAOSwridaJBnx

 

If you were to go down this route be aware that Allegro Equipe alloys require their own special wheelnuts, which aren't included in this auction.  I know the sellers though; sound blokes.

[twosmoke300]

That looks like a maestro van drivers seat base

[trigger]

Is base coat porous?

Doing some home work, I think it is.

 

 

 

Bollocks. Basically I've spent £65 on paint that completely unfit for purpose and I need to do at all again now.

 

 

Bollocks. I don't know the best way to sort it, can I key it up and spray lacquer over it still bearing in mind that it's gone hard now? Try and buy more paint but making sure it's Celly rather than 2k or pay a body shop to blow down the side of it which wouldn't be hard as there no repairs, just a straight scotch pad key up and masking?

[danthecapriman]

Doing some home work, I think it is.

Bollocks. Basically I've spent £65 on paint that completely unfit for purpose and I need to do at all again now.

Bollocks. I don't know the best way to sort it, can I key it up and spray lacquer over it still bearing in mind that it's gone hard now? Try and buy more paint but making sure it's Celly rather than 2k or pay a body shop to blow down the side of it which wouldn't be hard as there no repairs, just a straight scotch pad key up and masking?

If it was me I'd just give it a quick wet flat down, degrease then get a coat or two of clear on top. That's all a basecoat would get in a bodyshop anyway. The clear coat should shine it up and protect it.

 

Disclaimer: I'm not a pro painter! But that's all I did on the Granada when this happened.

[oldcars]

Doing some home work, I think it is.

 

 

 

Bollocks. Basically I've spent £65 on paint that completely unfit for purpose and I need to do at all again now.

 

 

Bollocks. I don't know the best way to sort it, can I key it up and spray lacquer over it still bearing in mind that it's gone hard now? Try and buy more paint but making sure it's Celly rather than 2k or pay a body shop to blow down the side of it which wouldn't be hard as there no repairs, just a straight scotch pad key up and masking?

Nightmare, i was worried it might be. What would the van have been painted with in the factory?

[DSdriver]

I think if you do change the wheels, you should go for a nice "cactus" style rim..

Haha penis spokes

[bezzabsa]

Pretty much guaranteed that after the full-scale Triggerification programme, it will be worth beyond this sort of money:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Morris-ital-440-1980s-classic-van-very-clean-and-looked-after-van-moted-/253201694895

erm, thats not an ITAL....or if it is its had marina bits grafted in..early flat dash, marina front end, It even Has 'Proper' door cards too...LOL

[flat4alfa]

erm, thats not an ITAL....or if it is its had marina bits grafted in..early flat dash, marina front end, It even Has 'Proper' door cards too...LOL

 

The Marina door handles look nice.

[tooSavvy]

Haha penis spokes

..... I'm such a Knob

 

 

TS

[Dick Cheeseburger]

That’s a bugger about the paint, especially as you’ve done such a tidy job. I’ll leave it to the semi-pros to advise on whether you can safely flash celly over over base coat with just a flat down. However, my experience of doing the odd bit of celly paintwork on a few of my cars years ago, would be to use celly. It’s what the rest of the van will already be painted in, it’ll match, it’ll age similarly, and it won’t be a mismatch of celly and clear over base.

[Braddon81]

Doing some home work, I think it is.

Bollocks. Basically I've spent £65 on paint that completely unfit for purpose and I need to do at all again now.

Bollocks. I don't know the best way to sort it, can I key it up and spray lacquer over it still bearing in mind that it's gone hard now? Try and buy more paint but making sure it's Celly rather than 2k or pay a body shop to blow down the side of it which wouldn't be hard as there no repairs, just a straight scotch pad key up and masking?

You done such a tremendous job on the repairs on this already I would be very much inclined to get somebody to clearcoat your repairs in 2k. The common misconception is that these were painted in cellulose from new,it was actually nitro synthetic based paint and after 30yrs should be stable enough to clearcoat over. Modern base coat is acrylic based which is then sealed over with the 2k lacquer. There should no real issues with scotching the repaired areas and lacquer ing it with 2k.☺️

[Felly Magic]

Trigg when you get this finished, you need to snap it parked outside that old garage in Framlingham opposite the Co-op

[fraybentos]

If you have used solvent base coat flat with 800 wet or dry and put 2k lacquer on it - 1 grab goat and 1/2 full coats - don't use cheap stuff as it may dry off colour try something like palinal which is cheap but good. Do not put cellulose on top it will react! If not just bang on some hs 2k and hope your colour match is ok

[trigger]

If you have used solvent base coat flat with 800 wet or dry and put 2k lacquer on it - 1 grab goat and 1/2 full coats - don't use cheap stuff as it may dry off colour try something like palinal which is cheap but good. Do not put cellulose on top it will react! If not just bang on some hs 2k and hope your colour match is ok

Oh double bugger! I done some googling this afternoon and read that you can put celly over 2k but not the other way round so I've spent £65 on a 5 aerosol cans of Eclipse blue in cellulose from paints4u.co.uk and was going to key it back up and paint over it all again!.

 

My experience is that you can't lacquer over 2k if it's over 24 hours old and it's gone too hard and the lacquer will just go milky or peel off in sheets 6 months down the line?.

 

Oh well, it's only a old van at the end of the day, I'm getting more carried away than I originally planned as it is!

[fraybentos]

I guess if you leave it for a few days and try it it might be ok but you can lacquer over solvent base as long as you want to after but what they mean is you have to key it first, you're doing a great job btw!

[uk_senator]

 I've spent £65 on a 5 aerosol cans of Eclipse blue in cellulose from paints4u.co.uk and was going to key it back up and paint over it all again!.

 

Mate, the amount of paint you`ve done in the last few years, I`d say its time to invest in a nice little compressor & spray gun, You could buy a good used compressor & new gun on ebay for about £65!