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

[andy18s]

I really want to clean that interior.

You won't find your keys in there......

[flat4alfa]

I can understand the wheel obsession, because Trig gets derelict cars in finished condition before you've blinked, so all you can focus on is final aesthetics. Probably.

 

On arseache I think I mentioned that banded steels IMO would only look any good of you lowered it dramatically. And that, apart from the expense and bother, would IMO make it ride like a board and IMO make it hopeless for chodparts hailing. Also rubbish for family events after you decked that out with a rear-facing 2CV bench seat welded home. IMO.

[Timewaster]

I'm sure Restall Bros. would have done a test seat conversion back in the day.

 

Good luck finding one though.

[Angrydicky]

Great work Trigster, this looks nice. As it's an old van, welcome to the world of the winner... :-D

 

I don't see what the obsession is with the wheels though. In this thread and on Facebook. It's already got four on it and they look perfectly acceptable to me.

What this man said!

[flat4alfa]

It's meant to be a winter project but I always get carried away! Plus with Triglette number 2s arrival imminent I really want to get as much done as possible.

 

  

 

[SiC]

Lol! I think you could get locked up with something like that on a vehicle like that.

[cort16]

Lol with the teddybears

[Guest Hooli]

 

Ital be VAGshite

[trigger]

Time for another small update, this evening I put the rubber floor mat back in, the floor is a bit thin and pops easily which i'm not happy with, I'm not sure how I can fix that either, I'll get a photo at some point but more interestingly I've got round to flatting the new paint back and running a mop over the side, what a transformation!

 

 

I'm really pleased with my repairs, especially the big dent that was in the back corner as that wasn't a easy repair being right on the curved bit. Yes the new paint is a slightly different shade but it is only a old van and it's not a restoration so I'm not going to worry, that's why I left a few of the dents too.

 

 

 

 

[cort16]

So shiny

[Felly Magic]

Well done Triggs, it has deffo gone to the right person

[vulgalour]

That looks super.  Having a few dents and less perfect paint actually makes it look more cherished than if it were fully restored. Gives it that one-owner-forever look.

[danthecapriman]

Holey shit that looks good now! What a shine. It's probably the first time the old things ever had that sort of attention. Nice work.

[Brodders]

Absolutely stunning work trigger, that is like a mirror.

 

Truly staggered at the quality of the work and how quickly you are getting it done. Yet again, a top job.

[trigger]

That looks super. Having a few dents and less perfect paint actually makes it look more cherished than if it were fully restored. Gives it that one-owner-forever look.

That was my kind of thinking too, I'm not a fan of over restored vehicles, I've left a few dents like the one where the doors opened to far and left a dent in it and one by the wheel arch as well as just touched up the small scabs on the edges, like you say Dan I'm pretty sure it's the first time it's very been polished. I've also noticed that it used to have a roof rack which explains the bare paint on the roof near the rear door, it's obviously where a ladders been taken on and off so many times that it's worn the paint away.

[danthecapriman]

That was my kind of thinking too, I'm not a fan of over restored vehicles, I've left a few dents like the one where the doors opened to far and left a dent in it and one by the wheel arch as well as just touched up the small scabs on the edges, like you say Dan I'm pretty sure it's the first time it's very been polished. I've also noticed that it used to have a roof rack which explains the bare paint on the roof near the rear door, it's obviously where a ladders been taken on and off so many times that it's worn the paint away.

Despite my current exploits, I'm with you on not over doing things. There a certain 'charm' to having original slightly worn paint still.

My Mercury still has most of its original paintwork. It's a bit thin in places and there's visible repairs and touch ups but it still looks good without being a mess. There's even a faint circular mark on the bonnet where it's had a paint can sat there for years which damaged the paint then had to be polished out when the car went back on the road! I quite like it!

My old Granada that Skizzers now got was the same. All old paint and just touched up or rattle can repairs as required. It made the car keep a bit of it history and age I think.

[junkyarddog]

So glad that the paint is polishing up so nicely for you.

 

I'd call that a job well done

[MorrisItalSLX]

Love the progress on this! but may I make 1 suggestion.

 

I have just noticed these switches in the dashboard:

 

 

Currently, there is a bank of 3 switches with 1 blank and a bank of 2 switches with 1 blank. 

I feel this could be improved greatly (due to my OCD) by moving the switch from the twin bank into the blank on the triple bank, thus creating a bank of 3 switches and a bank of 2 blanks as depicted below:

 

 

This new and improved switch arrangement will not only improve the ergonomics of the dashboard, but it will also please a strange Australian bloke who probably never see this van in the flesh.

[oldcars]

Van looks great. What polish are you using on it?

[Parky]

why not replace a blank switch with a decoy switch as an immobiliser? Get one for a heated rear window or similar which has to be on in order to start it?

[purplebargeken]

Yeah, looks reasonable I guess.

[trigger]

I'm just going to worry about getting it roadworthy first, though security has crossed my mind after the Astra incident last year. I'm using 3M Fast Cut Plus polish applied by my electric mop and then going over it with 3m Finesse-it again on the mop, I'll then get it a hand polish with some AutoGlym Super Resin.

[Parky]

The Astra event was the primary reason behind my paltry suggestion. Lightning doesn't strike twice and all that but I would imagine the lock design on these wouldn't be much of a barrier to the lighter fingered members of society.

 

Paintwork looks magnificent though. Are you thinking of getting the owners club to appraise it for classic insurance purposes? It might be an almost unique vehicle these days so a juicy agreed value on a classic policy could be sensible?

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Agree with not overdoing the paint. The XM has bad paint and dents but it's a 280,000 mile car and it suits wearing it's miles with pride....

 

I'll tidy up the lacquer peel on the nosecone and spoiler but won't be going mental

 

Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk

[Guest Hooli]

Bloody hell that looks great Trig.

[beko1987]

Looks better, and probably is better than when it was new! You could kit the back out for shitefest 18! Nice double air bed, little table lamp, chair etc... Proper little camper van

[Shep Shepherd]

It looks ace! Pretty much how I remember them when they were new and nearly new - I may only be 40, but I have a very good memory 

 

Is it me or has the driver's seat base been retrimmed? If so, the van must have been driven by a big person in its early life 

[trigger]

Yeah I've spotted the seat base too, it's odd that it's been retrimmed, I'm guessing that with such a low mileage that it's only been used for short local trips and it had just worn from bums sliding in and out a lot.

[danthecapriman]

My previous Merc Sprinter had worn through on the seat bases, it was only a 2010 van with 50K on the clock by the time it'd worn through. I'd had it from new so seen it happen and it was me that'd done it but not on purpose. I couldn't believe how easily it'd done it tbh. Not very good at all from an expensive van like that!

 

Are you keeping the interior as it is or are you thinking of 'plushing' it up a bit? Maybe using car spec bits? Full vinyl seats suck in summer!

[flat4alfa]

More likely the entire seat was swapped out.  You wouldn't spend on a works van, you'd just buy a cover from Argos with your spare Green Shields stamps