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

[Isaac Hunt]

Spot on is this Van, time warp.

 

They were a good old workhorse and if I remember correctly the heater was one of the great features. Get those A Series working hard and generating some heat and you could get as cosy as toast in that cab on a cold winters day.

 

The rasp of the exhaust came close to a modern day 'boom and burble' back box when it resonated through an empty van.

[trigger]

The exhaust sounds mega nice to be fair! unfortunately you can't breath behind it for the amount of smoke coming from it, it's running far too rich, i was in tears it was coming out so bad! The trouble is the van could do with a bit of an Italian tune up but with no mot etc i can't even drive it! I had it running for about 15 mins and the temperature gauge went up but the heaters never kicked in, I'm not sure why yet, the fuel gauge isn't working either but that could be stuck from the stale fuel that was inside it.

 

Thanks for the bulb offer Matt, I'll probably just leave this though, i probably won't use the light much anyway.

[adw1977]

Excellent work.

 

The door cards look spot on to me:

[binhoker668]

Great thread, great van Trig!  Following with keen interest!

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

Fantastic outcome so far - sparkly stick action done/expected when? This'll look fantastic out and about again - will it work at all for it's upkeep or just a useful tool to have?

[richardthestag]

Out 'kin standing work

 

 

 

 

So back to the photos, which I've just discovered is mega annoying uploading now from the PC as it's only allowing me to upload one at a time?! anyway i digress...

 

 

windows 10?

 

google "windows 10 flash player"

 

disabled in edge and chrome by default for some absurd reason, probably microshaft and adobe falling out for some reason

[trigger]

Fantastic outcome so far - sparkly stick action done/expected when? This'll look fantastic out and about again - will it work at all for it's upkeep or just a useful tool to have?

 

Thank you, I still have the lower lower rear quarter to patch on the near side and a little bit on the bottom of the wing but that's all, hopefully my tamed welder mate is coming over tonight to finish that job then i can prep it for paint.

 

 

windows 10?

 

google "windows 10 flash player"

 

disabled in edge and chrome by default for some absurd reason, probably microshaft and adobe falling out for some reason

 

You star! It was disabled on this website, now it's working Thanks!

[uk_senator]

I'm not overly impressed though as it seems they haven't replaced the valves going buy my silver paint still on them, I probably should take them back but I can't be arsed and I'll have to scrape the paint off a blade, those valves are over 30 years old too.

Change the valves mate, they perish, & if your lucky, leak, if not, suddenly pop off, & that's the last thing you want going round a corner or driving at speed.

 

Change em, even if you have to pay.

[Timewaster]

My tame mechanic regularly fails my cars on perished tyre valves.

 

That HE bloody fitted. Usually the year before.

 

I would say if yours have lasted 30 years then they are probably better than the ebay £20 for a bag of 500 shit people fit now.

[Pillock]

Bloody hell Triggster, that looks fantastic. You've done an amazing job of getting that looking just right.

[trigger]

Thanks you! My mate came over Tuesday night and finished the welding for me, technically I could mot now but I'm going to finish the bodywork first.

 

There's a couple of tiny holes I'll fiberglass as they were to awkward to weld and we was up against the time a bit and i have some grinding still to do but it should look good once done.

 

 

 

[Carlosfandango]

Lovely progress on this.

Something very appealing about a tidy van & the result of the rattlecan effort is bloody fab.

 

CFD

[greengartside]

Outstanding work on this van, Trig! If I ever had a need for a retro van as my daily then I would be biting your arm off for it!

[Zantimisfit]

Catching up. Great job 10/10

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Look what I saw today!

 

 

[oldcars]

That's class, used to and history is spot on.

[Felly Magic]

That's been Marina -sed but nice spot

[Ben_O]

I actually saw one yesterday and thought of this thread.

[Timewaster]

Why would you half Marina an Ital?

 

Original door handles and Marina grill and lights?

 

Unless the lights were rusted or broken and this is a brilliant lowest cost bodge.

[fordperv]

Great Job on this trig

[trigger]

Cor! Look at that! I wonder if it's a late registered Marina? Mind you they was technically called a Morris 440/575 by that point, I think that's a 440?

 

I've been allowed to go out side this afternoon and do some filler work, it's looking surprisingly good! The photos don't really do it any justice.

 

 

 

This is just the first coat of etch primer, I'm currently sat in the garage getting high on paint fumes and listening to Fleetwood Mac whilst waiting for paint to dry.

 

I'm really living the dream.

 

 

[Lankytim]

Isn't that an Ital with a Marina grille? My Dad's Ital was an A plate (A789XOE)

[Shep Shepherd]

Must be a very late Marina van, as I remember seeing brand new Y-reg Ital vans in 1983.

[MarvinsMom]

i would be willing to put money on that blue van above been an Ital with a Marina's front grill and headlamps, as it has Ital door handles on both sides.

 

i don't think that Ital handles are interchangeable with Marina/Allegro/Range Rover or Lotus Esprit ones.

 

and good work Trig on that van, she's coming along in leaps and bounds, i am really looking forward to it been back on the road where it belongs!

[Felly Magic]

Totally different lock mechs on Itals, with the separate door locks, deffo an Ital that's been Marinaificated looking at it 

[flat4alfa]

A938 GBE was first registered on Monday 21st of November 1983

It was painted white previously.

[flat4alfa]

Looking at these examples, it's clear the door mechanism change was phased-in earlier than the Ital frontage

 

 

[C1am]

^^correct.

 

Here's the cover of my Morris brochure:

 

[trigger]

This afternoon I went into the garage, put on a bit of old skool garage on Spotify and cracked on with painting this bad boy.

 

I'm really pleased with how well the repairs have come out, a good flat and mop will see it looking spot on, unlike my crappy phone photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I might be useless at most things but polishing a turd is one thing i seem to have got the hang off, hopefully it will still look just as good once it's outside!

[500tops]

This is pure WIN. I am mega jealous of the finish you seem to always achieve using rattle cans!