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

[Heidel_Kakao]

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

[eddyramrod]

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!

[warren t claim]

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?

[trigger]

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.

[Felly Magic]

+1 for Classic Van & Pickup mag, especially as you have a good back story about the van

[Lord Sterling]

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.

[bezzabsa]

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

[trigger]

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. 

[warren t claim]

I think this is LEZ compliant so you can make a few quid working for City Sprint on the side.

[Yoss]

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.

[Guest Hooli]

Why did you buy that? they were shit when new!

 

 

Makes it perfect shite I'd say, nice one Trig.

[wuvvum]

I can't remember the last time I say a small van without any sort of bulkhead between the load area and the cab. 

I can - this morning, on eBay.

 

[Ghosty]

BASE!

[Felly Magic]

I think this will be an interesting project to get your teeth into, loving the ultra plain door cards too, extra misery spec

[Brodders]

Really looking forward to seeing this progress. It looks like a decent bit of work will be involved, but hopefully there won't be too many surprises in store.

 

Good luck. Already looking forward to seeing this at an ECR show in the not too distant future.

[Six-cylinder]

I can't remember the last time I say a small van without any sort of bulkhead between the load area and the cab. 

 

Some Citroen C15s run without bulkheads. I had to take mine out when I moved my scooter, just release 5 bolts and the bulkhead is slotted to pull out.

[Bren]

I bet the 1.7 in this would be a hoot to drive.

[adw1977]

I bet the 1.7 in this would be a hoot to drive.

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.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Trigger, how large is your garage?!

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F162713128851

[garethj]

Excellent purchase, Trig!  Plywood in the back would make it a bit quieter to live with, but part of the charm of these old things is the plain, painted metal everywhere.  Yours looks as clean as I've ever seen so display it with pride

 

Whatever you do, you'll love it which is the main thing

[RoadworkUK]

Stunning. Well, not stunning, but you know what I mean.

[plasticvandan]

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

[trigger]

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?

[barefoot]

Whoever type set or otherwise did the graphics on this sticker wants hanging upside down by his or her bollocks until the van is back on the road.

 

[dollywobbler]

Hammerite has no place anywhere near a car. 

 

This is ace though. Top project!

[steveo3002]

zinc 182 isnt up to much at all ....epoxy primer is way way better , like 10x better 

 

look at something like jotun jotamastic

[trigger]

Really?, I've just bought a litre of it after reading all these glowing recommendations on the internet!

[Parky]

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....

[BorniteIdentity]

I think this is ace - and couldn't believe that you even had to consider it.  

 

It's the shitest thing I've seen on here this year, following on from the Sierra bASe of 2016.  Looking forward to seeing it out and about.

[steveo3002]

Really?, I've just bought a litre of it after reading all these glowing recommendations on the internet!

now go read about epoxy 

 

ive tinkered with cars for 25 years and honestly epoxy walks over anything else - just an honest recommendation  i dont sell it