1981 Morris Ital Estate - One year on....

[marinanut]

I suppose I'd better introduce something that has been lurking outside the kitchen window for a year or so, my Morris Ital 1.7HL estate on an 'X' plate.
I acquired this in 2004 from a woman who used it daily to commute from near Bungay to Norwich and passed it on after she bought a Fiat Punto (which was punto'd up the ar53 shortly after tis came off the road the first time.....), so a fresh MOT and a month or so further use saw it end up in my drive. So far, it has had fully refurbed front suspension, brakes, head gasket, decoke, new sills, rear spring mounts, anti-roll bar, rear arches and now is in the last leg needing new wings and a front end tidy.
Plans? Not sure......Minilites will go on, maybe matt black and hit with the stick; or some leery '80s shade and blacked out chrome......

Oh yes, pics later!

[qwerty]

OOOh Looking forward to some pictures!! I vote against matt/satin black.

[MetroLee]

looking forward to piccies.

[reanimation]

Pics please, I say no to matt black too. Timmy Mallet pink and chrome wheels, lowered with blacked windows, go cruise

[marinanut]

reanimation said:

Pics please, I say no to matt black too. Timmy Mallet pink and chrome wheels, lowered with blacked windows, go cruise

Eerr, no....don't think so! ;D

[marinanut]

strangely, I don't have any pics of it in action, so this is the state of play at the moment....







Under all the cruddy bits, its actually quite solid.........rat-look?

[MetroLee]

Cant exactally put my finger on it but it has potential. I've always liked marinas and they're growing on me even more. Have you got any plans for it yet?

[reanimation]

Fab, looking at that i relise my life will never be my own again! I need Marina/Ital in my life aswell. Nice machine. Fantastic

How about Retro Rave glowstick yellow and mirrored windows with 3 spokes? or red? ;D

[marinanut]

reanimation said:

How about Retro Rave glowstick yellow and mirrored windows with 3 spokes? or red? ;D

Hmmmm, thats got me thinking.....

[Nathan]

I say Waxoyl it, slam it and drive baby. There is something about it thats for sure.

[Dez]

hydraulics and wires......

[marinanut]

A plan is formulating......

So far, fit Mk3 front spoiler off the GT to give it a more solid front look after fitting a new pair of wings and welding up the holes in the inner wings......de-badged....maybe two-tone paint (?), hit with the stick and 15" Montego alloys and if the £ holds out, tints......

[xbo11ox]

I think it should have a diesel engine, but I wouldn't like to say which. Default choice would be a Rover/Perkins Prima 2.0 turdblowa, but I think a 2.0 engine is a bit big for a Marina. A vauxhall Nova 1.5 TD would be a good engine for this car but i am not a fan of this cross-pollination business.

As such I have selected the Perkins 404D-15 engine. Its a 1500cc all-iron 4-cylinder diesel producing 35bhp, normally aspirated and mechanical fuel injection. It should last the life of the Marina (up to 8000 hours use) and was clearly concieved for such a car as it is compliant to all the latest 'off-highway' emissions regulations.

www.perkins.com/cda/files/334142/7/404D-15%20Engine%20(PN1818%2075th).pdf

[anthonyg]

Sort out those wings and drive it - I like the red it's in at the moment, TBH.

I like the idea of a Montego Perkins 2.0, and uprate the suspension and brakes to whatever people fit to Fiat twin cam engined Minors!

[marinanut]

I've been upsetting the neighbours today, hacking and grinding the wings off and sorting some cruddy bits before the hot glue comes out to stick some new tin on.....

There is nothing here that can't be sorted with some sheet metal and time....


And here is the donor for the wings....

[xbo11ox]

xgOOOOOO00000OOFFFFz!!!!1

All this is giving me a full-on MARINA WIGWAM! I must get one at once and relive those memories. Whats your wing donor like, condition -wise?

[Tarka]

I love seeing stuff like this. Who the hell, in 1981 would buy a brand new Ital estate?? The mk3 Escort, the Sierra, the Audi Quattro. Not all obtainable to the same wallet but at least a sign of things to come. Mind you, in the same group you could still buy an Allegro (with integrated reversing lights) and a Maxi so things weren't all bad I guess.

[marinanut]

xbo11ox said:

xgOOOOOO00000OOFFFFz!!!!1

All this is giving me a full-on MARINA WIGWAM! I must get one at once and relive those memories. Whats your wing donor like, condition -wise?

Not beyond redemption, but in need of the hot stick in several places that I can't be ar53d with at the moment
this looks nice, though...
cgi.ebay.co.uk/MORRIS-MARINA-1-3-SDL-COUPE-RED_W0QQitemZ290111643011

[vicsmith]

Someone posted a pic of an Ital Estae in a light Met. Blue the other week and it really suited it. Maybe that or silver? Common as muck colour on new cars but on old ones it really looks different.

[xbo11ox]

YOW that red one is lovely.

I think I like the Mk1's best, dashboard is much better for a start. I'd have a Mk2 though, not sure if an Ital is realy floating my boat at this precise second, all that could change in a moment however. I used to love driving my old 1.3 marinas (when the trunnions were in good nick). Plenty of zip and a nice 'unburstable' simple kind of feel. Good powerful heater too.