potential Ital purchase- assistance required.

[italsi]

I'm off to look at an Ital on Saturday. 1.7 engine. I've never owned an ital or marina before so can anyone offer any assistance. I'm ok with bodywork but is there any specific spots on an ital I should look for ?
I'm not sure if it runs yet (being sold as a project) but again owt specific I should be looking for?
Any assistance appreciated.

[Uncle Frank]

Look out for the usual rot around headlamp panels, front wings (expensive to replace), sills, rear arches, front footwells over the jacking points, inner sills, rear spring hangers and front chassis rails where the tie rod bolts up

[Kilroy]

Gearbox and clutch are identical to all Marinas - so the usual things to look for.

O series engines leak oil around the camshaft front seal and the oil pump seal - both of which allow oil to reach the cambelt - not good.

While you can replace the oil pump seal by simply removing the pump - repairing the surface of the crankshaft requires total engine strip.

Otherwise - a very forgiving engine which requires very little attention to valve clearances or carb settings.

[italsi]

Cheers for the replies. Sounds all basic stuff. I've had pictures emailed and it does look pretty reasonable so fingers crossed.

[ayrshirelad32]

The box section behind the Headlights where the Innner wing stops. Marinas dont have said box section. Headlamp panels rot as stated as well as spring hangers and wings esp at the bottom behind the front wheel. As it is a 1700 make sure the Thermostate works aok. If it doesnt and it is stuck in the housing, that could be fun as the housings are a tad hard to find!. Hopefully you will be lucky and get a good one just remember, unless you like the Ital, like me, they are generally priced a lot less than their Marina brothers. Mainly due to the so called face lift they got! Driving wise a Ital is a bit more modern in feel to the Marina for some reason or other. A 1700 properly in tune and serviced should be a good drive and not short on power or torque. Good luck.

[italsi]

Cheers for extra info. The guy had to cancel our meet up so rearranged for the new year. I honestly didn't think it would be this difficult to find one. I started looking at mk3 marinas as an alternative but I really would prefer an ital. The ones that come up are either overpriced / beige or rotten.

[MARINAMADBAZ]

Itals have a lot more soundproofing in so are a lot quiter than a mk3 and have that extra cross brace stiffner between the rear arches so are better than a mk3 but the square headlamp treatment is not everbodys taste compared to the front of a mk3,saying that ive fitted mk3 bottom spoilers to my itals which I think looks better than the ital spoiler.
best regards
barry

[italsi]

Itals have a lot more soundproofing in so are a lot quiter than a mk3 and have that extra cross brace stiffner between the rear arches so are better than a mk3 but the square headlamp treatment is not everbodys taste compared to the front of a mk3,saying that ive fitted mk3 bottom spoilers to my itals which I think looks better than the ital spoiler.
best regards
barry

Hi Barry
Cheers for the extra info - my only recollection of a Marina and Ital were at my college days many moons ago. The only BMC stuff I've owned in my whole driving career was a 1972 Austin 1300 and a 1972 Austin 3litre. I've never driven either however have been a passenger in a Marina and Ital but that was years ago.
My mate has a really nice Allegro which he tried to sell me but I have it in my head that I want an Ital ideally. Going to make it my challenge that 2014 will bring me ownership.
Happy New Year to everyone
Si

[ayrshirelad32]

As Barry said Itals are quieter. You dont see the front of the cars while you are driving so the front aspect doesnt really matter!. Some bits are unique to the Ital so can be hard to get. However Mk3 and Itals are more suited to modern driving and every day use. Hopefully you will get either one or the other. If you do pics would be nice.

[MARINAMADBAZ]

Did you get the ital.???
best regards
barry