Triumph Italia Buyer's Guide
By Jamie Palmer
In addition to the items listed in the general Triumph Buyers Guide , there are a number of specific items of interest on the Italia.
General:
With few exceptions, the mechanical aspects of the TR3 Buyer's Guide will serve the potential Italia owner very well, as will the items listed in the general Triumph Buyers Guide . However, mechanical condition is the last thing to worry about when purchasing an Italia. Remember, the cars were imported here with a provision that no body or trim parts would ever be available in the U.S.!
Potential Problems:
As a result of the spares situation, it is best to purchase an Italia that is as complete as possible. Potential serious problem areas are:
- Glass
- Chrome
- Aluminum trim
- Badges
- Interior trim
If you purchase a car missing any of the above, expect a struggle. Spares are few and far between. The good news, however, is that most of the items except the chrome and curved glass were handmade to start with, and can be made again in the same manner.
Good bumpers are rare among Italias; not only do they suffer the same dings and damage that all small sports cars do, but the bumpers are made of a much thinner metal than you would expect (much thinner gauge than a normal Triumph bumper). Consequently, they tend to rust and/or become dented even easier than other Triumph bumpers. The bumpers were not known for certain to have been fitted to any other cars, although a visual comparison with that belonging to a Lancia Appia convertible (which is, unfortunately, even rarer than the Italia) shows a remarkable similarity. Since these two models were produced side-by-side on the production line, it is probable that the bumpers were the same.
Front and rear windshields are totally unique to the Italia; nothing else fits. At this time, there is no source for windshields. Hopefully, enough owners will band together to allow the production of replacement glass; if you are interested, contact the vehicle consultant.
Bodywork:
The Italia bodyshell is welded together from many small, hand-formed pieces of steel. Only the first three cars were aluminum...if your magnet doesn't stick to an Italia you are viewing, suspect body putty (and if it really is aluminum, snap it up!) As a general rule, it is no more suspect to rust than any other Triumph. The sills, however, seem to the the worst area for rust. The body structure is rather complex, with multi-curvature panels throughout welded into a single structure. This type of structure does not lend itself to easy home repair, so look for the best body that you can.
Mechanicals:
There are very few mechanical differences between the TR-3 and the Italia, so mechanical areas are not as much of a problem. One thing worth noting is that Italias have an extra leaf in the rear springs to handle the additional weight, so a leaf would have to be added to the reproduction springs currently on the market to get the right body "set." The rear axle ratio is somewhat different also, with most cars having either a 4.1:1 or 4.3:1 ratio.
Interior and trim:
Some emblems are available, and those that aren't will hopefully be reproduced soon. Interior trim, as far as we know, is vinyl on all Italias, and can be duplicated by decent upholstery shops. Much of the decorative trim is aluminum, and if it is with the car, it generally survives well. However, none of this trim is available commercially.
Unique Qualities:
One of the things to keep in mind is that there were a lot of detail changes during Italia production, sometimes from car to car! Essentially a handmade car, the Italia was assembled with a variety of cosmetic variations. Many items such as lamps, emblems, trim, etc. appear to reflect whatever the Vignale workers had hanging around that day. When two Italias are together, it's always interesting to examine the differences between the vehicles. Understandably, it may be difficult to determine exactly what is "right", although much research has been done by several individuals in the process of restoring their cars. It is practically guaranteed, however, that if you have an Italia, you won't see yourself coming or going very often!
Summary:
Buying an Italia is not to be taken lightly, especially an incomplete or damaged car. Try to get the most solid body you can, make sure it has all the glass, and don't worry TOO much about the mechanicals.
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