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Post-War Other Italia

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Alan_Myers

Alan_Myers

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Dammit! Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car magazine has a wonderful article about 1960 Triumph Italia 2000.

Includes a driving report and details of a restoration.

Too wonderful, in fact! It will probably drive values up before I get an Italia. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif.
'62 TR4 CT17602L
 
There was an Italia on EBAY not too long ago in what was described as Concourse condition for $19,000. That seemed like a real good deal but I did not watch it end so I'm not sure of the final price. The car did look perfect in the photos posted.
 
I sold my TR-250 seven or eight years ago to a guy in Canada who was restoring an Italia. I've seen one once, and the car is simply gorgeous. A little too heavy, and I prefer having a roadster, but the lines are just perfect.
 
OK, Motorbase does not list a Triumph Italia for me to see a picture. Whats this thing look like? Can you post a picture for us novices?
 
Sammy, I wonder if the guy you referred to was Steve McCutcheon, he has a beautiful Italia he finished restoring about 3 or 4 years ago. Did a lot of research to make sure it was as correct as possible.
Not many of these in Canada.
Simon.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I wonder if the guy you referred to was Steve McCutcheon

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi again,

Yes, that is the particular car and restoration detailed in the Hemming's magazine article (November 2005 issue, should be on store shelves now). The black-over-tan car is now back in the US, was sold to a New Yorker. The only apparant deviation from "original" is somewhat plusher upholstery, which is very nice and appropriate-looking. The motor has been upgraded internally, too (83mm to 87mm bores & pistons, etc.).

For those unfamiliar with it, the Italia 2000 was built in small quantity (approx. 300) in 1960/61. Some call the Italia the prettiest Triumph ever produced. The chassis and drivetrain are essentially TR3A, and were shipped to the Italian shop of Michelloti for very nice coachwork to be added.

That's the same design shop that developed the TR4 and you can certainly see some early indications of the lines of the '4 in the Italia.

There is also an obviously close relationship with the two or three TRS that were run at LeMans, fitted with the "Sabrina" dual overhead cam engine. The TRS look a bit like a topless Italia, and enough like TR4 that they are sometimes listed as "TR4S". The Roadster Factory has restored and owns one of the TRS. There were some photos of it in their Summer Sale catalog.

Italias are actually being built today. Revington TR is producing a few, with aluminum bodies. There are some pictures and info on their website (www.revingtontr.com)

I guess all these models were essentially killed when Leland took over in late 1961. They even discontinued the factory supported rallying/racing programs for a for a year or two, until some of the holdovers from Standard Triumph managed to show them the error of their ways.

Cheers!

Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif
'62 TR4 CT17602L
 
This one Sammy? https://www.flickr.com/photos/sherlock77/47020133/

I think I took that picture of an Italia at the 2002 British Car Day (Bronte Creek, Oakville, Ontario), not one of my best pictures ever but a picture anyway. The owner lived in southern Ontario, and as I recall it was the first time he had shown it.

Within about a year I saw this particular Italia being offered for sale on the VTR website...
 
Technically the Italia wasn't a branded Triumph, but was sold by Triumph dealers. I think it ran afoul of the TR4 Surry top car for Triumph to continue to sell it. I almost scored on one way back in the 1970s but was too late. I think its the coolest car for the money. Ferrarish looks with a TR3 lump of a motor.

IIRC when you bought one of these cars new, you had to sign a form stating you knew there were no replacement body parts. I also believe there is an English gent remanufacturing some of the body parts now. There was a great article on these cars a couple of years ago in one of the Bristish car mags.
 
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