"WONDERFUL WORLD OF WHEELS" TV special with host Lloyd Bridges
New (to us) footage of an Italia at a car show in 1966. From the "WONDERFUL WORLD OF WHEELS" TV special with host Lloyd Bridges. The Italia appears around 12:40 into the film. Thanks to "Eagle-eyes" Italia #129 owner, Mark Saro.
British Pathé/Reuters Newsreel of the 1959 Turin Motor Show
Finally a film clip from the 1959 Turin show. We knew there had to be at least one!
You can just see the Italia on the left in the opening and closing segments and for a moment just after the Citroens appear. One thing this does establish is that the Italia was on a raised turntable. We knew it was on a platform but you can see it rotating at the end of the film.
There's probably more footage from Italian TV as a TV camera was stationed just behind the Italia. You can see the cameraman on the platform in the lower right of the screenshot below.
Click here to visit the Pathé site to view the film
Standard-Triumph 1959 Pathé Newsreel
Chassis for the Works cars, rally, race and show cars, were painted white. In the case of the race and rally cars, this was to assist in spotting any cracks that might develop in the frame. This white paint also applied to chassis sold for other uses, namely, the Italia. This film from 1959 shows multiple TR chassis being assembled alongside the chassis for the Atlas van. Most of the chassis are painted white while there are a few black painted TRs being assembled at the same time. At the end of the film you will see a TR3 body being mounted on a black chassis.
These are probably just a little too early to be Italia chassis. It looks as though they are being assembled with the "long-nose" starter. According to Bill Piggott's book, Original Triumph TR, the short-nose starter first appeared on TS50001. Excluding the two prototypes, Italias start near TS51600.
Most, but not all, Italia chassis were painted white. The majority of TSF chassis cars had theirs painted black. We’ve only recently, with help from Albert Spanner, verified that there are a some Italias with oddly colored chassis. This was known to be the case for some TR3s. The explanation being that the guys painting the cars would use up what was left in their guns when they switched to painting chassis. #215 has a bluish green chassis (checked by the owner in multiple places) and #27 reportedly has a red one. It’s difficult to tell on a finished car as the chassis were covered in a black undercoating by Ruffino.
Not quite the star . . .
Italias have appeared in a few films. Some simply as a stand-in parked on the side of the road. We're scouring every late Fifities and early Sixties film. Let us know if you find any, too. Many thanks to Tyrone Stoner for passing these on and to the keen-eyed fellow that spotted them.
Drei weiße Birken (Three white birches)
On Youtube: The Italia appears at about 53 minutes into the film.
Schön ist die Liebe am Königssee
Love is beautiful at the Königssee
Yes, that's an MGA but look in the background. Might be the same car from Drei weiße Birken.
Many thanks to Italia #16 owner, Rudy Werenfels, for the proper translation of the title!
On Youtube: The Italia appears at about 53 minutes 16 seconds into the film. Click here to go the film on YouTube.
Le motorizzate (The Motorized)
Look, over there, at the curb (don't blink, you'll miss it).
On Youtube: The Italia appears at about 17 seconds into the film. There's also a TR3a, Spitfire, FIAT 1200 and multiple Alfas!