1907 Itala

Here’s the classic Itala 1907 which we raced in the 2010 Peking to Paris Rally. Click an image to view a larger version and scroll through the gallery.

April 2025

1907 ITALA. I have been asked many times over the last few years where is the ITALA and what is happening to it? Well, it’s now back in the UK with a new, and very enthusiastic owner who intends to seriously use it with his sights firmly set on Peking to Paris 2028.

Sadly over the last few years the ITALA has not been used much and arrived here in a bit of a state with ignition problems and the clutch not working. It was slipping and wouldn’t disengage. In an effort to try and make the clutch work an unbelievably crude clutch brake system had been fitted using angle iron, a motorbike disc and drilling holes in the original chassis!!! This ITALA has an original Hele & Shaw multi plate clutch 48 discs steel discs. The clutch had been assembled incorrectly and to compound the problem the clutch housing had been filled with oil so the discs wouldn’t separate! The clutch is now working perfectly. Ignition was a bit more of a problem.

The ITALA is now purrrrrring at 118 years old and I was asked to stretch its legs on the Flying Scotsman Rally. There is nothing like a challenge and I had top navigator Ed China with me.

Here’s us at the start of the Flying Scotsman Rally with HERO, all set to go.