Car loaned: 1980 Morris Ital 1.7 HL
Loanee: Rebecca Ryder from the Morris Marina Owners Club and Ital Register: https://morrismarina.org.uk/
I’ve been around classic cars for many years as I work, mostly on weekends, within my family’s automotive-themed-café, the NY500, here in Yorkshire. It’s a place where enthusiasts from the local area can bring their treasured vehicles to merge on our huge car park; the variety is fantastic and it’s not unusual to see a Ferrari or a customised Skyline getting less attention than my Ital.
We have three Fibreglass (GRP) BWM MINIs on the café roof, and my parents, Helen and Bob Ryder, have always had classics, so I’ve naturally inherited that interest. I drove the bride-to-be to my brothers’ wedding in my mum’s classic Mini. My first car was an H reg Land Rover Defender and, if I had to say why I love classic cars, it’s because of their simplicity in terms of maintenance and because you feel you are driving them rather than being driven. I also love that they have such a character that you can always think of a name that suits them.
How I learned about the Classic Car Loan project
I first learned about the Classic Car Loan Project after seeing a post about it from Richard Piercy on Facebook, and later found out that Richard actually visits the NY500, as do other groups who regularly talk about the loan scheme on Facebook. Even though I did not know if I would fit the young person criteria, being thirty-six at the time, I decided to apply, thinking, ‘What’s the worst that could happen, they could just say no’.
After looking on the CCLP website, I saw some available cars including the Morris Ital, and thought, ‘I could get into that.’ I then took my chances and applied for a couple of the scheme’s cars. Shortly after, I received a phone call from the scheme and was asked if I had any experienced classic car people to support me. Luckily, I had my parents and also my Facebook friends, Chris and Matt from the Morris Ital owners’ Club. I also live in Pickering, and Sarah Crabtree lives only a few miles away. When I told the scheme about that, I was told that they would like to try me on the scheme, and Sarah has been really helpful. I see her regularly.
A change of lifestyle
After having a recent lifestyle change, I’d decided my modern Ford Fiesta wasn’t really right and that I’d like to own a classic car, but I didn’t really have the funds, so it was the perfect way to try it out; although I kept the Fiesta just in case.
I received Cory the Ital in July 2023 and went into it with a completely open mind. My immediate thoughts about it were that it was something a bit mad, something a bit crazy, and something I’d never driven or even seen before. It had a bright orange interior, which I now know is ‘Paprika’. I immediately named it Cory because the first three letters on his number plate were COR and my son’s name is Rory, so it just made sense. My son, who is shortly turning four years of age, loves Cory, and when given a choice of whether to go out in Cory or the Fiesta, it is always ’Cory!’ I think he likes it because he gets a great view through all of the windows.
The car doesn’t go fast and we do like the relaxed, chilled 55mph ride, plus, the car not having a radio gives us a very different pace of life and we chat as drive. He loves to get involved with the servicing and always notices the oil light on the dashboard flash up when the process is needed. Another example of the simplicity of classic cars over modern ones.
Living with Cory the Morris Ital
Cory, the Ital, has caused quite a stir here in Pickering. I drive it regularly and people always wave at us. The car turns heads every single time it’s parked at my parent’s café, and gets more attention than many a supercar which is bananas, but I love it! I lot of people really love it although I’ve got used to the ‘watch out for falling pianos’ Top Gear joke.
Cory is a really good, interesting car. It is so simple to use and work on… a light comes up saying check the oil, so much easier than in a modern car with all the silly electronics… I’ve been so lucky with Cory, though; the only work needed whilst he’s been in my care was fixing the filling inside the seats and the re-threading the choke cable, which my dad helped me with.
It was lovely to have the time with him, fixing this simple, lovely little car and I’d like to thank my parents for allowing me to store the car in their garage. I know modern cars allow you to just get up and go, but they have no character and they don’t have the soul that Cory does.
Young drivers in classic car
I feel young drivers are missing a trick here, as classics are also so cheap to insure and tax, I pay £80 a year for Cory, thanks to the Peter James insurance scheme to help the 1st year of Insurance, my renewal has come through and it’s still only £130. My son and I have had lots of adventures in Cory and we have even been to the beach with his toys in the boot; we’ve also been to car shows in Cory.
Rory is still so small that he likes getting up on the rear parcel shelf but he won’t be able to do that soon. My favourite memory of having the car is turning up at Gaydon because the guys were amazed when I arrived with a properly polished Cory. Sarah Crabtree even commented that she couldn’t believe that I had driven the four-and-a-half-hour journey down from Yorkshire but Cory ran like a dream both ways. I really like driving Cory, and I actually think it makes me a better driver as you are doing everything more slowly, in a more considered way.
A huge thanks
Having the Ital has been awesome fun, everyone has been fantastic on this journey of madness. I had driven classic cars before but nothing like this and was a bit nervous taking it on but the opportunity has got me wanting to take a classic car on more than ever. After three thousand miles with the Ital I’ll be really sad to see it go… I chatted on the phone about handing the car back at Gaydon, but I’m hoping I can extend the loan period for a little while at least. I really don’t want to give him back although part of me wants to go back into the group to see what other cars there are as there are some beautiful cars, but another part of me thinks, ‘Should I just bite bullet and buy one myself?
Cory, the Ital, has been a great car to have owned and chilled out with, I will miss him.
I would like to thank the following:
- Bob CCLP – for putting me forward as I think the whole project is fantastic, he and the team are awesome!
- Chris and Matt – Marina and Ital Owners’ Club, my mentors who are seriously phenomenal-I don’t think I could’ve done it without them.
- Richard Piercy, Sarah Crabtree and of course my parents
Peter James are proud to sponsor the Classic Car Loan project and help to inspire and enthuse tomorrow’s classic vehicle owners:
https://classiccarloanproject.co.uk/cars-in-the-project.
