You could buy both and fit them in a one-car garage with room to spare! It is hard to imagine what one of these Vespa 400 cars must have looked like to the average American car buyer in the late 50's. Park this next you your 1959 Cadillac... it would probably fit in the trunk.
Last month was one of my favorite scooter rallies, the San Francisco Classic. This used to be the biggest scooter rally in the country. Around 2000, it was pulling over 300 scooters! It is not that big anymore. The Classic sprung out of a tradition of having a big scooter rally in San Francisco in August beginning at least in the early 90's. I know I've been going to them since then. In any case, this rally used to be called King's Classic when it was put on by the Rally Kings SC. Now that the Rally Kings are no longer, it has been taken over by the Black Sheep SC. They do a great job. Barry from the DNA Lounge always hosts a great party at his club for the custom show, and the crew from Black Sheep put on an amazing picnic for the Sunday event. Some of our Oakland club members participated in the now-traditional Sunday dodgeball tournament... but we got trounced. All in good fun! Here are some photos from the Sunday picnic.
It is hard to tell when this photo was taken. I'm guessing it was during the first mod revival in the late 70's. The big tell is in the far left of the picture, the distinctive outline of a white P-series Vespa. That at least dates the photo to post-77. Clothing, hair styles, and helmets look more 70's than 90's.
As you may have heard, there are big collector car shows in Monterey California at the end of the summer. The most famous in the Pebble Beach Concourse d'Elegance. That is where you have multi-million dollar cars shown... cars that are restored to perfection. At the same time, there are several auctions for classic cars nearby, run by the big auto auction houses. You might be able to buy that Bugatti that you've been looking for, or you might be outbid by a Sultan of Brunei. What many people don't know is that they also have motorcycle auctions around the same time. Vintage motorcycles are getting to be more valuable, and wealthy people are starting to collect them as they do with cars. Can't afford that Bugatti? How about a $250,000 Brough Superior? The auction houses don't just sell blue chip vintage vehicles, they also sell more pedestrian models. Scooters slip in from time to time. I highlighted a few that were at the big Vegas auctions in January. This time, there is just one European scooter that I could find in Monterey. It is this very nice Lambretta LD.
This odd Lambretta turned up on my local Craigslist in San Francisco. It is a Lambrett GP200 that has been totally chromed. As you can tell by the photo, this scooter was all done up in India. The seller has not even bothered to take a photo of it in the US. That tells you something right there. In any case, why anyone would want to do something like this is beyond me. Of course, doing this much chrome work would cost a fortune in California. Good thing they did it in India, where presumably all of the toxic sludge will end up in thier rivers... ugh! However, if this sort of thing is your taste, you may want to investigate further. I'd be a bit cautious though. Is it in the US? Is it a scam? Will you have a blown up motor in two weeks because it was put together poorly in India? Who knows! One thing is for sure, it will blind all passers by...
For all you scooterists who are also quilters (and you know who you are)... I give you this quilting pattern. You're welcome.
via craftzine blog
The comic below tells a story. It may tell that story a little crudely for some people's taste, but considering the subject I think it illustrates the point well and with appropriate tone. If you use online forums much then you will know exactly what I am talking about. If you don't then please allow me to explain.
Here we have a pretty rare bird in the US, a Lambretta 48 moped. These must have been sold in the US in very small numbers, because I've only ever seen one other one in the flesh. That said, even though they are rare, I don't think they are particularly valuable machines. This one appears to have had a very long slumber in a very disorganized garage or basement. There is a lot of crud, dirt, and grime on this little 'ped. However, it is a pretty interesting machine, and would appeal to both scooter folks and moped folks. If I found one near me, I'd certainly pick it up, just for the oddity appeal. This seller, however, thinks he has solid gold on his hands. I think this moped would be a fair deal if the seller lopped a zero off the end of his $2250 asking price. As it is, I is going to stay in the seller's basement to be resurrected another day...
August 3, 2011 Update - I just took a look at this auction again, and the scooter made $5,000 USD. That sure is strong money for a scooter that is in boxes and needs a full restoration. It goes to show that the TV Series I is probably the most collectable Lambretta out there.
July 26, 2011Here on eBay, we have something of interest - a Lambretta TV175 Series I. Only the most serious, and perhaps foolhardy, scooter restorer need apply. The TV Series I is certainly one of the most desireable Lambrettas. For their time, they set the performance and comfort standard, along with the Vespa G.S. The Series I design was short-lived, however. The motors were needlessly complicated, and very different from the Li Series I. Innocenti quickly realized that they could improve reliablility and rationalize production by basing the TV motor on the Li motor. So by the time the TV 175 Series II came out, there were only a few styling cues to differentiate the outside from the Li 150, and only a few internal differences in the motor to increase performance. Because many parts are unique to the TV 175 Series I, it is really important when restoring one to have one that is virtually complete. Is that the case here? Who knows! Do you feel lucky? Well do ya? The photos give one hope that nothing major is missing, I see a lot of parts there.
The possible reward for the daring is great... the possible pain of a long and expensive parts search is also great... Who will step up?
Click through the jump for a photo of what it COULD look like when this scooter is restored!
I was working on getting this scooter ready to drive after a long hibernation, and found that the clutch was stuck. The plates must have gotten gelled together, which is not totally uncommon for scooters that were sitting for a long time. Time to pull the clutch and replace the clutch plates!
First, I got the scooter up on my lift. I put the centerstand on a two-by-four to get it lifted up a bit, then I clamped the front wheel in the vise on my lift. With the rear wheel up in the air, I could start working. I pulled the bottom rear shock bolt from the motor, and let the motor drop a bit. Then I removed the rear wheel.
Continue after the jump for the rest of the story...
