Classic Scooterist December/January

TITIVATING TWOSOME: MARK’S MODEL B AND SIDECAR

VESPA SEAT LOCKING PIN REFURBISHMENT

MARK’S 1980s SHOW-WINNING VESPA

ALAN EARLY ’S A prod GP u

ction first

(ALMO

ST)

THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK SCOOTER ENDURANCE RACING

TALES FROM THE VAULT DRAMA AT BRANDS HATCH

VESPA ON A VINDALOO BUDGET RESTORATION

LUI, LUI

MAKEOVER

ISSUE 130 DEC 2019/JAN 2020

‘PLOD’ NYPD SERVETA

ED PARRY’S GOLDEN MEMORIES

SCOOTERAMA! – A FELICITOUS FANFARE OF FACTS, FEEDBACK & FACES

‘PLOD’

38

Issue 130 Dec 2019/Jan 2020

Founding Editor: Mau Spencer 01507 529408 mauspencer@classicscooterist.com Publishing Director: Dan Savage Publisher: Tim Hartley Contributors: Rich Addison; Gill Beecham; Jon Betts; Pete Davies, Dogberry; Dave Dry; Dave Jefferson; Chris Wainwright; Andy Westlake.

Apologies to anyone we’ve forgotten.

Some articles express contributors opinions and are not necessarily those of Classic Scooterist.

Design: Fran Lovely Production Editor: Mike Cowton Picture desk: Paul Fincham, Jonathan Schofield Group Advertising Manager: Sue Keily Divisional Advertising Manager: Zoe Thurling zthurling@mortons.co.uk (01507 529412) Advertising: Stuart Yule syule@mortons.co.uk (01507 529468) Subscription Manager: Paul Deacon Circulation Manager: Steve O’Hara Marketing Manager: Charlotte Park Commercial Director: Nigel Hole Editorial address: Classic Scooterist magazine, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ General queries and back issues: 01507 529529 (24hr answerphone) Archivist: Jane Skayman 01507 529423 jskayman@mortons.co.uk Next issue (131) published: January 15, 2020 Editorial deadline: November 25, 2019 (early for Christmas deadline) CLASSIC SCOOTERIST (ISSN:1756-9494) is published bi-monthly by Mortons Media Group Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ UK. USA subscriptions are $36 per year from Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. Periodical Postage is paid at Wisconsin Rapids, WI. Postmaster: Send address changes to CLASSIC SCOOTERIST, Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. 715-572-4595 Email: chris@classicbikebooks.com www.classicbikebooks.com Distribution: Marketforce UK Ltd 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HU Subscription: Full subscription rates (but see page 36 for offer): (12 months 6 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £22.80. Export rates are also available – see page 36 for more details.

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Alan Smith is no stranger to ouur pages. In the past we’ve featured his stunning Rallymasster and his factory-spec ‘Verde Mela’ SX150 Special. But the Serveta featured here satisfies a burning passion aftfter t he did something a few years ago which he’s regretted ever since…

B

ut first, a bit of background. Introduced initially on a trial basis, The New York Police Department’s Scooter Patrol fleet went from strength to strength within a few short years. Initiallyy, Cushman scooters were used, which were soon replaced by Vespas. How wever, that all changed in 1968 when the Scooter Patrol fleet was expanded and Lambretta scooters were introduced into the mix and slowly began to take over. By the late 1970s any mention of Vespa scooters has disappea ared from the records.

In 1971 th he NYPD wanted to order more Lambrettas, but by that time the Italian plant was being wo ound down and sold off, so they were pointed towards the Spanish Eibar factory, with the end result being the purchase of Spanish-bu uilt Li 150 Specials. After an initial trial pe eriod, in 1975 an order was placed for 36 66 of these ‘second generation’ versions, whiich came in blue and white with larger Police decals, indicators and a few modifi ficcations, including a mount for the patrol officer’s wooden baton and a built-in toolbox, which was hidden under the left side panel.

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ON PATROL

With the scooter finished and now on the road, it has already been seen at various rallies and has already started to pick up trophies in various classes. By the time you read this, ‘Plod’ (as it’s named for obvious reasons) could well be the recipient of even more – it certainly deserves to, in my opinion.

Alan and Jane attend many of the major scooter rallies, so you may well spot them at various events. And with a number of other scooters waiting on the side-lines ready to be restored, this might not be the end of Alan’s ‘EuroLambretta’ skills. Watch this space.

Mau Continued over page

Alan’s Serveta is based on the mid-70s ‘second generation’ version. He had originally built one in 2013, but then sold it to Tino Sacchi to become part of his collection – something Alan has regretted doing ever since. So, in 2016, once he’d found a suitable donor scooter (which had to be the exact US spec model as used by the NYPD), he jumped at the opportunity to build a second one.

During the restoration process – and by sheer coincidence – Classic Scooterist ran a feature on the NYPD and the history of their scooters (see Feb/March 2018, issue 119 for full details). This came as a pleasant surprise to Alan and just at the right time to coincide with his restoration. Well, I say ‘his’ restoration, but in actual fact, he couldn’t have done it without the help and co-operation of his better-half, Jane.

Many specialised parts were used to keep the scooter as authentic as possible. Most

A period publicity shot

CONTENTS 4

8

MAUSPENCER@CLASSICSCOOTERIST.COM

Back when we had hair

46 Back in the day

68 The Golden days

Scooterama

48 Devil in disguise

70 Restoring a British beauty

52 Trials and tribulations

72 Rebuilding a Vespa on a vindaloo

Nostalgic memories from times gone by

A felicitous fanfare of facts, feedback and faces

12 Mailbox

Readers write in and have their say

15 What’s going on?

A quick look at what’s on the calendar

18 Events and rallies

A round-up of recent scooter events

32 Revenge revisited

Mark Wood’s 1980s classic custom Vespa Alan Smith’s NYPD Serveta

42 DKR Capella 175

Simon Balistrari’s sleek Villiers-powered two-stroke scooter

The weird and wonderful German-made Walba scooter

Mark Burton’s Series 1 Lambretta

Where’s The Jester? (VCB Regularity Trial pt2)

54 A production first – almost!

A very early Lambretta GP with a history to match

58 Tales from the vault

Neville Frost wins scooter trial after dramatic crash

60 Jules in the Kings’ Crown Juliet King is not your average run-of-the-mill scooterist…

64 Titivating twosome Mark Richardson’s Lambretta Model B and sidecar combination

Endurance triumphs over adversity

S

were made by Alan and Jane themselves, including the fabrication of the hidden toolbox and the screen, the latter being a very tricky kyy project. It was made from scratch using various parts. Cuttingg the Persp pex was tricky ky, y, especially making it to the exacct US spec that was obligatory for it to mee et the NYPD regulations of that time.

It should be noted here that at the time of the photoshoot, the obligatory Police baton and its accompanying holder we eren’t ready for fitting (which is why it doesn’t appear in any of the original photoshoot pictu ures). However, that has now been addressed and it sits in pride of place on the scooter.

One of the few things that isn’t completely standard, however, is the engine, which has been rebuilt with uprated intern nals, including the fitting of the latest MBgm RT 195 top end that’s coupled to a 28mm Dell’Orto with engine fumes exiting via an Anccillotti Clubman exhaust system.

‘PLOD’

32 ‘Plod’ Member

NYPD Serveta

cooter endurance racing has been making the news recently, but not wishing to take anything away from those who participated, there’s another type of scooter endurance experience that should be given as much credit – if not more. It's something that goes on month aft fter t month, year aft fter t year; it’s something experienced by young and old riders, male and female.

What is it? Well, let’s call it endurance riding. Most of us have experienced it at some point in time whilst travelling to scooter rallies far and wide – not just in the UK, but also in Europe.

More recently, the bad weather at the end of October didn’t stop the die-hard rally-going scooterists from travelling the length and breadth of the UK to get to the Southport BSRA

39

Ed Parry’s scooter memories

Barry Hancox finally fulfils his dream

(and a few beers, too)!

76 Lui, Lui

A futuristic scooter gets a makeover

78 Vespa seat pin refurb Stop your seat locking pin from coming adrift

80 New kid on the block Scooter Endurance Racing – a new type of challenge

82 Scooter clubs

Local club information

90 500 miles in 500 minutes

Who, what, when and why?

SUBSCRIBE TODAY SEE PAGE 36

season finale, in what arguably has to be some of the worst riding weather ever experienced.

So let’s give it up for everyone who rode to Southport (or has ridden to events under similar circumstances). Give them a big slap on the back. It’s this band of hard-core dedicated scooter riders who make our scooter lifestyle what it is today. Well done to you all!

MAUSPENCER@CLASSICSCOOTERIST.COM

3

n e h w k Bac we had hair DO YOU HAVE A NOSTALGIC STORY TO TELL, OR AN OLD PICTURE

TO SHARE?

6LZ ✉ mauspencer@classicscooterist.com ☎ 01507 529408 ✎ Classic Scooterist, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9

Taken outside the pub at the bottom of Staxton Hill near Scarborough in 1981.

Famous racers on the grid

Rhyll 1979. Rode from Hull and back with my wife-to-be.

Garry’s memories

Garry Vernon

This picture shows a number of famous scooter racers on the grid, including Bob West, Dave Webster, Mike Hayman and Ralph Saxelby – can anyone spot any more?

Paul Turner

Now that’s what I call a ‘crop top’

My brother Phil and I co-owned a 1978 Vespa 150 Super (my very first scooter). Although Phil took this picture of me, he managed to cut the top of my head off! I did have hair – honest!

Dave Walker

Mean ‘n’ moody This photo was taken a few years back by a photographer who wanted a ‘dark and moody’ picture for a competition. The scooterists are members of the Liverpool and Cloud 9 scooter clubs. The picture location is behind the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool. Although predominantly Lambrettas, ‘El Presidente’ Ernie is on the blue PX to the right. Yours truly is at the back behind the guy in the white helmet, partially hidden by a foxtail. As a thank you, the photographer donated the picture copyright to Liverpool SC. Geoff Bell

4

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A musi sical al perfectionist Taking care of my vinyl. Mik Ruddy

The Kings Road, Chelsea The centre of 1960s Mod fashion.

Anon

r 1990 mbbrrey, emb Pem

When it was actually warm and dry.

Graham Tatton

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Vespa rider G Burnhill and sidecar passenger M Adams on the start platform at the 1967 Manx 400 event on the Isle of Man. Also on the platform are the event starter Geoff Duke and rally organiser Pat Callin.

Picture courtesy of Mortons Archive (www.mortonsarchive.com)

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BA

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IN THE D K C

Weird and wonderful German-made Walba scooters on display at the 1951 Dutch Motorcycle Show.

Picture courtesy of Mortons Archive (www.mortonsarchive.com)

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