Classic Scooterist Aug/Sep 2014

WIN FREE BEER!

MANX MARSHAL A RARE LAMBRETTA SURVIVOR

Over 18s only. See page 30 for details

WIN

A ROCK OIL PACK AGE

WORTH £75

Lee Ba Barrett’s Vespa

BUYING GLOVES

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

THE SHED PROJECT

British by design

HOPE I BUY BEFORE I GET OLD

BUYING VESPAS ABROAD

VESPA OBSESSION

DAVE ORMEROD’S MEMORABILIA

No.98 August/September 2014

THE DKR DOVE

£3.60

THE REBUILD PROGRESSES

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

Issue 98 August/September 2014 Editor: Mau Spencer 01507 529408 mauspencer@classicscooterist.com Group production editor: Tim Hartley Publisher: Steve Rose Contributors: Rich Addison, Richard Baker, Nick Beilby, Terry Brown, Henry Byer, Derek Cooper, Dave Dry, Brenda Duckworth, Mick Harwood, Martin Heath, Angela Husbands, Steph Knott, Ashley Lenton, Ron Neal, Pete Newbold; Carli A Smith, Phillip Tooth, Phil & Dawn Walker, Kev Walsh, Steve Wright.

Apologies to anyone we’ve forgotten.

Some of the articles within these pages express the opinions of the contributors and are not necessarily those of Classic Scooterist.

Design: Justin Blackamore Reprographics: Simon Duncan Divisional advertising manager: Sandra Fisher sfisher@mortons.co.uk Advertising: Jo Scarbro 01507 524004 jscarbro@mortons.co.uk Subscription manager: Paul Deacon Circulation manager: Steve O’Hara Marketing manager: Charlotte Park Production manager: Craig Lamb Publishing director: Dan Savage Commercial director: Nigel Hole Associate director: Malc Wheeler Editorial address: CLASSIC SCOOTERIST MAGAZINE PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ www.scooteristscene.com General queries and back issues: 01507 529529 (24hr answerphone) Archivist: Jane Skayman 01507 529423 jskayman@mortons.co.uk Next issue (99) published: September 17, 2014 Editorial deadline: August 29, 2014 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: COMAG Tavistock Road, West Drayton, Middlesex UB7 7QE Subscription: Full subscription rates (but see page 6 for offer): (12 months 6 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £21.60. Export rates are also available – see page 6 for more details. UK subscriptions are zero-rated for the purposes of Value Added Tax. Printed by: William Gibbons & Sons, Wolverhampton © Mortons Media Group. All rights reserved. No part of this publication maybe reproduced without prior written permission.

Independent publisher since 1885

62

CONTENTS 4 Back when we had hair Nostalgic memories from times gone by

8 Scooterama

A felicitous fanfare of facts, feedback and faces

20 “You’ve got mail”

Readers express their views, ask questions and show us their pictures

24 What’s going on?

What, where and when – upcoming event updates

28 Spotlight: Isle of Wight Are you ready for this year’s international scooter rally?

32 Events roundup

Were you a face at any of our featured events?

54 Book reviews

74 Buying gloves

56 Pretty Green

78 Hope I buy before I get old

The latest publications reviewed

Lee Barrett’s custom Vespa

60 The DKR Dove 62 Vespa obsession

Dave Ormerod is a man obsessed with all things Vespa

66 Grown up – but forever young

Ron Neal explains how to grow old disgracefully

70 Manx marshal scooter

Nick Prince and his sole survivor

72 Grimstead reflections More pictures from the Grimstead stable

The King’s Lynn scooter trials

Buying Vespas from abroad

80 The shed project

British by design

46 Back in the day

More kit advice from the experts

Part 2 of our budget scooter restoration

82 Scooter clubs

Meet and greet your local club

86 Scooterist classifieds

For all your wants and needs

90 Oddballs

Strange and quirky – you’ll find it here

ARE YOU A SUBSCRIBER? Fill in the coupon on page 6 and take advantage of our money-saving offers

48 Scooter circuit racing

Halfway through the BSSO race season and the pressure is on

52 Mission accomplished Having trouble finding a copy of this magazine?

Why not Just Ask your local newsagent to reserve you a copy each month?

Richard Baker experiences the British National Records meeting

80

On the cutting room floor One good thing about the scooterist community is variety – and there’s plenty of that. Everyone has different opinions, tastes, favourite models, favourite music, etc. Of course where all of this passion is concerned, it can sometimes lead to conflicting opinions, which could be anything from light-hearted banter, to a full in-depth (and sometimes over-enthusiastic) argument.

In the majority of cases nobody is actually wrong in their beliefs and apart from the odd upset ego, everyone goes merrily their own way.

I’d like to think that producing an edition of

Classic Scooterist is like that; it should contain a variety of material to suit all tastes and not too biased in one direction or against one particular scooterist lifestyle genre (albeit Mod, scooterboy, traditionalist, or whatever). It should be balanced, as well as embracing the norm and ‘not-so-norm’ content.

Where’s he going with this, you ask? The point I’m trying to make is that I had around 48 pages’ worth of material which couldn’t be used in this issue because of lack of space, so I have had to make some drastic editorial

decisions. Why not put on more pages? Well, copy/design set-up, print materials, postage weight and other issues come into play. As a rough guide, this works out at around £100 per page (so that’s an extra £4800 to find). So, unless you can persuade your mates to buy a copy rather than reading yours, or you can persuade advertisers to increase their budgets, it’s never realistically going to happen.

So, until it does, I’ll endeavour to keep the content as balanced as possible. Happy reading.

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 Classic Scooterist, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincs LN9 6LZ

mauspencer@classicscooterist.com

TO Share?

01507 529408

Where and When?

I came across this old picture, which I believe may have been taken here in France during the 1960s. Can any of your readers provide any further information?

Laurent Callot France

Giuseppe aged 15

814 HLG – where are you now?

haPPY bIrThdaY GIUSePPe

Giuseppe Laspisa celebrates his 50th birthday in July 2014. He first rode his cousin’s Vespa smallframe in Sicily when he was only 15 years old and since then he’s clocked up 35 years of riding Vespas.

Here’s to another 35 years Giuseppe.

Giuseppe, now – but with less hair!

I see an old gent most Saturdays on an antiques and bric-abrac stall; he sells old enamel car badges which adorned the front of classic cars.

He knows I’m a scooterist and over the past couple of years he has constantly spun me a tale about a scooter he used to own.

He owned a red Vespa 125cc 15L2 I believe (814 HLG), originally registered during 1959 (chassis no 0108608, engine no 0108608 – yes they’re both the same on the logbook).

He purchased the scooter in March 1965 and duly took it to a couple of brothers he knew (they owned a farm at Brown Edge, Buxton, Derbyshire) so it could be parked up until he sorted himself out.

Anyway, time went by and he totally forgot about the scooter until he met me and started to think about what happened to it. The brothers died – which didn’t help. Now, lo and behold, he’s brought me the original Vespa logbook. Now wouldn’t it be a nice ending if the Vespa was still about? Don’t worry, he doesn’t want it back – they were two a penny in those days; but he would just like to know if it’s still around, and maybe forward the original logbook to the current owner.

Stef Callear Jesters SC (Leek) If any reader can help with information, please get in touch with Classic Scooterist.

4

WWW.classicscooterist.coM

RALLY SPOTLIGHT

Isle ofWight International scooter rally

By far the biggest event on the scooterist calendar is the annual Isle of Wight scooter event – if you haven’t experienced it already, then you need to.

O

ver the bank holiday weekend of August 22-25, the Isle of Wight becomes one big scooter convention – from the evening do’s, to the custom show, or even the traditional Sunday rideout, there’s something to suit everybody.

One significant departure for this year’s events is that the VFM/BSRA – the main event organisations – have centralised their activities (including the custom show) at Smallbrook Stadium, so if you want to be at the centre of the VFM/BSRA scooter action, then that’s where it will be.

Outside of the Smallbrook complex, Ryde has (and will always) be a centre of focus for visiting scooterists, who tend to use The Green as a central meeting point and a place to chill out, although there’s much more to the town than The event is truly an international affair

28

WWW.classicscooterist.coM

that. A wide variety of shops, pubs and restaurants, alongside popular music venues, provide alternative forms of entertainment.

Scooterists effectively spread themselves out during the weekend, booking B&Bs, chalets and caravans all over the island – sometimes not just for a couple of nights, as it quite often becomes a week-long family holiday for many – and the island can provide them with everything to fulfil their needs.

From Cowes to Ventnor, or from Bembridge to Freshwater (and anywhere in between), there’s always plenty of things to see and do, both during the scooter rally and after it’s over. So, if you fancy a boat trip, want to go karting, or just need to buy that special chocolate gift for someone at home, then it can all be found easily.

You should try the annual rideout at least once – if your clutch is good enough

BEER TO GO

If you didn’t know, the IoW has its own brewery; Goddards beers are available at many outlets across the island, or can even be delivered to your chalet – we’ve even negotiated a 10% discount and free beer delivery for you over the holiday weekend. You could also win a 10-litre bargain beer box in a free-to-enter competition (see their advert on page 30 for details).

THE RIDEOUT

For 2014, the annual rideout on Sunday, August 24, will start as normal, from Ryde Esplanade if you want to participate; if you just want to watch, then the Balcony Bars provide a suitable viewing point.

The IoW in brief The island was formed at the end of the last Ice Age when rising global sea levels flooded the Solent valley to the north and the future English Channel to the south, cutting ‘Wight’ off from Britain and the continental landmass. Once open to the sea, tidal scouring widened the Solent and the sequence of tidal ingress did the rest.

People born on the island are colloquially known as Caulkheads (sometimes erroneously written as Corkheads), which is believed to have been derived from the local industry of caulking boats.

The Isle of Wight was briefly linked to Hampshire; however, a ‘Home Rule’ campaign led to a separate county council being established and it has remained separate ever since. The only significant present-day administrative link with Hampshire is the police service.

Scooterists on The Green, circa 1987

Scooterists are not known for taking themselves too seriously

MAUSPENCER@ClASSiCSCootERiSt.CoM

29

•

EV

EN TS

•

CLASS

RIST TE

CO IC S O

Selby MovingTargets SC

10th anniversary celebrations April 26, 2014

The weather forecast wasn’t good! We’d meticulously planned this event to the last detail to make this one-off event a fantastic, memorable exhibition of what arguably we around Selby think scootering is all about.

In view of the grim forecast, the Olympia Hotel car park became ‘Gazebo City’. I was on site early (5am)! Everything was in place and the weather calmed with some sun and an occasional shower. The pub’s car park and beer garden were given over to scooter displays, stalls, catering and refreshments, plus a stage for the bands and a camping area. Not only did we have fine custom scoots, but also some of the fastest.

Scunthorpe Silhouettes LC displayed excellent machines, including Eric Cope’s fast GP and Dave Kirk’s ‘Monster’ Lammie and Frank Donaldson’s ‘Gillette’ Special. A special display, ‘Yorkshire’s Finest’, exhibited arguably some of the country’s best scooters including customs, choppers, Mod Lammie and a Lambro, courtesy of Ang and Trev from Hull. We also had Mr Porter

38

WWW.classicscooterist.coM

on his Quadrophenia ‘Jimmy’s’ Lambretta, and custom king, Dave Dickinson, displayed some of his best paintwork, including ‘In the City’, ‘Cafe Racer’ and ‘Lichtenstein’.

Alan and Arthur Dixon of Foxhat Tuning showed off their special clutches and race scoots and Trev Harrison of Midas Touch displayed his shiny bits. Stalls were placed around the car park, beer garden and in the pub.

Special thanks to Rich of Barnsley Lambretta Centre, Etty, Keith Newman, Graham (special arty pics), Doe, Carol and Chelsea, Paul Macca from Chorley, Mel and Yana (MGA Clothing), Bub and Williams Catering stand – not forgetting Wayne and his second-hand bits.

As the weather calmed, scooterists filled the Olympia frontage, giving parking marshal, Graham, a headache. Along with what was on offer in the car park, there was live music from local band Charmless Faces, scooter tunes from Mad Mix, with the superb Superlatives from Wetherby finishing off.

Trophies were given to visiting riders, plus medallions and trophies for scooter displays.

The day went quickly and it turned out to be the best rally that we as a club have ever put on.

Selby Moving Targets is a small, dedicated club and everyone went that extra mile to put on a free show for our scooter friends. Feedback has been great and we thank you. We worked hard to make it happen and couldn’t have done it without the help of all those involved in the displays, and stallholders who turned up despite the rain.

We’d also like to thank Phil Deacon, Kenny the Beard, Steve Clark and others for taking some fantastic images. Also thanks to Cookie, Andy Mitch, Kenny, Tesco Pete and Sandra, Graham, both Waynes, Dave and Jordan, Sheila, Maggie and Tina, Stu Mitch and even Macca. Hope you had a great day and maybe we’ll do it again for our 20th anniversary – if we’re still here!

Derek Cooper Images: Steve Clark, Frank Donaldson, Phil Deacon, Kenny the Beard

Newark National Rally Notts County Showground: June 20-22, 2014

After an absence of 30 years almost to the day, scooterists finally returned to Newark Showground for a weekend to remember. With music, karaoke, live bands, a parts fair, custom show, free dyno – and even a ‘fun sprint’ – there was something to keep everyone entertained.

Everyone appeared to be in jovial spirits – even when the lager ran out in the Joe Hallam bar on Saturday lunchtime! But there was still enough alcohol around to ‘loosen’ people’s tongues, as there were a few cringe-worthy singing attempts in the Saturday afternoon karaoke competition.

The custom show was held in one of the side halls, giving exhibitors more than enough space to display their scooters properly, without leaving them too cramped (as often happens at some events). On the opposite side of the showground, an area had been set-up by 100mphscooter.com for people to take part in a ‘fun sprint’. While the majority of scooterists taking part entered into this in the spirit it was

intended, there were a couple of ‘grumpies’ who took it too seriously when things didn’t go in their favour – lighten-up guys.

Speaking to the rally organisers after the event, there were a couple of last-minute hitches – one being health and safety conditions imposed by the local authorities at the 11th hour, resulting in a reprint of the rally programme to comply with them – the problem here was that the reprinted programmes didn’t turn up until the Monday after the event! So if you wondered where your rally info was – there’s your answer.

All-in-all the whole event was a credit to the organisers – the East Midlands Scooter Alliance (EMSA) – and heralded a welcome return of scooters en masse to Newark. EMSA would like to thank everyone for their help, patience and assistance over the weekend. Will there be another EMSA event next year? You’ll just have to wait and see…

The Baldie Codger Images: Rich (www.addo-pix.com)

MORE PICS & VIDEO FOOTAGE CAN BE FOUND ON OUR FACEBOOK SITE (www.facebook.com/ScooteristScene)

MAUSPENCER@CLASSICSCOOTERIST.COM

39

SOLE SURVIVOR

Manx Marshal Series 1 Lambretta

70

WWW.CLASSICSCOOTERIST.COM

In January, Nick and Helen Prince intended to travel to Newark for the Scooter World show, but owing to the weather all Isle of Man ferries were cancelled.

They had planned to display a unique Series 1 Lambretta used by Arthur Garratt, from the IoM, as he marshalled the 1960s Manx 400 events – but it wasn’t to be.

T

hat could have been the last we saw (or rather didn’t see) of the Manx Marshal scooter – until Rich Addison paid the Princes a visit at their Isle of Man home; so over to him to tell us the full story.

Nick has been riding scooters since he was 16 and has been into making them go faster ever since. He’s a member of the LCGB and is also an A57 SC ‘overseas member’ (bet that’ll make his club mates laugh). But his first club – Sleaford Allnighters – was where I first met him and his future wife, Helen; he was just 17 back then and riding a Vespa 90 (which he actually rode from Lincolnshire to the IoW). But he soon traded it in for a Lambretta. His preference nowadays are Spanish Lambrettas, and a packed garage at his IoM home just proves how much he adores Eibar/Serveta variations of the Italian-developed scooters. A short while back Nick produced a stunning custom Series 2 TV,

which you may have heard of – ‘Mad Manx’ – his own tribute to those heady days of IoM scooter racing and the Manx 400 competitions. It went on to win many custom show prizes.

Following on from that brings us to the scooter featured here. This Series 1 Lambretta originally belonged to the late Arthur Garratt.

Nick first met Arthur 15 years previous after he’d moved to the Isle of Man. The meeting took place on Snaefell (mountain) on a foggy winter’s day; you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face (the sort of day known locally as ‘Mannanan’s Cloak’).

Arthur, then in his 80s, emerged from the gloom dressed in a red all-in-one 1960s leather jacket, complete with his helmet and scooter (he’d ridden up). Nick was amazed! The very first thing Arthur said was: “Thought I’d better put my jacket on as it’s a bit chilly,” – that’s proper hardcore scootering.

Nick Prince As well as Arthur’s LD and ‘Mad Manx’, Nick also owns other scooters, including a Lambretta SX150 (fitted with a quick RB250 engine) and a Jet 200 (his rally-going scooter with a Rapido 225 engine, built to his own spec). When he says he likes to cruise at high speed, he’s not kidding! Riding around the IoM, he was two-up with Helen on the back and my little old GP200 had trouble seeing them in the distance, let alone keeping up with him. I blame the clear speed limits on the island. With other scooters to choose from, I’m sure he’s spoilt for

rides when he goes out, and the tea lady (Helen) says he has too many!

Commenting on the scooter scene of today, Nick said: “Just live and let live; it’s great to remember back to those early days with the Sleaford Allnighters and the weekends we now spend with great friends at rallies across the UK and Europe.”

With loads of projects on the go (some not even started, like that little LD tucked away) does he have any other hobbies? “Well, building Lammie engines, riding Lammies, restoring Lammies – and drinking tea.”

Well, that answers that then.

As for advice to budding Lambretta newbies, Nick said: “It takes time to build, which runs away all too quickly. A good supply of tea and home-made cakes while working always helps, so find a good tea lady.”

I’m sure Helen will be pleased to hear that…

Arthur had kept his scooter since using it during his marshalling days at the Manx 400 and IoM scooter weeks. He liked nothing better than recalling his experiences and talking about things he’d undertaken riding it. Nick said: “It was great to hear about those exciting times and I was really interested in the stories.”

So you can imagine how overjoyed Nick was when he was asked if he was interested in buying Arthur’s scooter.

When Nick collected the scooter it was mentioned that there was also a number of boxed items that went with it: paperwork, magazines, posters, the original logbook, plus photographs of Arthur actually marshalling at events with original letters confirming where and when he was required on course to carry out marshal duties. Nick was told that if he didn’t want any items they could be put in a skip, but he jumped at the opportunity and ended up with all the provenance he could ever have wanted.

Other than a little hand painting on the panels and a few accessories, the scooter was kept just as it rolled off the production line in 1959, and it will be kept just as Arthur had intended. There was a badge bar with the scooter, but it wasn’t fitted. Arthur had fitted a 1980s square back sports seat, so if anything was to be altered, it would be nice to get it back to original spec as when Arthur first bought the scooter.

The Lambretta finally went on display at this year’s VMSC in Coventry and Nick says there was massive interest in it with all the letters and memorabilia alongside. Thanks must go to the late Arthur for holding on to a very special scooter with many stories to tell of its lifetime.

When Nick originally told me about the scooter, the first thing that went through my mind was what a fantastic photo opportunity it would be to get Nick and the scooter on the old course used by so many famous old scooter racers.

So here it is, pictured in a very apt setting.

Rich Addison MAUSPENCER@CLASSICSCOOTERIST.COM

71

Pay only £2 an iSSue* The ‘Motor Cyclist of the Year’ finals Brands Hatch, July 1964 Image courtesy of Mortons Archive www.mor tonsarchive.com

Save time and money with a subscription to

3 eaSy wayS to SubScribe SUBSCRIBE SECURELY ONLINE AT www.classicmagazines.co.uk/csdps

CALL 01507 529529

OVERSEAS CALL +44 (0)1507 529529.

LinES OpEn MOn – FRi, 8.30AM – 7pM & SATURDAYS, 8.30AM – 12.30pM

OR SImpLY fILL IN ThE fORm pROvIdEd ANd RETURN TO OUR fREEpOST AddRESS