Classic Scooterist August / September 2016 preview

SHOWING RESPECT

MECCANO MAGAZINE

AND THE VEGA

A FITTING LD TRIBUTE

JERUSALEM

August/September 2016 Issue 110

Mark Butcher’s revitalised Lambretta GP200

WHAT CONNECTS MICHAEL HESELTINE TO SCOOTERS?

LAMBRETTA

BARREL REFURB

THE CIRCLE OF LIFE

HAPPINESS IS OWNING A VESPA

TRANSITION VAMP

THE EARLY PRODUCTION MODEL D

BERNARDET A REVOLUTIONARY FRENCH SCOOTER SCOOTERAMA! – A FELICITOUS FANFARE OF FACTS, FEEDBACK & FACES

ARE YOU A SUBSCRe IBcoERup?on

Issue 110 August/September 2016 Founding Editor: Mau Spencer 01507 529408 mauspencer@classicscooterist.com Publisher: Steve Rose Contributors: Gill Beecham; Jon Betts; Bruce Cox; Pete Davies, Dave Dry; Ashley Lenton; Jayne Morris; Marcus Nordlund; Dave Pugh; Andrew Spencer; Phillip Tooth; Chris Wainwright.

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: Charlotte Turnbull, Justin Blackamore Picture desk: Paul Fincham, Jonathan Schofield Divisional advertising manager: Martin Freeman mfreeman@mortons.co.uk Advertising: Emma Buxton-Rockley 01507 529410 ebuxton-rockley@mortons.co.uk Subscription manager: Paul Deacon Circulation manager: Steve O’Hara Marketing manager: Charlotte Park 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 (111) published: September 21, 2016 Editorial deadline: August 22, 2016 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 18 for offer): (12 months 6 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £22.50. Export rates are also available – see page 18 for more details.

UK subscriptions are zero-rated for the purposes of Value Added Tax. Customer services number: 01507 529529 Telephone lines are open: Monday-Friday 8.30am-7pm, Saturday 8.30am-12.30pm Printed by: William Gibbons & Sons, Wolverhampton © Mortons Media Group. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication maybe reproduced without prior written permission.

Fill in th 8 and on page 1 age of take advant-saving our money offers

CONTENTS 4

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Back when we had hair

Nostalgic memories from times gone by

Scooterama

A felicitous fanfare of facts, feedback and faces

16 “You’ve got mail”

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

20 What’s going on?

A look at the scooterist calendar

25 Rallies and rideouts Events round-up

32 Practical Scooter magazine

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

Paul Wood’s 1980s showwinning GP is re-invented

46 Back in the day

The 1963 Isle of Man Scooter Week

48 Too good for the garage?

Where do you keep a scooterist’s best friend?

50 The Petersen Automotive Museum A showcase for classic scooters

54 S-type Lambretta

Spencer Coe’s pride and joy

66 Trials and tribulations The 1960 Isle of Man Scooter Week

68 BSSO news update The Group 7 Sidecar Championship returns

70 A tale of three chairs The ‘Hairy Chairs’ saga continues

74 The one-way world speed records A spectacular event to attract the crowds

76 Lambretta top end rebuild

Spot damaged parts and rebuild a standard top end

56 Lookalikeys

82 Scooter clubs

36 Modena madness

60 Happiness is a Vespa

86 Scooterist classifieds

38 “Vive la France”

64 Transition vamp

90 Blast from the past

Revisiting a publishing bygone from the 1960s Dave Pugh’s retro-styled AJS

Having trouble finding a copy of this magazine?

42 “In England’s green and pleasant land”

Bernardet – the revolutionary French scooter

The modern alternatives Erling’s lifelong passion

The early production Lambretta Model D

Meet your local club

For all your scooter needs

Meccano Magazine and the Lambretta Vega

Do you believe in luck?

I

’ve never been a believer in luck – either od or bad; but having suffered both endss goo of t ese elements recently, I’m thinking about changing my mind. Was it just bad luc I slipp ped over on some well-oiled decking in the wet recently – or was it just a case of not taking proper care? Whichever way I look at it, the result was extremely painful and re esulted in me not being able to ride on two wheels for at least six weeks – I’m still sufferiing from the side effects even now.

On the flip side, I do believe it w s by sheer luck that I made contact with Bruce e Cox. Who, you ask? His name may not immed diately be recognisable to you, but if I mentio on the nowdefunct Practical Scooter magazine e, it might all start to fall into place – he was the e publisher tasked to set-up the magazine in October 1966. Go to a scooter parts fair no owadays and mag copies can change hands s for up to £15, depending on the condition. To cut a long story short I mentioned to Bruce th hat I’d be

interested in publishingg his ‘inside story’ about Practical Scooter; not on nly did he agree to such a request, but he was enthused enough to pen another totally unrelate article for me – so in this issue you get ‘tw wo for the price of one’ from him, so to speak. nd if you do believe in luck, another chance co onversation I had with someone else means we might be featuringg a similar article from the editor of another magazzine from the past – watch this sp pace…

MAUSPENCER@ @CLASSICSCOOTERIST.COM

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A M A R E T O SCO

CK & FACES A FELICITOUS FANFARE OF FACTS, FEEDBA ooterist.com ☎ 01507 529408 sicsc

le, Lincs LN9 6LZ ✉ mauspencer@clas

✎ Classic Scooterist, PO Box 99, Horncast

Candy legshield beading

circa £25 Allstyles Scooters are having candy striped legshield beading remanufactured. This beading has been out of stock for some time now. It will be UV treated against discolouration (see picture) and available in a number of colours including red/white. Should be available from the end of July.

Info: www.allstyles-scooters.com

Moto Continental legend lives on Scooterists in South Birmingham will remember Moto Continental with nostalgia and now, nearly 30 years after the closure of the original Moto Continental Scooter shop in Selly Oak, the name has risen again.

Owner Sean Nash, a keen scooterist, has made his hobby his business. Originally focusing on second-hand Vespa scooters, in late 2015 Sean secured the Piaggio, Vespa and Gilera franchises for Birmingham.

Sean said: “We chose to resurrect the Moto Continental name as it was an icon for scooterists from South Birmingham in the 1980s and had a fabulous reputation for being the place to go to for Vespa, a reputation we are determined to replicate at the reborn Moto Continental.”

You can visit the shop at 1157 Bristol Road South, Northfield, Birmingham, B31 2SL / tel. 0121 693 0022 / info@motocontinental.co.uk

MALOSSI PX166 KIT OVERHAULED

Rowan ladies jacket RRP: from £110 The Rowan is LadyBiker’s first venture into its own branded clothing. Available in sizes 8-34, and in two colourways; black and white, and a rich berry, the Rowan features CE-approved body armour to shoulders and elbows; the Rowan’s other features include a waterproof Z liner, Sonic thermal lining, 210T and an 8in connection zip to attach to trousers Info: www.ladybiker.co.uk

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Tuning products company Malossi has overhauled its 166cc cylinder kit for the PX125. The new cylinder kit revision includes a completely redesigned cylinder head with a revised fin arrangement on the top, and new cooling fins on the underside (which are claimed to improve cooling and dissipate heat better than before).

The new centrally placed spark plug hole uses a long reach plug and has been angled specifically to allow the use the original cylinder cowling, while placing the tip of the plug at the centre of the combustion chamber. The Malossi 166 kits are available from VE (www.ve-uk.com).

XD5 compact disc lock RRP: £24.99 Reviewer: Mau A good percentage of bike disc locks are too big and clumsy to fit onto smaller scooter models, but Oxford Products’ XD5 model helps to solve that issue. The small shape and size mean that it is convenient to carry around, meaning your bike can be secured wherever you happen to be.

OxProds claims the twin spar lock chassis gives the lock double strength and is therefore more resistant to cutting. The 5mm lock pin is made out of hardened alloy steel, which also helps with security. It comes with a ‘Minder cable’ attachment eye, which means that you can hook it up to the OxProds ‘Minder cable’ which comes with it. Also included are three lock keys – and if you manage to lose all of those, then a replacement key service is available.

The disc lock is quick and easy to use and its universal fit means that it is suitable for most of

PRODUCT REVIEW

the smaller bikes plus modern auto and classic scooters models like the Vespa PX Disc, or most of the LML range. It comes in a variety of different colours.

Info: www.oxprod.com / info@oxprod.com / 01993 862300

WHAT’S GOING ON? WISEMEN 10TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY

Saturday, July 30, at The Volks on Brighton beach is not a date to be missed. Brighton Skanival will feature the legendary Jerry Dammers from The Specials on the decks alongside Earl Gateshead, Count Skylarkin' and many more on board The Brighton Ska Train Soundsystem. It’s an all day and night event starting at 2pm. There will be a skathemed scooter show ‘n’ shine with prizes and photoshoot for the winners. Daytime is free for all, with a collection for local wildlife rescue charities and the night party is ticket only £8 in advance.

For information visit ‘The Brighton Ska Train’ on Facebook.

‘HAPPY CHAPPIE 2’

After the success of last year’s event, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, will be the venue for the ‘Happy Chappy 2’ charity ride which will take place on September 18, 2016.

Scooterists will again meet in Sleaford Market Square. Main organisers will be the Sleaford All-Knighters SC. Facebook ‘Sleaford AllKnighters Scooter Club’ for info.

Caulkheads; an IoW alternative If you are going to the IoW international rally this year, but fancy doing something different, then Chelmsford SC are running their own event at Caulkheads 42-44 Avenue Road, Sandown PO36 8AY over the bank holiday weekend – all are welcome.

There’s still time to get messy in Moortown

If you haven’t done so as yet, there’s still time to get your hands on tickets for ‘Messy in Moortown #2’ which takes place at the Skipworth Arms, Moortown Lincs LN7 6HZ over the weekend of August 12-13, 2016.

Camping and secure parking will be available and a number of bands will be playing over the weekend, including Modera, Aftermath, Gutterslut, Skaburst, 0148 2 Tones and headline act Basket Case.

Visit www.fostours.co.uk for full details.

Celebrating their 10th anniversary, the Wisemen SC are holding a special event on the weekend of August 5-6, 2016 at Blackburn Leisure Club, Brough HU15 1BB. It’s an adult-only affair after 6pm with DJs and live bands; there’s also a custom show plus all the normal rally facilities. Camping will cost you £5, or you can day trip for £2.

Facebook ‘Wisemen SC 10th Anniversary Rally’ for more info.

SCOOTERMANIA COMES TO SPALDING

Spalding will be the venue for the Scootermania charity event which will take place on Saturday, August 21, 2016. The venue will be the Punchbowl, which is located at 37 New Road, Spalding PE11 1DN. The day starts at 11am and runs until late with Ska’d 4 Life playing live at 2pm; there will also be a custom show, a raffle and an auction, all raising money for charity.

Info: 01775 767670.

Wildcats scooters charity tour John O’Groats to Land’s End

Newport-based, Wildcat Scooters are arranging a charity ride on August 14, 2016, by riding up to John O’Groats for start their ride to Land’s End, hoping to arrive by August 19 for the last night stopover, before riding home on August 20.

If you would like to be involved, pm them with your name and address, or visit Wildcat Scooters Ltd, 43 Albany Street, Newport NP20 5NG. Alternatively, call 01633 549545, leaving your name and address. A sponsor form will be sent to you soon as they are ready.

BACK FOR 2016

The North Manchester Custom & Classic Bike Show is back for 2016 and with more access to the site this year is planned to be bigger and better than ever, according to the organisers. The event takes place at Ramsbottom Cricket Club, Acre Bottom BL0 0BS; there will be live music, stalls, food, motorcycles and scooter, plus much more; it will be a fun-filled day for all the family. Entry will be £4 per adult – kids under 14 go free with a full paying adult.

Facebook ‘The North Manchester Custom & Classic Bike Show 2016’ for info.

Some events are subject to confirmation – check with individual organisers prior to travelling.

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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

■ AUG 5-6: Wisemen SC 10th Anniversary Rally at Blackburn Leisure Club, Brough HU15 1BB. Facebook ‘Wisemen SC 10th Anniversary Rally’ for info.

■ AUG 13: Petrolheads classic bike/car rally at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground LE17 5QS. Info: 07764 153061 / gillian.bowie1965@ tiscali.co.uk ■ AUG 19-21: The Rusty Crew Run – an oldschool rally in Balen, Belgium. Find info via Facebook.

■ AUG 21: Scootermania at the Punchbowl, Spalding PE11 1DN. Event starts 11am.

Info: 01775 767670.

■ SEPT 9-10: Wot Scooter Rally at the Ukranian Youth Camp, Weston-on-Trent, Derbys DE72 2BU. Advance tickets £15, gate £20. Info www.wotscooterrally.co.uk ■ SEPT 18: Portsmouth MAG annual Bike, Trike & Scooter Show at Port Solent Marina PO6 4TP. Info: 07741 464624. jgover@gmail.com ■ SEPT 18: Sleaford All-Knighters SC ‘Happy Chappy 2’ charity ride from Sleaford Market Square, Lincs, at 12 noon. Facebook ‘Sleaford All-Knighters Scooter Club’ for info.

NATIONAL RALLIES 2016 ■ JULY 29-31: Exmouth (SWSC) ■ AUG 26-29: IoW International Rally ■ SEPT 23-26: Woolacombe (SWSC) ■ OCT 28-31: Bridlington Note: all dates shown are subject to change. Visit www.bsra-uk.com for up-to-date information

OTHER SIGNIFICANT RALLIES OTHER SIGNIFICANT RALLIES ■ SEPT 3-5: Mersea Island ■ SEPT 9-11: Dolphin Rally (YSA) ■ NOV 11-13: Gt Eastern (Mablethorpe) ■ NOV 18-21: Warmwell (SWSC)

PETROLHEADS AT BRUNTINGTHORPE

Classic scooters are being invited to enter a charity event at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground (LE17 5QS) on Saturday, August 13, 2016.

The combined classic bike and car show is being held in aid of the local Air Ambulance there will be family-style entertainment and live bands. Overnight camping is available.

For info contact Bob 07764 153061 or email gillian.bowie1965@tiscali.co.uk

Bike, Trike and scooter show

Portsmouth Motorcycle Action Group are holding their annual show on Sunday, September 18, 2016 at Port Solent Marina PO6 4TP. A variety of trophies will be available in the planned custom show and other attractions are due to be announced. A limited number of free trade stands will be on offer. Info is available from 07741 464624 / jgover@gmail.com

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Stefano on the right of the picture with Warren Jopson and a GS

Dave Maher in the paint shop

Retrospective Scooters

open day

April 16, 2016

F

ollowing days of torrential rain, Saturday, April 16, proved a good choice for a veritable scooter festival at the huge Walthamstow premises of Retrospective Scooters. The spring weather allowed the sun to warm-up the eager scooterists who turned up for an upmarket barbecue and drinks – including amazing bottled beer from a local microbrewery – all generously provided by Niall McCart, proprietor of Retrospective.

Sadly, Niall was called away at the last moment to attend a sad family event and so missed the festivities. In his absence, Classic Scooterist was given a conducted tour of the vast premises situated on two floors of a modern industrial unit by Dave Maher. Dave’s pedigree harks back to originally working at the venerable Agius Scooters and, since 2001, he has been involved in restoration and repairs under the banner of London Scooter Body Shop. Niall and Dave have been business partners since 2014. Retrospective and London Scooter Body Shop now share the same premises.

Dave’s enthusiasm for repairing, fettling and spraying scooters is immediately apparent to the extent that he refuses to cut corners just to provide a cheaper end product. In fact, ‘quality first’ seems to be Dave’s motto and even a casual viewing of his and his staff’s painstaking efforts to transform a weathered wreck into a thing of beauty proves the point. Dave suggests that he requires a month to completely restore a scooter from the initial glass medium blasting to remove the original paint and rust, through the acid etch priming coats, onto the numerous

basecoats and the final lacquer finish. Dave added that there can be anything up to a three-month lead time before this work can be undertaken in busy periods.

For the technical aspect of the grand tour (including intimate details of the cutting edge work on display at this open day) we were handed over to Lucas Gomersall, a mechanic with endless enthusiasm and knowledge in the art form of the modern take on scooter restoration. As an example, Lucas introduced us to a Series 2 Lambretta that’s to be fitted with every possible modern technical innovation, while still retaining its original looks – all this and with a paint scheme echoing the colours of the original Innocenti palette. More of this example of a ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ at a later date…

Other interesting employees at Retrospective include the engaging Stephano Zeferalli, an engineer from the Italian city of Naples, who is a veritable mine of information on the intimate and minute details of the classic scooter. A light grilling by Classic Scooterist revealed a number of hints and tips, both from the mechanical side and the spare parts availability that are worth their weight in gold to the enthusiast and well worth repeating in future articles.

All-in-all, a very interesting and impressive day out. Making Retrospective Scooters well worth a visit for anyone with an interest in both the classic scooter and modern autos. They are located at Lockwood Way, Walthamstow, London E17 5RB. Vespita

MAUSPENCER@CLASSICSCOOTERIST.COM

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VIVE LA FRANCE!

The revolutionary French scooter r

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IN THE D K C

Pictured here at the 1963 IoM Scooter Week are Concours d’élégance winners RH Imray (left) and PJ Lewis (right).

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

CLASSIC SCOOTER SHOWCASE

The Petersen Automotive Museum

Based in Los Angeles, California, the Petersen Automotive Museum recently reopened after a $93 million renovation and, not surprisingly, is one of the finest such facilities in the world.

I

t was therefore good to see on a recent visit, that scooters have been given a place among the many millions of dollarsworth of cars on the museum floors. Well, perhaps not so much on its floors as on its walls, as a colourful quartet of small-wheelers are contained in an eye-catching floor-toceiling ‘glass case’ display cabinet. All four of the brands featured are relative rarities in the UK and are as follows:

ALLSTATE CRUISAIRE

(MAIN IMAGE, TOP LEFT)

Ever since the last decade of the 19th century, the giant Sears Roebuck company has been the biggest mass market retailer in the United States, currently having 793 stores in most US cities of any significant size, as well as a massive mail order business. In pre-Internet times it published a monster mail order catalogue that most families in the far flung

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rural communities across the USA kept right alongside their telephone directories. There was virtually nothing that couldn’t be bought from the Sears catalogue; from work or dress clothes through gardening equipment up to and including mowers and small tractors, or household goods ranging from cutlery right up to refrigerators and washing machines and everything in between!

For a 30 year period from the late 1940s, Sears also sold scooters and motorcycles under its Allstate brand name, meaning that anyone living in the remotest of the many remote rural communities in America could order one, and even arrange two years of credit financing, by simply filling in a form, sending it to Sears and waiting for their gleaming new bike to be freighted out to them.

Sears purchased sizeable production runs of two-wheelers from Puch in Austria and the Italian Gilera and Piaggio companies and

HAPPINESS IS A VESPA

Erling Nordlund in his workshop

The

circle of life Swedish former jazz musician Erling Nordlund has had a lifelong passion for Vespas. On retirement he started restoring them, but the onset of time has forced him to give that up, even though his passion remains strong.

T

here comes a time in everyone’s life when you are forced to make decisions you’d rather not make. Erling has reached that point and wants to be closer to his family, resulting in him contemplating selling his beloved scooter collection.

With the help of his son, Marcus, Classic Scooterist caught up with him as he reflects on his love of music and the Vespa marque.

HOW DID YOUR INTEREST IN VESPA PIAGGIO BEGIN?

While other 15-year-old boys often picked up an interest in engines and vehicles, I practiced playing the piano. After my military service as a medic in a coastal artillery unit stationed in Härnösand I met a friend who owned a Vespa Piaggio VM2 and that’s when

I fell in love with the sheet metal Italian two wheelers. My first model, a Vespa Piaggio VGLA, was purchased in Piteå during 1959; I was 21 years old and I mainly used it as transport to and from the school where I studied music. I had little or no knowledge of the mechanics and could at best change the spark plug.

TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF AND WHO YOU ARE?

I grew up in Piteå, a small town in the northern parts of Sweden with my mother; my father passed away at an early age. My biggest interest was music and when I wasn’t playing instruments I helped out at home or earned money as a newspaper boy. I started playing the accordion given to me by my mother, around the age of 10. Later on I learned the piano and after that the double bass.

Around this time I found another passion in my life, the music genre jazz that has been in my life ever since both as a hobby and as a professional musician.

My first job was as a music teacher in Stockholm; then after having children I moved back up north and started working at Rikskonserter in Luleå with the upper (read larger) part of Sweden as my responsibility.

Later on I started as a headmaster at Piteå Communal music school where I also retired at the age of 65.

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Unrestored VS1

THE SAGA CONTINUES

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the Isle of M el betwee nd ses on t s do o ter n as the hed in the ter & n e Scooter c ical e rs

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Mike Karslake (wearing Nev’s helmet) and Arthur Francis on ‘Lambretta 570’ reach the lorry trailer ramp just ahead of Geoff Burnhill and A Williams on ‘Vespa 27’ – the grass track race during the 1967 IoM scooter rally which so inspired the writers Rinvolucri (an old school friend of Nick’s); Philip ‘Phil’ Robins (an engineering student) an Andrew ‘Muff’ Spencer (a trainee acher).

In autumn 1968, it was these five who formed a syndicate to buy the first of the sidecar outfits that feature in this story. There were a number of other enthusiastic club members too, but as far as the IoM sidecar events were concerned, those mentioned above were the most involved.

A TALE OF THREE CHAIRS PA T 1)

on’t be too many riders around now re r the 1967 IoM scooter rally. It warm bu ek in early June. There cord entry of 5 oters resulting m ess of the 1965 ut also he c f the 1966 eve ng y th nion of Seamen. n Bern as support ir La espa vent lia i -fa

lorry trailer and down the other side – crazy stuff! It was in the middle of this particular event that someone asked to borrow Nev’s crash helmet. It was this simple request that led to an involvement with scooter sidecars that was to last for the best part of 10 years.

The request came from Mike Karslake who, along with his passenger Arthur Francis, had been challenged to a match race by his arch-rival and reigning IoM scooter sidecar champion, Geoff Burnhill and his passenger A Williams. Mike had not expected to be racing that day and had left his helmet at the hotel (helmet wearing was not compulsory back then). Nev duly obliged and the race was on!

It was vintage stuff; Mike’s Lambretta versus Geoff’s Vespa (brand rivalry really mattered in those days)! The two outfits were well matched and were driven by the sport’s wo leading ‘chair’ drivers (seasoned outfit always referred to their machines as ‘chairs rowback to the early motorcycle combination ere just that – a i kerwork chair a single wheeled d attached to a m

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