Sunday 17 April 2011

An Abarth exhaust on a 1953 Vespa?


The firm Abarth & Co was founded in Torino on March 31 1949, the company's logotype was the now famous scorpion. This was due to that the founder Carlo (born Karl Alberto in Vienna) Abarth, was born under that sign. 
The advert above is from an italian newspaper from 1951. Abarth was early on to the success of the Vespa.


Some years ago I talked on the phone with a Swedish Abarthisti. He told me that he had a very, very small Abarth-exhaust. Not even suitable for an Fiat/Abarth 600. Well, from a picture I could tell that it was for a Vespa. I immediately thought it was for a Vespa GS. When I finally got hold of it it was obvious it was made for an earlier modell of Vespa. 


So, it may look like a far east-replica but this is the real stuff. I doubt that there is someone today making this kind of exhaust for the early fifties Vespa. As you can see the angle of the pipe where the fumes leaves the cylinder differs from the 1953 Vespa, VM1. But it fits the earlier Vespa 125-model. 
And since the Vespa U has the same cylinder and piston as the 1951-1952 Vespa, this exhaust fits a Vespa U.


The big question, should I let the Abarth exhaust remain as a trophy on the wall. Or should I put this "luxury item" from the early fifties on the most spartan of all Vespas?

Questa marmitta Abarth e da 1951-1952, si inserisce per Vespa 125.  Abarth ha lanciato tre anni dopo la Vespa ha iniziato, ma visto il potenziale della scooter. La marmitta é fondo quattro anni fa a un magazzino svedese.
Anche adatto sulla Vespa Utilitaria.

3 comments:

  1. This thing has survived for so long unused... it is best to keep it that way. It is very cool. I'd put it away, and pull it out for display with the scooter, but not on it.

    -Paul

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  2. Your're probably right, Pablito. But I'm unfortunately a sucker for attention. Driving around with a genuine Abarth exhaust appeals to me. The mileage covered is pretty low, but the beautiful Abarth-sticker is a goner...

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  3. use the exhaust but do take high resolution photos of the sticker. their are a few people who can reprodruce this for you. Do include a ruler in the photo so that the sizing can be spot on. This way, you may always clean it up and return it back with its logo.

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