Saturday 30 April 2011

Una Lambretta Cometa


Time for some Lambretta. I happen to like both the classical italian brands. Vespa or Lambretta, I can't choose. Actually, my third scooter bought was a Lambretta Luna (Lui in Italy). I marveled over Bertone's design and the roadholding. In two different ways...
Well, I sold the Luna some years ago (the only scoot I have sold). I wasn't looking for a replacement, then came an anniversary. Some friends from Finland (Suomi), from the club Keski-Suomen Mobilisti, waited on me with a - Lambretta Cometa!
This model, 75 cc and called 75 SL, was never sold in Sweden. Why they were sold in Finland beats me. It was also labelled Lubematic since it had a separate tank that automatically mixed oil with fuel.
The 75 S, Vega, model was without this device, and 7,355 examples  were built 1968-1969. The 75 SL, Cometa, in only 2,067 according to Vittorio Tessera's "Lambretta The Definitive History".
This scooter was sold to a man in Saarijärvi, a small town north of Jyväskylä in the middle of Finland. It was later sold to a scrap collector. I once asked him if he would sell it, but "ei", no in finnish.
But the guys from the local veteran car club succeded in convincing him to part with it. Thank's a million!
Now it's matter of finding time and money to restore it!

Questa Lambretta Lui 75 SL ho ricevuto a mi cinquanta compleanno, dell'amici finlandese. Molto lavoro mi aspetta...

The speedo says 5354, 500 km, 400 meters? Or over 5000 km? 
I wonder if the "Lubematic"-sticker is produced today?
The cool silencer and a rusty backwheel.
Cometa was the name of the scooter for foreign markets, Italy it was "75 SL"
A sad sight right now, a lot has to be done.
The gang from Jyväskylä in Finland who gave me the Cometa.

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