The 1951 faro basso Vespa

This is the faro basso (low light or lampe unten) from the very first post in my blog. Thought it was time to show all of it. Somehow the Vespa is very beautiful in it's sad state. 

It was destined for the scrapyard when a friend of mine showed up at the old farmhouse to valuate an old Mercedes-Benz. Fortunately he thought of me and rescued the Vespa. The engine is seized, no side cowls or saddle. The road is visible through the floor...

It also seems to have been repainted sometime in a primer-like colour. I like that it has no speedometer, from 1953 the Vespa 125 (VM1) were sold in Sweden with a speedo as standard.

The plans? Well, I have some other scooters in line for restoration...

Could this in a distant future be a basis for Sei Giorni-replica?

The fan cowl was filled with material from the nature. The work of ants?

The headlamp has been seriously beaten.

The gas tank, I haven't examined it. Will there be rust?

No cylinder-cowl, I think I have a spare one.

Vespa Club banners

During Vespa World Days 2011 I took some photos of banners from some of the Vespa Clubs. Here you can see more banners.

More pics rideout/raduno VWD 2011

I had hoped that the live-blogging from Vespa World Days 2011 in Gjövik, Norway, should have gone better. Well, the tele-connections were not on my side. Here is the pictures during the rideout to Lillehammer.

At the start of the rideout/raduno on friday.

We're off! Downhill from the camping on top of Gjövik.

Vespas in a very long row. 400-500 were participating.

One hand on the handlebars, one on the camera.

Life in a northern town, this Vespisti is from Trondheim in Norway.

Vespa Club Città Bianca's driver on a, white, Vespa GS 160.

I think this rider is from Vespa Club Pordenone. 

So is this one.

Very anonymous...

This is Ronnie from Blacksmith's Scooter Club, Sweden.

Celebrating Italia's 150th anniversary?

This might be a rider from Vespa Club Lund, Sweden.

One of the oldest, a faro basso 1953 or 1954, from VC Malonno, Italy.

Here they come again!

Through a tunnel near Lillehammer.

A practical combo, the PAV is useful.

Nice view in Lillehammer. 

Some of us had trouble finding the right way.

That's me! Reflecting on a Vespa...

And the Vespa 180 SS I had to borrow.

Rideout to Lillehammer, VWD 2011

On friday there was a rideout to Lillehammer, host of the 1994 winter olympics. About 500 Vespas (and one Lambretta!) joined in for the 120 km tour. The oldest was a 1950 "Rod" model, from Sweden, and a italian 1954 VM2-model. Fortunately the route was beside the big E6-road. Nice backroads, with lot of curves.
20 minutes before start I discovered a flat backtire on my Vespa U, due to a small nail. I changed to the 50 year old sparewheel, only to discover that the hub was a bit loose. Thank's to Vespa Club Stockholm I could loan a 180 SS. Big difference in performance!
On top of Lillehammer all the vespistis could enjoy the breathtaking view.
I have some nice pictures from along the rideout, hope to show them tomorrow.

On top of the mountain above Lillehammer.

The Lambretta who sneaked in among the Vespas.

I had to borrow this Vespa 180 SS from Paka, member of Vespa Club Stockholm. Luckily enough they had an extra Vespa with them. Twice the horsepower compared to my Vespa U.

Vespa Club Roma was represented, one of the oldest clubs as you can see. The big tent in the background was for the pub-nights and the gala dinner.

More from Vespa World Days

Some more pictures from the Vespa World Days in Gjövik. A little connection trouble is the answer to why the pics weren't published yesterday. And the fact that I enjoyed myself with riding, talking and deal with the thirst. More pictures in a new article later this evening.

Lineup outside the camping area.

Some Vespas from Sweden.

Peter Allgoth from Vespa Club Lund from Sweden switched sticker and bannet with a portuguese Vespisti.

Che cose 'e? Of course it's a Cosa. Below an english gentleman on Vespa GS.

Vespa World Days has started

The Vespa World Days 2011 in Gjövik, Norway, is in full swing. After a warm sunny day the temperature has fallen to 5-6 degrees plus. The camping site is practically full with scooters and tents. Driving is still going on.
Some pictures from the day:

Norway, here we come!

Yes, the Vespa U is loaded in my family bus. Very convenient. And sorry to say. The right way to go to Vespa World Days is on a Vespa. From my home in Stockholm to Gjövik it's about 800 km, mostly through woods once you leave Stockholm. And it could have been a beautiful trip, doing about 60-65 km/h.
But I could'nt start yesterday. And I have to be in Gothenburg in Sweden on Saturday, 800 km more...
So I have to break up before VWD ends, sob!
For me it is a case of enjoy half of the event or nothing at all. So the Vespa is a trailer queen...
I've read some reports from some italian Vespisti that drives all the way. Some complaints about rain and temperature. "14 degrees, in daytime" they write in the Vesparesources forum. And expensive food, lot's of "amburgo". Wait until you see the food prices in Norway...

Og til lykke på Norges nasjonaldag alle nordmenn!

Buon viaggio, tutti i Vespisti! Ci vediamo in Norvegia!

Tessera's new museum

Obviously the Lambretta section.

I got an e-mail from Vittorio Tessera with two pictures from his new museum in Rodano outside Milan. He also explained that he moved all his business to the new premises, including the workshop. Which means that my pictures from the old workshop now have historical value ;-)

Foreign affairs, the nearest is a german Lohner 125. Vero?

This is Rolf who owned my U

This is Rolf  in 1958, just after he bought a used Vespa 125 U.

As I've told you, I am the third owner of my Vespa U. The first owner was a dentist student who bought it new 1953 in Gothenburg. He later moved near Stockholm and in 1958 he sold it on to Rolf. 

According to Rolf's widow he thought it needed a refurbishment. Especially the paint was bad. He resprayed in the light blue colour it has today. This was done in his basement with a vacuum cleaner as a compressor for his paint sprayer. He also upgraded the spartan U with foot lists from a VNA1T and a saddle from a VM1-VM2, slightly bigger and with elliptical instead of conical saddle springs and a spring at the front of the saddle. 

In the picture you can see that it still has the original U-lists, solid without rubber. You can also see a small crack in the engine cowl, a friend of mine has a crack on the exact same spot on his U. Rolf also mounted a small bicycle lamp on the front fender à la faro basso.

Rolf and his wife used the Vespa U for two years until they could afford a Volvo Amazon, modell 121.

Nella fotografia è Rolf, il secondo propretario della mia Vespa Utilitaria. Ha fatto un aggiornamento in 1958. Ha montato alcuni cosi più moderno di il sua "nuova" Vespa. Più tardi ha comprato un Volvo. Rolf ha giudato la Vespa solo per due anni.

Below is an advert from a Swedish motoring magazine from 1953. 

Il parole svedese "Sensation" tradotto con la parole italiano: sensazione. La lingua svedese non è difficile!

Maybe it's possible to understand also for you who speaks english...

The U was called "Populär" in Sweden. 

The front page from 1953 with an older faro basso,