Roman goddess and Gemla

I can't find any information about a "Lambretta Club Citta' del tri colore". I acquired this "lucky charm" some years, but no clues from the vendor. It's very well executed so it must be at least from the 60's. About 35 mm in circumference. Does the inscription "Victoria" incline that this was awarded to a winner in the "Moto Rally Internazionale Reggio Emilia"? I don't know...

The mod geezer below, with no arms, is from the Swedish toy maker Gemla, established in 1866. This three-wheeler of wood is from the 50's. The front fender is missing here. Well, is it a Vespa or a Lambretta? I have faint recollection of seeing a yellow one like this, marked "Vespa", I have to check with a friend.

A scooter stroll about town

Spirou? On some kind of Lambretta...

The kids are on leave. Forced them off their electrical devices and in to the Old Town in Stockholm. Buildings from the 13th century and lots of restaurants and tourist traps. And the royal castle.
In one shop I found the yellow scooter above. With the cartoon character Spirou riding it. Lambretta LD-ish apart from the front fender up front. At the back more of an Iso Milano (or Diva or Piccolino).
Rather big, about 20 cm high, and well executed. A limited edition at a price, approx €230...
Below is a Vespa 50, outside a small salumeria/restaurant. Not a customer's, I think it's there for a strategic purpose. Well, I at least discovered the shop.
Last but very least, a rather tacky t-shirt with a cat and kittens on a Vespa!

A Vespa 50 outside a deli/restaurant.

Yes, it's a t-shirt! Cute?

1955 Vespa brochure

Front cover; "Go by Vespa instead".

This is a 20 pages "big" Swedish Vespa brochure in A6-format. The front displays that Vespa beats trams, buses and cars when you commute.
And you can even use your Vespa on Sundays! This is from the time when almost everyone worked on Saturdays in Sweden. Or take a trip to Europe, the brochure gives examples, a trip from Stockholm to Milan didn't cost more than 92 kronor for two people (including ferry fees). That's about 10 euro, well and 57 years ago...
The Vespa news for 1955 is also presented; the number 1 was the Vespa 150, with 150 cc and 6 hp. Turn the page and drool over the Grand (!) Sport, the first sports Vespa with 8 hp and 10-inch wheels, now known in Italy as the "cavi esterni" (external cables) as they had yet to be incorporated in the headset.
And the sidecar, to which there is a strange Vespa attached. Front fender from a 1951-1952 and the headlight at the handlebar. I guess that was the picture they had. But not even the same pic as here.
Last but not least, the concessionaire Como M&T Bjerke invites the potential buyers to join a Vespa Club, more than 600 in Europe at the time.

"News nr 1", the Vespa 150 (VL2-3) ranks before...

...the GS 150, "cavi esterni" or VS1.

The Vespa way of spending your free time.

The back cover, with a side car.

TV 175 ready this spring?

The rear brake cable fitted, things missing though...

My Lambretta TV 175 was dismantled in the late 80's, and not by me...

When I bought it the former owner had assembled some things, not very accurate.

The rest was in several boxes, unmarked. So, it's been a lot of trial and error.

When me and Jim opened the front hub we soon discovered that a couple of vital thing was missing, well the hub bearing was there but one circlip and a hub seal were non-present...

Next one was the rear hub that received the brake shoes. The trouble started when we discovered that there were no clamps to join the pedal for the rear brake with the brake cable. A bit late to discover that...

Well, I found the clamps, on my 175-wreck in the yard. Today I flipped the Lammy upside down and saw grime, dirt and rust. Thought that I never get the clamps loose. Much to my surprise it went really easy. Then a thorough cleaning and the clamps are up for the job!

All the pieces are there in the front hub, and it's quiet!

The brake shoes are now fitted, and the rear hub is overhauled.

The Innocenti badge made of plastic was glued on.

I flipped the wreck upside down in order to get...

...to the gold! The pedal clamps for the rear brake cable.

The clamps looking a bit better! I like my wreck.

Tail light from a Vispetta?

A custom tail light, or for another scooter?

I have fitted a non-original tail light on my 1963 Vespa GS 160, series 1. I bought the light from Rimini Lambretta Centre. I think they believed it was some sort of 60's custom/accessory light. So did I. Unfortunately it came without the rubber gasket. But an old motorcycle guy here in Sweden made one for me after I had made a template using the housing. Fitted perfectly.

The next time I saw another of these tail lights were at the Imola fair in September 2011. For sale on a vendor's table. But he was busy talking on the phone, so I could ask if he knew where it came from.

The third time was when a guy here in Sweden talked about a scooter called Vispetta. I had heard the name but Googled once again. I think the manufacturer was called Malanca, and the 50 cc scooter was built in the 60's. At least a couple of the ones I found, had this tail light! Not much is written about the Vispetta (like a cross between Vespa and Lambretta), so I'm not quite sure if this is a genuine Vispetta light. Italian readers of my blog, feel free to supply information!



The mysterious tail light on my 1963 Vespa GS 160, series 1.



A Vispetta (?) tail light at the Imola fair, september 2012.

The Calessino legend lives on

Some photos from Piaggio's PR departement of the Ape Calessino. I happened to stumble on one "in the flesh" during my family's visit to Cortona in Tuscany. The new Calessino was made in order to celebrate Vespas's 60th anniversary in 2006. In 2009 Piaggio made another relaunch, now sprayed in "Arctic White" with "Bordeaux" canvas top. And a Electric Lithium, battery powered, version was available.
With the 2006 and 2009 versions 1 700 Ape Calessinos were built. And the site "Calessino Parade" is dedicated to spot them all!

Sweet summer memories

Okay, today I saw some tarmac since it was a mix of rain and snow last weekend. Seems like two months before it's time for scooter driving for me.
Meanwhile I'm dreaming of hot roads and plenty of sun. Like it was on that wonderful weekend in September 2011 at the Imola autodromo.
I have found some more pictures of Vespas for children taken at the Imola fair. In the picture above it seems to be two Vespas like the one in one of my earlier blog posts. Still don't know who the manufacturer was.
Below another kid's Vespa, also by an to me unknown maker. Beside it to the left there is a seat frame to a Lambretta Vega, or a Cometa.

Since it's still cold here in Sweden I dream of the sunny days in Imola.