"Struzzo" - Vespa VL3 for sale

 

This Vespa VL3 from 1955-1956 is for sale and I have an opportunity to buy it. It's registration has expired. The VL3-model was sold here in Sweden next to the Vespa 125 (faro basso) and Vespa GS. The earlier VL1-VL2 was never sold in Sweden. VL3 has the 150 cc/6 hp engine and 8-inch wheels. "Struzzo" is the italian nickname and it translates to "ostrich" for obvious reasons.

Another "Struzzo".

And another one.

Espresso and Vespa GS 160

An Italian moment last summer. A cup of espresso, doppio, and the view over my 1963 Vespa GS 160, series 1. With the a custom seat, re-upholstered after a Vespa accessory-seat from the mid-sixties. The tail light is from a scooter-moped, a 50 cc Italian Vispetta.

Flash Gordon's new scooter

The German scooters were not beautiful, but plentiful. This is a Walba De Luxe, 1949-1952. With Ilo 118 cc engine. Built with Flash Gordon in mind?
Walba was the brainchild of father and son, Waldemar and Alexander Balbaschewski.
I got the photo from the guy sitting on one above. Later it became some sort of agricultural device. Long gone...

Very strange covers on the handlebar and a turbine (!).

Vespa 125 cc from 1951

This Service station manual for Vespa 125 cc, the "Roman Vacanzes", is from 1951. It was given to me by it's original owner who had just such a Vespa, bought as new. Long gone by now...
The manual is very extensive, approximately 150 pages. All in English (sometimes in Italian!) but printed in Florence (Firenze).
The Operation an maintenance is marked "5th edition. Dec 8 1951". Among the Accessories is a plexiglass windscreen mentioned.  

Pictures from the exhibition

 

Somehow I was invited to show three of my Vespas at "The Hallwylska museet" in Stockholm. The palace was built in 1890's for Swedish nobility and was turned into a museum in 1930. Right now there is an exhibition called "12 cuckoo eggs", twelve collectors showing their stuff. Pez dispensers, cuckoo clocks, high couture shoes and bags, shaving devices, battered dolls, kinder eggs, IKEA-chairs and so on. Plus my Vespa GS 150, Vespa SS 180 and the Vespa Touring (VGLA). And  the banner from the 1960 Eurovespa held together with the inauguration of the Roma Olympic Games.

Since the creator of the museum, Wilhelmina von Hallwyl also was a collector this location was choosed to show these modern collectors.

Another Swedish scooter...

Mustad Folkscooter, not Mustard or Mostardo, a scooter built in Gothenburg around 1952 ready to pick fight with Italians Vespa and Lambretta and Germans Goggo, Heinkel and Zündapp. With a 50 cc German Amo engine with 1,3 hp.
Week and front heavy! Some say about 1 000 produced, I strongly doubt that figure.
The Swedish word "Folkscooter" translates into "people's scooter".

Really nice Vespa PK poster

 

A nice friend asked if I wanted this Vespa-poster. The size is 70 X 100 cm. I said yes...