Veteran Club J O U R N A L WINTER 2012-2013
No. 53
THE 2012 VETERAN VESPA CLUB ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Held at the Angel Hotel, Leamington Spa, as usual the AGM was followed by a dinner. This was a new venue for us and received generally favourable comments This year the star attraction was the President’s G Model that was brought along for auction under sealed bid. The winner was Bill Gaskins, so hopefully we’ll be seeing this venerable Vespa at some of our rallies in the near future. The meeting itself was opened by our Chairman, Roger Smith, who welcomed thirty two members. The main points were as follows: • The membership had grown to 470, an all-time record once again for the club. This compares to last year’s figure of 446. • The Treasurer reported that our finances were still strong, with expenditure roughly equalling income this year. • Dick Smith stood down as General Secretary after eleven years due to family commitments. The Chairman thanked him for his contribution over the years. Paul Carr was appointed in his place. • Paul Carr was also awarded the President’s Trophy this year in recognition of the contribution he has made to improving our display stands. • Richard Rawlins was welcomed to the committee. 98
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2012-THE PASSING OF AN ERA? Or possibly the end of many eras. This year has had rather a strange feel to me – almost as though everything is ending. Many balloons have been burst that cannot easily be reflated. That’s not to say that a new and interesting era is not waiting in the wings, it’s just that the shape and form is not apparent at the moment.
at least as long as I have been involved in scootering – came to an end in a curiously anticlimactic way. The prospect of this event –and the nature of any VVC involvement in it – hung like a cloud over the committee for years. It was only a short while ago, but the whole experience seems totally forgotten now.
paradoxically, a degree of change has to be accommodated to keep such a club running at all. A golden era coming? Let’s hope so. Ashley Lenton
EVENTS 2013
There may be a flyer with this magazine, but just in case here is the basic Also somewhat anti-climactic was information. the demise of our LNP/Zylo Jan 5–6 club stand at badges that have served the VCB ‘Classic Scooter World’ and us since 1956. My carefully planned grand finale came to Firstly, more than one long (Newark Classic Bike Guide nothing when the machinery got standing Vespa club member has Show) wind of the plan and mangled up departed our shores permanently. the Andover badge. My last design May 16–19 Lowestoft riding Whilst there is a certain event. –supposed to coincide with the inevitability about this, when it involves those you have known for end of LNP production – therefore July 11–14 annual rally got made by somebody else – not Canterbury many years their passing means so much more than mere words on at all what was intended. Sep 5–9 French (near a page. A club like this is largely inhabited Bayeux) riding event. by people such as myself who are The era of waiting for Euro Vespa/ A G M date still to be trying to avoid the changes of World days to finally arrive in this confirmed. modern life. But, slightly country – one that has existed for
Technical help Contact Dave Hawkins: technical@veteranvespaclub.com
Website You may advertise items For Sale or Wanted on our Website Forum in the For Sale & Wanted section. To have your bike featured on the Members Bikes page see details on that page. Website: www.veteranvespaclub.com
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COMING OUT OF THE SHADOWS In a club like ours, it’s difficult to fit every Vespa or indeed their owners into these pages. However hard one tries, the same scooters seem to creep into the pictures at every rally. But we value all our members, so here are a few whom we’d like to bring out of the shadows.
Bernard Miles was a founder member of the VVC, and still has a number of Vespas that he unashamedly paints in any colour he feels like. Here he is on his Rod Model – actually it is quite a pleasant change to see this type of Vespa in a colour other than light metallic green.
Some of you will recall Greg Kinge’s epic journey across the USA on a Rod Model a few years ago, and here he is again with a VBB.
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Fred Davis has carried out a restoration of a GS 160 to what looks like a very good standard. Although the colour is a different shade of blue, the two-tone design exactly replicates that of the Douglas two-tone GS.
Richard Darrah with his PX200 he sometimes rides all the way from Ulster. From time to time in this magazine you will see articles on the history of the Ulster Vespa Club, and these are always the result of research done by Richard. If everybody put as much effort as he does into researching local scooter history, we’d all be the better for it.
Over the last few years the very smart blue and white SS180 of Dave Harris has become a regular feature of our events, as indeed has Dave and his wife. Website: www.veteranvespaclub.com
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ENFIELD SCOOTER FEST 2012
Following on from last year’s successful inaugural event, a new venue was found just a short distance away. Not quite a full-blown rally, there was none-the-less a concours, live music, dealer stalls and lots of food and drink on site. As with last year, the VVC put in quite an effort by way of a stand, exhibits including Michael Phipps’ owned-from-new GS160, the Editor’s P200E, Peter Rose’s German GS150 and (as mentioned elsewhere) Peter Harris’ VBA 150. Peter Rose caused a bit of drama by losing his scooter keys, but luckily they were handed in to reception at the end of the day. The joy exuding from the photograph is palpable. Amongst the scooters was an actual 1964 GS 160 that was pretending to be Sting’s Rally pretending to be a 1964 GS160. Our Chairman was given the task of selecting the best Vespa, and he selected a very original, if slightly shabby chic, white SS180. The weather mostly was fine and dry, and we all look forward to next year
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor. I read your article from Dave Dry with some giggles. Some owners of N Z Vespas could be mortally offended with the statement of them being ‘dodgy!’ The part about NZ content is correct. But the body was bought into the country in parts and assembled here, in a jig spot welded etc, hence no part number .At that time when I was employed by the Dunedin, NZ, agent a chassis number was not required for registration., So the only bikes with the numbers were from Italy( chassis No /part No). This applies to the Sportiques as well, yes Sportique body parts were assembled here. No dummy tanks I hear you shout -
very true. They were considered to detract from the step through configuration and add to the cost. I have been told that some of the 90ss sent to U S A did not have the tank, not sure if that's fibs. I hope this gives every one something to ponder . Cheers Robin Blair
confused with a Pontedera one, modifying the scooter to Pontedera spec , and flogging the finished concoction off as an original Italian built 90 SS. As always, the current high prices for such things is the motivator. Very interesting is the revelation that the frames for some models at least were actually welded together and painted locally . (The ‘dodgy’ reference was not Whilst this does not constitute a intended as a slur on the New full manufacturing plant a la Zealand nation. Rather, it was an Pontedera, it does place the New acknowledgement that the impor- Zealand operation a cut above a tation of these 90SS variants into basic assembly operation such the UK might place too much as MISA in Brussels. There temptation in the hands of some seems to be more to tell about people in respect of giving them New Zealand Vespa production! a frame number that could be Ed)
Website: www.veteranvespaclub.com
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THE DERBYSHIRE EXPERIENCE 7/8/9 SEPTEMBER 2012 Congratulations to Les Smith. Bob Box and Roger Smith for this friendly event of this year’s calendar. The runs on Saturday and Sunday were well planned over two spectacular areas of the county and many of the members had not seen this area before. The views in this part of the UK have to be seen to be believed and many of the members said they would return again in the future. On Saturday everyone (26 Vespas) were away for 10 am and visited towns and villages in
the valleys and the hills, Bakewell being the star of the places visited which is the home of the famous Bakewell Pudding. Tissington was another place visited via a 4” running water ford. There was a footbridge for the faint hearted, but the hardy members drove their Vespas through the ford, though one of the members drove back and forth many times. Both he and his passenger must have had very wet feet. Several pit stops were made one being Chatsworth House. Saturday evening was the night of the dinner – 50 members
sitting down together and we all celebrated the birthday of Roger Smith who was presented with a cake far too small for anyone but him to enjoy it. One of the highlights of the evening was a group of the ‘black hair guys’ who were meant to be look a likes of Les Smith. Many other members joined in the fun wearing the wigs and everyone enjoyed a very good night and the hotel did us proud. The camp site was level, clean, well covered in grass on firm ground. The members camping in their tents, motor homes and lodges enjoyed very good weather, another plus for the event. The run on Sunday was terrific according to the members, the sun was out, the scenery was beautiful and rugged. The roads were like mountain paths testing the Vespas to their limits and over the entire weekend I only observed two breakdowns which were quickly dealt with. The riding of the members was
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maintained over the tricky roads and was a credit to all concerned. The run out was approximately 60 miles and all the pit stops were well planned with good areas to park, even one of the support vehicles had a yellow warning light clearly visible to other road users. The quality of the riding was first class, everyone obeying the rules of the road. The overall event was well organised, the camping site was good, the hotel was excellent and the weather was fantastic. To all the members participating and the organisers this was very good and will be remembered by all who attended. Thank you VVC for all the friendship, fun and laughter we
all enjoyed. I am sure everyone will be looking forward to the events of 2013. DAVID BARKER
SHAKEN & STIRRED
A buzz circulated the recent Enfield Scooterfest when it appeared that James Bond himself had arrived on a VBA 150cc Vespa. Nobody could see the ejector seat, and rumours that he was on the track of a “Mr Big” intent on world domination were cast into doubt by the realisation that no real secret agent would have “007” writ large on an old Vespa. In the end it turned out that it was just Peter Harris anyway, and that really is a genuine registration number. This VBA is an original “New 150” as imported by Douglas, and is in one of the colours done especially for them by Pontedera.
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We showed a turquoise example a while back, and this red version was acquired by Peter covered in a rough hand-paint. Hours of careful use of thinners
to remove the offending top coat has resulted in a very attractive, slightly stripey, patination of the original paint that the camera has failed to fully capture.
BRIAN FREEHOLD It is with the greatest regret that these words have to be written, but the facts are that Brian Freehold passed away in September at the age of eighty three. It seems a little trite to attempt to sum up someone’s life in a single word, but “gentleman” is one often heard when Brian’s name is mentioned – you won’t find anybody who will dispute it. He was an obvious choice to be an inaugural member of our Hall of Fame. Brian will be long remembered by the scootering fraternity as a truly pioneering continental traveller. Starting with a second-hand Rod Model, and ending only about five years ago with a PX200, a whole succession of Vespas took him from Reigate to a variety of locations in Europe, sometimes to attend a Euro Vespa. In the early years, some of the trips were made with his wife Mary on the back. The image of her the slightly tatty Rod Model with luggage piled high, parked at the top of the St Julier Pass after Brian had navigated half way across Europe on often-primitive roads, endures as one of the great scootering images of the fifties. Yet even such a basic form of transport was a luxury, relatively speaking. Brian’s first two visits to Switzerland were by bicycle! Brian’s total scooter mileage is believed to have not quite reached a million miles by the time he was obliged to give up scootering. It is important to understand that there was very little luck involved in achieving all those journeys – for he was the ultimate detail planner. Every trip was meticulously planned, with estimated times and fuel consumption levels. Upon his return, these were scrupulously compared with the actual figures – the results feeding into the plan for the next journey. Definitely no computers were involved anywhere in this- it was all done by hand. This attention to detail was doubtless a great asset in his profession –he was a building surveyor who for many years worked for Joseph Lyons, commuting by scooter all the way up to London every single day, fair weather or foul. A true scooterist indeed. There’s no doubt that having to stop riding hit Brian very hard, but he was the last person in the world to complain about his lot. He still had Mary and his family, and to them we offer our most heartfelt condolences. Their loss is ours. AL
Peter Guppy remembers Brian Freehold I don’t remember when I first met Brian, but I’m very glad I did, for it changed my Vespa riding in a big way. My first run abroad with him was to a rally at Mannheim Germany. Helen his daughter also rode with us or should I say I rode with them, he organised the route to exact timing & mileage while Helen provided tea brew ups in lay-bys with her gas cooking stove. Another trip was to Euro Vespa Gerona Spain, 1000 miles each way. He told me we would be in a town at a set time each day and yes we were, all planned including petrol stops. My last ride was to Valkenburg Holland - this also was Brian’s last ride for he planned to retire riding because of failing eyesight. Mary, his wife, insisted he could only go if accompanied by someone, I think I volunteered? I stayed overnight at their house and we set off early the next day, again Brian had hand written the route in complete detail. This trip was a lot slower and, to be truthful, frustrating at times due to his eyesight, he was very brave to have done it. When we got home Mary gave us a good meal and thanked me. Brian sadly parked his Vespa for the last time, it went onto Helen I think. Brian was a very nice bloke, me & my wife Jan will miss his phone calls. He always referred to her as Mrs Manilow (she’s a fan of Barry Manilow) & his Christmas cards were unique, always Vespa themed . Plus the packets of custard cream biscuits we ate on our trips. Thanks Brian for being part of my life. Website: www.veteranvespaclub.com
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PETE QUAIFE’S SS180
Amongst the vast array of glittering accessorised scooters that basked in the sunlight at the recent Untouchables event at Brighton, a plain white SS180 went practically unnoticed. Which was everybody’s loss, because, here in front of them was a scooter of more historic significance than every other example in the place combined. For this was an appearance of Pete Quaife’s SS180. 108
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We have to thank Stuart McNeill for having rescued this important Vespa, and for having restored it to pristine condition. It appears that neither of the GS160s has survived, though many of the accessories from the second one seem to have been transferred to the SS. During Pete’s ownership, the Vespa was stolen and eventually recovered with the accessories and many of the parts missing. He had bought a new Mini Cooper, so let the SS The bass player of the Kinks was go – finally bringing his scootering days to an end. a committed Vespa fan who had Stuart bought the remains about previously owned two GS160s. fifteen years ago from someone When Pete took delivery of this who had previously obtained it new SS in 1965 the Kinks were already big stars, but this did not from Chessington scooters – well-known scooter breakers stop him from using it to gigs back in the day. and as general transport. When the band departed on their rather Apart from having bits missing, ill-fated first US tour, he rode the the SS had suffered a fair amount of decay over the years. To get it SS to Heathrow and parked it back to the condition you see there, and waited for the others here required a new floor section to arrive by limousine! It is and quite a lot of frame repairs. remarkable that someone of his A new headset was needed, all status would use a Vespa in such the engine internals and more a way. Other notable Vespa besides. Not to mention the enthusiasts include Larry accessories. So is this really Hagman and Joan Baez, but their Pete Quaife’s SS180? The DVLA scootering had been somewhat have always considered the curtailed by the time they frame/chassis to be the bearer of became famous. any vehicle identity, and they are right to do so. What we have is 70%, of the original frame, the engine casings, the bare front forks, one side panel, the toolbox and sundry other bits. That’s easily enough for me. You could spend a fortune on buying an ex Jim Clark Lotus and end up with a much smaller percentage of the original vehicle. It would be nice to record that Pete Quaife was here to see his old Vespa brought back to life, but as you may already know he most regrettably died of kidney failure in 2010. There exists the
Pete Quaife Foundation (accessible via Facebook under this name) that has been established to raise money for kidney dialysis for children. More fund raising events are being planned for next year, which may see appearances of this scooter. The website for the Pete Quaife Foundation will be launched on 30 Nov 12 and the address is: www.petequaife-foundation.org If anyone has any info on Chessington Scooters i.e. photos of the shop or adverts, Stuart (now the Director of the foundation) would very much appreciate this so that he can put this in the scooters history etc. Also seen here is a picture of the SS as it is now, with Pete’s friend Penny Pound, Mick Avory (the Kinks drummer) astride the saddle, and Pete’s brother Dave. So here we have it – a painstaking restoration of a scooter ridden to gigs by a member of a band that were right at the pinnacle of sixties British pop culture. If you could have one sixties artefact you could choose John Lennon’s Rolls Royce, or Jimi Hendrix’s Fender Stratocaster. But I’d settle for Pete Quaife’s Vespa SS180.
Website: www.veteranvespaclub.com
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THE NEW UNTOUCHABLES BRIGHTON 2012 Brighton Sea Front over the August Bank Holiday Weekend always plays host to a veritable feast of mod style- most noticeably, of course, that of the scooters themselves. Here you can see the results of months’ worth of anguish and angst as to the exact positioning of a spotlight or mirror, the paint schemes that you could never afford first time around and the grim realities of vintage scootering as evidenced by the perennial detached wire in the headset. Amongst all the dazzle a plain blue Vespa 90 appears like an innocent at a dodgy party. But despite this somewhat exaggerated view of the past (check out the Michael Phipps CD to see what it was really like) when the weather is good then Madeira Drive provides a very agreeable distraction from modern life. Old scooters, socialising, eating, drinking, music, the sea. It may not quite be real life, but then reality is always over rated.
MOUNT OLYMPUS CONQUERED BY SAWDUST CAESARS The closing ceremony of the recent Olympics was widely regarded of something of a success, displaying, as it did, an unashamedly upbeat summery of British culture. But nobody seems to have noticed that on the one hand it was all a bit odd, and on the other that it represented a seismic shift in what we call the “Establishment”. Not long ago the closing musical finale would have been assumed to be the territory of Elgar’s Nimrod, or the local cathedral choir giving a rendition of “Jerusalem”. This time around the Who belted out “My Generation” and nobody batted an eyelid. A few minutes earlier the wistful reflective slot usually reserved for Vaughan Williams had been admirably filled by “Waterloo Sunset”. Instead of a procession of valiant military warriors we had instead an army of scooters resplendent (of course) with lights and mirrors. Maybe that’s the key. People are nervous of celebrating real wars where women and children get killed, but a few deckchairs don’t really matter. I wonder if the original Mods ever imagined that they would be sanitised and repackaged in this way. One curious aspect to the elevation of this culture is that the poor old Rockers seem to have been discarded along the journey. It’s debatable as to who won the battles, but the victor in
the war is clear to all. Yes, sixties motorcycles can still be seen down Madeira Drive for the Ace Café ride out, but that’s not the same as getting in the Olympic stadium. As recently as the eighties all of this would have been seen as nothing short of incredible. The mod revival had simply reignited the social pariah status. The correspondence for the planning of the first VVC rally in Brighton in 1964 is full of contingencies about liaising with the police in order to prevent an invasion by “the wild ones” This does seem vaguely comical with the benefit of hindsight, but it
did accurately reflect social views of the time. In the last twenty years or so we have become used to the gradual assimilation of mod culture into mainstream society. Far from being ashamed of it, seaside resorts now compete for the history. Gift shops routinely include images of scooters with lights and mirrors and targets. But now the culture – with the scooter as its most potent symbol – now sits at the very pinnacle of what Britain now wishes to show to the world. What an extraordinary journey it’s been. AL
RUST AIN’T WHAT IT USED TO BE Well of course it gets worse as old Vespas get even older, but more to the point our attitudes towards it are evolving. Once seen as a sort of disease to be immediately eradicated at all costs, increasingly it is becoming viewed as part of an on-going story – every speck representing a chapter in the social history of a scooter-or anything for that matter. Naturally we seem to be heading straight back to the eternal shabby chic v restoration debate, so let’s head this one off at the pass. Let’s say definitively that when the point is reached that rust affects the structural integrity of something then it has to go. Or does it? We seem to have a new kid on the block. There’s a series on TV called “American
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Pickers”. In it dealers travel around collecting apparently useless artefacts that end up being sold on at a profit to trendy bars and nightclubs. There they are displayed against pristine white walls as sort of archaeological trophies. They include cracked and ripped leather chairs, old bicycles , obscure bits of long-defunct machinery and garage signs peppered with rusty “patina”. And, more to the point, many a rusty Vespa frame with front forks and the remains of chrome handlebars attached. I couldn’t really get a grip on the appeal of all this until a Roger East, a VVC member, started posting regular photographs on the club’s Facebook site of what can only be described as a heroic restoration of a152l2. Some of
the close-up pictures of this turquoise Vespa prior to it being dismantled emitted a strange kind of beauty. The encrustation – of a type that only the extended passage of time can produced – seemed almost to echo that of the Titanic and its wistful glory. Maybe that’s it. Could the appeal be a sort of a lament for the loss of something –in this case our industrial past? But the desire for an actual working scooter places a natural lower limit on shabby chic, meaning that scooters such as Roger’s have to undergo a full restoration if they are to be anything other than a stationary artefact. The rust, in these cases, just has to go. With ever diminishing numbers of unrusted unrestored scooters around, the bar for what is considered
restorable keeps being re-set lower and lower. In Roger’s case that means an entire combined legshield and floor pressing. Actually there’s an interesting discussion to be had on exactly how much of the original chassis/frame etc. you can legitimately replace without creating a replica. Without any sort of agreement or consensus it would be possible to-say- cut a two inch section of tube that happened to include the frame number from a wrecked original GP200, and insert it in an unused SIL frame – and then sell it on as an original Innocenti GP. I never said that. Returning to our original theme, as time goes on rust appears in places previously unventured. Just look at where it has got to on this Grand Luxe Sportique that was sold a while ago on eBay. You can bet, though, that it will be skilfully repaired. Even the original paint might be retained. So there you have it. Rust is not to be preserved in the worst cases unless there is to be no attempt to re-create a working scooter. But in all other instances rust –re-packaged as “patina” dares you to discard it too readily. Just when I thought I had covered it all, someone I only know as “Richard” emerged. He has found a long –forgotten cache of abandoned vehicles, and literally tripped over a 92L2 buried in the undergrowth. A second one actually disintegrated when he attempted to dig it out, but he managed to retrieve the red example shown here. Most people reading this will think it insane to suggest that such a thing could have any value at all. But if you stand away from the
vision of a restorable scooter and instead consider it in archaeological terms as an artefact representing a way of life that has long departed, then it is
possible to take another view. One thing is sure. As more time passes, the view of rust will continue evolving. AL
Website: www.veteranvespaclub.com
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IMPORTING VESPAS INTO JAPAN Japan really got the bug for vintage Vespas (and vintage much else) from the eighties onwards, but in fact there was a certain amount of importation of new machines from Pontedera in period. Here are some pictures of a new SS 180 as just arrived in Japan in slightly dismantled form. These sort of shipping arrangements were quite common in various countries, and might be a consequence of a requirement for a degree of local content, or just a method of keeping freight costs down.
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Either way, the method of fitting the front forks by means of a rickety pile of bricks underneath the frame is exactly the method employed by myself – and to be carried out with caution! It’s not quite clear if these photographs represent the
activities of the official importer, or just a bit of private enterprise by someone. There must be a lot more to say about the subject, but in the meantime these pictures give a fascinating glimpse of another place in another time. AL
North London Vespa Club’s trip to Spain 1955 Motoring on the Continent in the ‘fifties was far from being the relatively simple matter that it is today. The roads were frequently poor, there was endless officialdom to combat, often stringent exchange control regulations and much more besides. One way to get through it all was to join the local scooter club and go as part of a group thus dialling in to the collective knowledge and experience in order to make it all less daunting. This was especially true of Spain – at this time an undeveloped non-industrialised society that was a mystery to most people in Britain. North London Vespa Club (branch 11 of the VCB and shortly to re-name itself Lea Valley Vespa Club) undertook just such a journey in 1955. Details are sparse, but it is known that they were welcomed by local Vespa clubs that they came in contact with. You can gain a sense of the excitement and achievement felt by these people from the pictures. They got all the way down there (and back) at 35 mph with no credit cards or mobile phones and probably very little money. It’s all much too easy now!
Website: www.veteranvespaclub.com
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AROUND & ABOUT WITH PAUL HART The 150 Super has never really had quite the reputation it deserves in this country. At first it is hard to understand why this should be – after all in essence what you have is a Sportique/VBB with updated styling along the lines of a Sprint/SS180. And all these Vespas are regarded well enough. But then you realise that its introduction coincided with the demise of the very commuter market it was designed to serve, leaving the poor old Super to trail in the wake of larger models in the race for the affections of the enthusiast. But now, in London at least, the hour of the Super has arrived at last! Around the Capital can be spied worn-but still cared for- examples made at any time between the midsixties and the end of the seventies. The low revving engines don’t wear out too quickly, while those eight inch wheels are perfect for darting around traffic queues. And, most importantly, the styling looks ‘sixties. Paul Hart has snapped a few, and you can see of his work at www.vespamore.com
VVC CLOTHING Waterproof jacket with hood and ties £20
Pale Blue VVC cog embroidered T shirt £10
VVC High visjacket £5
Dark blue printed VVC t shirt £10
Pale blue VVC cog embroidered polo shirt £12
Dark blue embroidered VVC polo shirt £12
VVC Patch £6
Please add £2 for post and packing to each single item and £3 for two items. All items including those advertised under Club Gear including cog badges may be purchased via the club website. Send orders and cheque payable to VVC(UK)LTD to 28 Greenway, Letchworth, Herts. SG6 3UG
treasurer@veteranvespaclub.com
All the above may be ordered and paid for on the club website in the members shop area at
www.veteranvespaclub.com
Website: www.veteranvespaclub.com
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HALL OF FAME 2012 – MIKE CLARK The club has decided to induct Mike Clark into our hall of fame for 2012. Following the demise of Douglas – and the severe contraction of the dealer network – there was a lengthy period during which getting spare parts or having an engine rebuilt for, or having restoration work carried out on, an old Vespa, was almost impossible. During this period Mike Clark Scooters was the one place where you were pretty much guaranteed to get a result, and if it had not been for Mike’s efforts, many would-be Vespa restorers would not have progressed any further and given up. Mike is pictured here with his late –and much missed – wife, Pauline. Together they made a fine double act in running their shop, and were also regular attendees at our events. Mike has recently suffered poor health, and in making this award the club would like to wish him well for the future and acknowledge his (and Pauline’s) contribution to keeping old Vespas on the road.
CLUB AND SERVICES OFFICERS President: Frank Brookes BEM 19, Ditchling Crescent, Hollingbury, Brighton BN1 8GD Honorary Vice-President: Margaret Farquhar 11, Battle Court,Kineton. Warwickshire CV35 0LX Chairman/Membership Secretary: Roger Smith 20 Rookery Way, Seaford, East Sussex BN25 2TE chairman@veteranvespaclub.com membership@veteranvespaclub.com (01323 491417) General Secretary: Paul Carr gensecretary@veteranvespaclub.com Treasurer/Club Shop/Website Manager: Peter Rose 28,Greenway, Letchworth, Herts SG6 3UG treasurer@veteranvespaclub.com Journal Editor/PR: Ashley Lenton 13 The Promenade, Peacehaven, East Sussex BN108QF 01273 579769 editor@veteranvespaclub.com
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Club Registrar: Bob Box clubregistrar@veteranvespaclub.com Technical Advice Co-ordinator: Dave Hawkins 9A Coronation Road, Cheltenham, Gloucs GD523DA technical@veteranvespaclub.com Registration Certificate Registrar: Bill Drake 23 Archers Road, Eastleigh, Hampshire SO50 9AQ vesparegistration@veteranvespaclub.com Committee members: Chris Wainwright chrisw@veteranvespaclub.com Richard Rawlins richardr@veteranvespaclub.com VETERAN VESPA CLUB HALL OF FAME 1: Fank Brookes 2: Margaret Farquhar 3: Brian Freehold 4. Brian Edwards 5. Vi Edwards 6: Bill Drake 7 Chuck Swonnell 8 Mike Clark
2007 2007 2007 2008 2008 2009 2011 2012
CLUB GEAR
All the following are now available from Carole Rose at treasurer@veteranvespaclub.com Please note that the prices are exclusive of p&p
Journal binder. Takes 12 issues plus index – £4.50
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2012 Ashfields badge £28
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If you change your personal details, don't forget you need to change your Profile on the VVC website. This includes if you change your email address, or else you will not be able to access the web site or receive any email circulars from VVC. Peter Rose