Mia Casa Stan’s 185 kit on test
in Italy
Woolacombe
Rally Report
Auto Retro Perfecting the art of auto-classic conversions
#389 November 2018
Old Skool
Fool
Youthful owner who loves the classics
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Editor: Dan Clare Email: dan@scootering.com Publisher: Dan Savage Designer: Charlotte Turnbull Picture desk: Paul Fincham, Jonathan Schofield Production editor: Dan Sharp General queries and back issues: Tel: 01507 529529 24hr answerphone Mon-Fri 8.30am-7pm, Sat 8.30am-12.30pm help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazines.co.uk Archivist: Jane Skayman 01507 529423 Email: jskayman@mortons.co.uk Subscription: Full subscription rates (but see page 48 for offer): (12 months 12 issues, inc post and packing) – UK £49.20. Export rates are also available – see page 48 for more details. UK subscriptions are zero-rated for the purposes of Value Added Tax. Subscription manager: Paul Deacon Circulation manager: Steven O’Hara Marketing manager: Charlotte Park Commercial director: Nigel Hole TRADE ADVERTISING Gary Thomas – gthomas@mortons.co.uk Tel (01507) 529417 Emma Buxton-Rockley – ebuxton-rockley@mortons.co.uk Tel (01507) 529410 Divisional advertising manager: Zoe Thurling 01507 529412, zthurling@mortons.co.uk ADVERTISING DEADLINES The advertising deadline for the next issue of Scootering (December 2018) is Thursday, November 1, 2018 On sale in newsagents Thursday, November 20, 2018
WELCOME
Welcome to the November edition of Scootering
T
he pinnacle (in my opinion) of the National rally season has arrived: Brid. For me it marks a significant shift in the season, as well as how the magazine shapes up for you, the reader, each month. You’ll appreciate the abundance of rally write-ups in this edition as the multitude of events unravels, but as the season quietens off we look to other areas of the scene with great interest. The editorial shift becomes a bit less ‘entertainment’ and a bit more ‘tech and info’ driven, which I like. As I write this, I have Stan out in Vietnam, working on an abundance of articles for you. From ‘off the beaten path’ rides, to seeking out those dodgy back street ‘restoration’ garages which send across all those worthless eBay shit-bangers some dealers seem happy to churn out. As a stark comparison, we also
SCOOTERING (USPS:020-245) is published monthly by Mortons Media Group Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ USA subscriptions are $60 per year from Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. Periodical Postage is paid at Bancroft, WI and additional entries. Postmaster: Send address changes to SCOOTERING, c/o Motorsport Publications LLC, 7164 Cty Rd N #441, Bancroft WI 54921. 715-572-4595. chris@ classicbikebooks.com SCOOTERING is published by: Mortons Scooter Media, a division of Mortons Media Group Ltd © 2018 All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any way without the written permission of the publisher. ISSN 0268 7194 Distribution: Marketforce UK Ltd, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HU. Tel: 0203 787 9001. Printed by: William Gibbons & Sons, Wolverhampton
The Professional Publishers Association Member
investigate the better end of the market from that region, to show that not all items from Asia should be tarred with the same brush. It’s informative and hard-earned info. The winter editorial shift will also see me initiate the start of my ‘winter hack’ on a GTV300 – something for me to ride in the interim period while I work on the upcoming ‘Lambretta Street Sleeper’ series I have planned; a rustoration chassis, discreetly loaded to the hilt. With such an array of engine options and parts these days, it’s hard to know where to start… so I dive in at the deep end, to build a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Lastly, Brid is also where the BSRA committee meeting takes place each year, and as Kev Walsh is sadly now no longer with us, this year will mark the end of an era in that respect. Stu Owen is working tirelessly to collate the documents and images for the coming series around Kev’s life and work, which will also start during the coming winter months. I appreciate all this sounds a bit ‘mañana’ so in the meantime, sit back with a brew and enjoy this latest edition. Old Skool Fool is a peach, exactly the type of Vespa I personally revere, while Neil Heppenstall’s work on the classic-auto conversions is faultless. There’s a tonne of stuff inside, but I’ll let you discover that for yourself. Anyway that’s enough of my ramblings, it’s another belter less was Above left: The M1 equivalent in Vietnam this month… enjoy the issue. Pat). (Credit d smooth than Stan expecte Dan
S C O O T E R I N G WA S B R O U G H T T O Y O U W I T H T H E H E L P O F. . .
Stu Smith
Vespa & Lambretta owner, scooter obsessive, amateur home mechanic, rally goer, Mod sympathiser, music lover and general all round good egg. He writes your rally reports, be nice to him.
Nik Skeat
Vespa P-range obsessive, welltravelled rally rider since the 80s, founder of the notorious Scooterboy World forum. He’s also a brilliant beer-brewing bearded Scootering feature writer.
Paul Green
Vespa & Lambretta scooter enthusiast, BSSO professional and general good egg. Our Paul has a long history of scootering both on the road and on the track, with the breakdown bills and crash scars to prove it.
Stuart Owen
LCGB ‘life member’, 100mph LambrettaClub owner and scooter restoration expert to boot. Scooter rider, rally-goer, restorer and author. Reaches the parts other scooter journalists just can’t reach.
Dave Oakley
Riding and building scooters since 1983, Dave has been a contributor to Scootering since the 90s. His builds include chops, cutdowns, street-racers, autos and the most infamous custom of the 80s!
Big Stan
80s scooterboy turned long distance rider. Be it local, national or international, he’ll ride anywhere in his quest to bring you the tastiest scooters, best roads, trade interviews and hidden gems.
Sarge
With over four decades of riding, rally-going and competing on both Lambretta and Vespa scooters under his belt, this former Freddie Mercury lookalike is still going strong. He’s a top DJ too, don’tcha know.
CONTENTS letter from 03Welcome the Editor
A warm welcome to the November issue of Scootering.
06Kickstart
The upfront section with all the latest news, views and product reviews!
14
Old Skool Fool
Aaron Williams delivers a remarkable blend of youthful energy and 80s cool with an ‘Old Skool’ classic custom Vespa.
25Rally Report: Woolacombe Serena braves the wind and rain, before donning her best disco gear and submerging herself in the 70s feel of this year’s Woolacombe rally!
Report: 33Rally Mersea Island
It’s been 25 years since Dave O first arrived at this legendary rally, and he loves it as much today as he did then. Read his report and you’ll understand why!
38
Rally Report: WoT
63Mia Casa…
Stan’s Casa 185 kit’s now covered 5000 miles and visited nine countries. This month he presents Scootering’s longest road test to date.
Kids Are Alright: 68The Brighton Mod Weekender Possibly one of, if not the, largest gatherings of scooters anywhere on mainland Britain has been in Brighton…
75Readers Ride: Pick ’n’ Mix Piaggio or Innocenti? We’re often accused of bias but fortunately Steve Apsey’s auto conversion ticks both boxes.
79The Influential Factor
Sarge reviews the reworked version of this classic book, and joins in the fun at the pre-launch party.
82Club Do’s & Events
Your essential guide to the scene – What, Where & When!
88Scootering Words & Sounds The best of scootering words and music as reviewed by Nik & Sarge.
Gatecrashers and Skegby SC hosted their seventh annual Weston-onTrent rally this year. Our reporter Stu Smith was there.
91VCB Club page
43Mailbox
Report: Retford 93Rally Slackers
Readers’ letters, laughs, feedback and fury – get it off your chest man! This month we indulge readers who have sent in pics of themselves with the mag.
44
Show us your scoots
The best of our readers rides as sent in by you.
48Subscriptions
Get your mag delivered to the door, earlier than newsstands, and save money… cool. Plus – gain access to the NEW ‘Scootering Extra’ subs-club.
50Auto Retro
Russ Machin brings us the latest news in the official VCB newsfeed.
It’s big, it’s bad, and it’s back. Nik gets down n’ dirty at the Slackers SC rally.
Time Attack: 98BSSO Snetterton
The latest round of the BSSO series, plus the Time Attack event, brings a fascinating range of vehicles for petrol-heads to see – from Lambrettas to vintage F1 cars!
Torque: Building a 103Tech Street Racer Stu Owen bring us Part 2 of his winter tech series – his guide to building a Lambertta or Vespa Street Racer.
Neil Heppenstall has refined the art of auto-conversions, take a look at these stunners and you may even find inspiration to embrace the concept!
113Scooter Trader
Report: Oxford 58Rally Road Runners 40th
Nostalgic 120Dave’s Custom Corner
Oxford Roadrunners went for a back to basics no-frills gathering, reminiscent of events during the early 80s to mark their ruby anniversary rally. Sarge tells all…
4 | SCOOTERING | NOVEMBER 2018
79
The sales and classifieds section for you to peruse.
Nostalgia master Dave Oakley pulls out another stunning blast from the past – this month it’s the classic Rubble Without a Cause… aka Bedrock.
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75 WWW.SCOOTERING.COM | 5
KICKSTART NEW!
LUKAS PRO FROM READSPEED
Readspeed has announced a new addition to its CDI range, the Lukas Pro, which builds on the success of the original ‘Lukas’ CDI, and offers additional improvements. The Lukas Pro is a totally new type of Lambretta CDI unit, which bypasses historic problems with Lambretta stator plates, and the ongoing failure of poorly made low tension coils. The Lukas simply gets rid of this weak point, providing extra peace of mind. By connecting the new Lukas Pro and following the instructions, you will see the following improvements: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
No more low tension coil failures Improved starting and low rpm response Fraction of cost when compared to a new ignition system Compatible with BGM, Indian, and all 12V systems with pick-up Re-use failed stators where low tension coil has failed Increased reliability USB 5V output for charging No additional regulator required
RRP: £85. More info: www.readspeedscooters.com
NEW!
BGM CRANKS FOR PX
Vespa PX owners looking for a high quality performance crankshaft will be very interested in the BGM Pro touring cranks now available from VE (UK). Designed and manufactured to offer superb performance, these forged crankshafts have a much higher material density than their non-forged equivalents, resulting in a longer lasting crankshaft due to the stronger material. The lubrication channels have also been improved over OE crankshafts with the big end pin having two large slots and four pockets for oil delivery, while the small end features two holes for lubrication purposes. Available for PX125 and PX200 engines with either a 57mm standard stroke length or 60mm stroke. The longer stroke option is an ideal choice for those increased cylinder capacities that require a 60mm crank, as well as being able to set the timing of the transfer and exhaust ports more easily. For more info: www.ve-uk.com or call 0115 946 2991
NEW!
57mm stroke – PX125
57mm stroke – PX200
ROYAL ALLOY SCORPION EXHAUSTS
Scorpion Exhausts has introduced ‘Serket Parallel’ exhaust systems for the Royal Alloy GT 125, GP125 and GP 200 Scooters which boost performance and enhance the overall appearance. Constructed from quality materials for maximum levels of durability, the new systems have been individually dyno and road tested by in-house technicians to ensure perfect engine compatibility with no re-mapping required. The desirable look of the Serket Parallel silencer fits within the lines of the modern classic scooter with its distinctive high temperature composite end cap, red outlet port and laser engraved logo. Buyers have the choice between brushed stainless steel and black ceramic coated sleeve finishes. The Royal Alloy exhaust systems also come with a full lifetime guarantee applicable to the original purchaser of the exhaust. For more info: www.motogb.co.uk
6 | SCOOTERING | NOVEMBER 2018
60mm stroke – PX125
60mm stroke – PX200
SMALL FACES OGDENS’ NUT GONE FLAKE 50TH ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITIONS NEW!
To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Small Faces’ much loved third album Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake comes the release of a variety of new and very special deluxe editions across various formats (including deluxe triple 180g red, white & blue coloured vinyl LP box-set and a comprehensive three CD and DVD set) on October 19. All editions have been prepared under the watchful eye of Small Faces reissue producer and Immediate Records label manager Rob Caiger and approved by Kenney Jones. A red, white and blue coloured vinyl 180g half-speed mastered three LP box-set boasts a new softback 12in x 12in 72-page book of Gered Mankowitz photos, original artwork, rare memorabilia,
and interviews conducted with band members over many years by journalist and writer Mark Paytress, plus introduction by Kenney Jones. LP1 consists of the original mono mix of Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake, LP2 features the album’s original stereo mix, while LP3 boasts a plethora of rare tracks released for the very first time on vinyl, all providing a fascinating snapshot of this key period in the band’s career. The comprehensive new three CD and one DVD set comprises both original mono and stereo versions of the album together with a third CD that boasts an expanded version of the vinyl box-set’s bonus LP disc, additionally featuring gems such as the rare American single versions
of Mad John and The Journey plus the much sought after mono Afterglow Of Your Love, previously only released as a long sold-out 7in vinyl single for Record Store Day 2015 and made available here on CD for the first time. The contents of the vinyl book are also reproduced while this edition’s DVD boasts a real gem; although Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake was never attempted live in its entirety, the band did perform seven of the album’s 12 tracks on a single occasion – the June 21, 1968, edition of BBC TV’s Late Line-Up Colour Me Pop show. This studio performance is included on the new box-set’s DVD. Previously only
available in grainy quality on a long-deleted VHS release or as part of a hard-to-find DVD compilation, this new box-set’s audio & visual DVD content has been meticulously cleaned-up using the latest digital tech and presented here in the best quality possible. For more info visit: www.thesmallfaces.com
ACTIF LAMBRETTA 12V AC STATOR PLATES FROM VE According to VE, the Actif stator plate was developed over several years, with the sole aim of making it the best available item for Lambretta owners using the standard Ducati 12v AC ignition system. The extensive testing undertaken found that not all flywheels are manufactured the same, with some offerings requiring the pickup to be a fraction lower than on other stator plates available. The VE Actif stator design claims to have taken all the variables into account, allowing maximum compatibility across a range of flywheels. The stator plates come preterminated with insulated spade connectors for easy fitment and are available with either black or grey wire shrouding, and are suitable for fitment to Li S2/S3, SX, TV S2/S3 and GP models. For more info: www.ve-uk.com or call 0115 946 2991
NEW!
SIP DIGITAL SPEEDO FOR VESPA GTS
The new SIP Speedometer/Rev Counter for 2014 models onwards replaces the minimally equipped original speedometer unit with a multifunction instrument. It has an impressively large analogue display for either speed (up to 160mph/ kph), or the motor (up to 16,000rpm). This means that the speedometer needle can be programmed to display either speed or revs. The additional digital display shows the 18 different functions, through using the vehicle’s ‘Mode’ button. Alongside the standard analogue/digital vehicle and motor speed measurements there’s also a trip counter/total mileage function, ambient temperature, acceleration sensor
for distance and speed measurement, average speed and many more innovative features such as digital fuel level warning, temperature measurement for cylinder head/spark plug, battery charge level and more... The colour of the backlight can be set in eight different colours, with adjustable brightness. During every ignition sequence the speedometer conducts an automatic diagnostic check. The scooter’s road speed can be determined by using either the original speed sensor which is built into the vehicle’s wiring harness or a digital sensor,
separately available. A wiring loom adapter is included in the kit which is simple to install, no soldering necessary! Available now, in black and silver, RRP £239.16 More info: www.sip-scootershop.com
KICKSTART OPEN HOUSE AT SCOOTER CENTER KÖLN
T
hanks to glorious weather, more than 1000 scooterists from across Europe descended on Scooter Center Köln for their annual open day. With attractions ranging from a free Dyno to ice cream served from a converted Vespa Ape, there was something for all the family, particularly bargain hunters. Several traders had set up stalls early with many rare and elusive used parts to be discovered. Scooter Center was also offering discontinued stock at reduced prices together with trade samples at well below list price. Easily accessible by air from the UK, Cologne (Köln) is a beautiful city to visit and if your better half needs further convincing, the savings to be made could easily pay for the trip. The open day is usually held towards the end of the summer and dates for next year’s events, along with other Scooter Center News can be found by following them on Facebook or on their website blog page: www.blog.scooter-center.com Images: Scooter Center
Never miss an issue 8 | SCOOTERING | NOVEMBER 2018
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KICKSTART
LICENSED FOR THRILLS?
Stan’s heading off the beaten track so, with one eye on post Brexit possibilities, he got the lowdown on applying for an International Driving Permit. What’s the current position? Although anyone who’s ridden in Italy may find it hard to believe, members of the European Union have agreed to common standards for the issue of a driving licence. As a result a licence issued by one member state is recognised by all the others. This isn’t the case worldwide, with individual countries being free to impose regulations as they see fit. Fortunately over 140 countries, including the EU, have agreed to recognise foreign driving licences as long as they’re accompanied by an International Driving Permit (IDP) What happens after Brexit? The official position is that some sort of mutual recognition treaty will replace the current arrangements. In the worst case post-Brexit scenario, British drivers may need to obtain an IDP; however it’s a little known fact that holders of the old ‘paper’ licence still require an IDP to legally drive in Europe. What’s an International Driving Permit? In simple terms it’s a legal translation of your Driving Licence. An IDP is valid for the purposes of tourism and temporary residency. For longer stays or business use, local regulations should be consulted. Is it the same as an International Driving Licence? No. An international Driving Licence has no legal status, be wary of websites offering to issue one. Do I need to take another driving test to obtain one? No. Do I still need my UK Driving Licence? Yes, the IDP is only valid if accompanied by the original licence. Who’s eligible? To obtain an IDP an applicant must hold a full Driving Licence for the class of vehicle concerned and be aged 18 years or over.
10 | SCOOTERING | NOVEMBER 2018
Above: Application form is straightforward. Above right: It’s not exciting to look at. Below: You don’t have to look like Russian Mafia to get one, but it helps (maybe)! What does it cost? An IDP costs £5.50 (£8.50 by post) and lasts 12 months from the date of issue. It shouldn’t be issued more than three months before the planned date of travel. Where’s it valid? From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe an IDP is a must for the serious globetrotter. A full list of countries which accept IDPs can be found at: www.theaa.com/driving-advice/ driving-abroad/idp-country-list How do I get one? The main issuing authorities in the UK are the AA and RAC, both of which accept
postal applications, but the simplest route is at a Post Office. If Brexit negotiations go badly there are plans to extend the list of authorised branches to 2500 but currently fewer than 100 can issue one. (Listed at: www.postoffice.co.uk/ branchfinder). At the Post Office you’ll need your original driving licence, a passport photo and a completed application form. Some Post Office staff may ask for extra ID so take a passport. The process takes about 10 minutes so, even if the worst happens, there’s no need to cancel next year’s European tour! Go online at www.postoffice.co.uk/ international-driving-permit
Supply... and demand
Sometimes we take it for granted that a shop will have plenty of stock when we need spares for our scooters, but who supplies the shops?
I
f you require parts, spares or accessories for your scooter then naturally you get them from your favourite dealer or shop. Whether it’s by ordering online or physically going and getting them yourself, rarely do you think about how they got there in the first place. To start with they are produced by a manufacturer, but along the way there is a supply chain that eventually gets them to us the customers. Several years ago when I had a scooter shop I regularly used a business that was part of this chain. On a recent journey and close to their vicinity, I decided to pop in and take a closer look. It’s an important part of the scooter industry and a side that rarely gets seen but their like the dealers would cease to function properly. The business in question is John Milverton Limited and I don’t suppose many reading this page will ever have heard of them. Originally it was started up by Len Doust just after the war – 1947 to be exact. To start off with the company was based solely around the motorcycle industry, hardly surprising as neither the Lambretta nor the Vespa had even arrived on the UK mainland at that time. The company’s first link to the scooter industry came by the way of an association with Vespa during the 1950s. With no pillion seat supplied for new machines, they were asked to supply seats exclusively for Douglas who were manufacturing the Vespa under licence for Piaggio. To this day there is the original design kept safe at the premises, a proud reminder just how long scooters have played a part within Milverton’s. As the scooter boom took hold they began to get more involved by way of supplying accessories such as mirrors, racks, and lights. With the demise of the scooter and the motorcycle industry in the early 1970s, the company began to tone down to a certain extent, instigated by the fact that the owner was nearing retirement anyway. Here is where the next major link certainly to the Lambretta took place. In 1975 the company was taken over by John and Doug
12 | SCOOTERING | NOVEMBER 2018
Perry. Their business, Perry’s of West Bromwich, had been an official Lambretta dealer since the late 1950s and was one of the biggest in the Midlands. They had since gone on to be Piaggio agents, successfully selling the Vespa in large quantities. Though they would still continue supplying the motorcycle trade once again they would concentrate more on scooters. With the resurgence of scooter ownership towards the end of the decade, this played very nicely into the company’s hands. Many wholesalers and distributors had all but given up on the scooter side and abandoned it completely. Milverton’s, however, had different ideas and coupled up with the factories in Italy that produced scooter parts never looked back. Instead, they forged new relationships and started to import more and more related products. A lot of new trade was drummed up in the UK with tyre manufacturers and oil suppliers each playing an important part of keeping scooters on the road. As time went by this would continue to increase with the introduction of brands like Casa Lambretta as the classic scene really started to take off in the 1990s. So how has the company become a major player in how we as scooter owners buy our spares? They are what is referred to as the middleman, the link between those that manufacture the parts and those that sell them to the public. It’s often said – why not get rid of the middleman and as a retailer go directly to the manufacturer? That’s easier said than done. If a shop wants 20 units of an item they can’t very well go to the people that make them with such a small order. A wholesaler on the other hand that serves many shops nationwide will go in with an order of perhaps 1000 which is exactly what Milverton’s does. Though you don’t think you need the middleman, the reality is you do. The more they order of an item the cheaper the price becomes. By passing on some of that discount to the shop this then means it’s cheaper for the
Managing director Wayne Cresswell who has been with the company 37 years and helps to keep the cogs of the UK scooter industry turning smoothly. public to buy. Also the bigger the order that is put into the manufacturer, the greater incentive it is for them to carry on producing in the future. Remember, if the manufacturers don’t get enough trade they will stop producing parts – meaning there won’t be enough spares to keep our scooters on the road. The wholesale market is a very competitive one and Milverton’s are not the only ones trading. There are many wholesalers doted around the country but many just keep local dealers and shops supplied. Some, however, supply many scooter businesses the length and breadth of the country. By stocking such a wide variety of spares it makes it easy for a shop to get almost everything under one roof. Don’t get me wrong, there are strict rules when it comes to getting an account with them. A registered business premises and proof of trading from that address are required to get an account, cutting out those that work from their shed for instance. This makes its fairer for those shops that pay rent and business overheads. So next time you’re buying a part for your Vespa or Lambretta, chances are it may have gone through John Milverton’s first. Though you may not have heard of or ever seen them, they play a vital part in the UK scooter industry.
’ n i v o l f o t o l A whole
It’s always great to hear about young faces on the scootering scene. It’s inspiring; and in those moments when you sometime might wonder if anything refreshing will enter onto the scene people like Aaron Williams rock-up and deliver a blend of youth with an ‘Old Skool’ classic custom... Family influences
Aaron Williams first got into scooters when he was only 12 years old. “I first started to hear stories about my uncles back in the 80s who were all skinheads. They were in ‘oi’ bands and with their mates they used to annoy people on their scooters. Then, when I was about 14 I saw my Uncle Jason’s Lambretta, it was in Old English white, it didn’t have any mirrors and when I heard it fire-up I knew I wanted a scooter. However, at the time I couldn’t afford one because I spent most of my money on records.” As Aaron’s interest in music developed, through his teenage years he moved towards the soul scene, which added to his interest in scooters. “When I was about 19 I would always see scooters at ‘weekenders’ and maybe the odd soul night. I loved looking at the paint work, but I leaned more towards the engineering side of things; I’d rather have a battered scooter but running like clockwork than some fancy thing that’s breaking down all the time!” Aaron laughed.
Bitten by the bug
Through the soul scene Aaron met his best mate, Stephen Cootes and started to go up to Scotland for more all-nighters. Steve had a Vespa PX125 and seeing Steve’s scooter gave Aaron the inspiration to start looking for his own machine. “I was now in full-time employment and I’d been able to start saving some cash. I wasn’t bothered what scooter I got as long as it was a Vespa; and when I got it I was going to take it apart and make it mine. I wanted to learn about every nut and bolt, how it ran, and also how to take it apart and fix it when the inevitable happened.” In June 2017 Aaron’s search for a scooter proved fruitful and he purchased Old Skool Fool. “This is the original name of the scooter, which is a good representation of me in a way, so I decided to keep it. I also decided to keep the theme of the scooter as it’s full on 1980s goodness; I just needed to give it a whole lot of lovin’.” The original paintwork was completed by Steve Brodie, the potential of the metal-flake and
Timeless paintwork by Brodie.
pin-striping was fantastic and the appearance of depth, which the paintwork could give was amazing. The ‘scale’ effect around the scooter gives a ‘reptile-like’ feeling and the skulls on the side panels add to a feeling of menace. Aaron had seen the potential, he knew that the scooter was in need of some TLC, but he knew the basics were there. “In the process of restoring the paintwork I wanted to keep it as original as possible but enhance the looks of the scooter. I wanted to lift out the potential of the paintwork; take it to the next level and add some personal touches.”
Learning curve
Aaron’s a pragmatic individual and takes pride in what he does, so he sat down and created a plan outlining how he would develop Old Skool Fool, and achieve his other priority of personalising the scooter. With this being Aaron’s first scooter, and bearing in mind the challenges which owning a machine that’s over 35 years old might bring I asked him how he set about the project. “The whole thing was dismantled and rebuilt, so it took me a while because every bit I took off I had to learn about in the Haynes Manual! The engine set-up was fairly straightforward, the scooter runs on a mainly standard engine with a 20mil carb and a Sterling expansion exhaust. However, the wiring was the main problem as it had to be completely stripped out, so to help me with this I sought the assistance of my fiancée’s uncle who knows a thing or two about scooters. After the engine work, suspension,
16 | SCOOTERING | NOVEMBER 2018
This is the original name of the scooter, which is a good representation of me in a way, so I decided to keep it. I also decided to keep the theme of the scooter as it’s full on 1980’s goodness; I just needed to give it a whole lot of lovin’. If the name fits...
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Forty-eight Autumn 2018
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MOTO MEMORIES // TECH TALK // MONTESA COTA 200 // BULTACO MATADOR
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R 2018 ISSUE 174 OCTOBER
N48 2018 US$15.99 Aus$14.99 NZ$18.99 UK£5.50 UK Off-sale date 15/11/18
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