Update for March 2008

I've done nothing new on the TV175, but am about $200 from totally completing the restoration of 1967 Vespa SS180.

Since my last post I missed buying a GP crank for $90 from SPD's Lambretta blow-out. That was a big bummer for me because the price was so good. I will use a GP crank, because I will go with either 186 or 190cc top end.

Rear shock spring

Before I can begin my R1/R6 shock conversion I needed to powder coat my spring (dust is on the spring in the photo. The paint is perfect). Powder coat is some tough paint and will handle the small pebbles and such hitting it as I clock 65 mph down the road.

I elected to go with the color black since that is how it would have come out of the factory back in 1962. Looking stock is important, even if you have mild mods, in my opinion.

I paid $12.50 to my mentor and friend Christopher Markley to powder it. He has a business for restoring scoots and small displacement motorcycles, called Moto-Rapido. He does excellent work and has worked a lot on my wife's Vespa VSC, including rebuilding the engine.

Just a reminder . . . there will be little to no work done on this Lambretta until Fall/Winter of 2008 as my priority is to complete my wife's 1967 Vespa SS180's restoration first.

Lesson learned:One side on the shock was NOT powder coated and I asked Christopher why that was the case. Here is the answer I got:

"You beat me to the e-mail. Put those ends facing down. When powder coating, you can suspend the part on wires or let it stand on its own if it has a flat surface. Regardless, wherever it touches, no powder. Seems on the springs that shortly after installation, the powder or paint if you use paint will quickly wear away as the spring seat grinds around against the shock spring support. So I opted to not suspend the parts on wires, since the suspension points would have been on a visible surface of the spring. This way, they look pretty and the part without powder would have lost its coating anyway in use. If you're worried about it, a smear of thick axle grease where the springs meet the shock could postpone corrosion, but it is inevitable at those mating points eventually."

Need a title?

My Lambretta did not come with a title as many barn yard finds don't or maybe you lost your title -- and now you need one. That's an easy fix at $80.

Look into International Title Service. They're the most frequently used service for old motorcycles and cars.

In a nutshell what you do is sell your bike to them and they resell it back to you with a clean title.

Easy as 1-2-3.

Alternative ways can be found on Scoot.net's Wiki.

Of course these approaches are for the USA.

Lesson Learned from Posting on BBS:
*sigh* ITS and Broadway don't provide actual titles. They charge to provide you with paperwork which enables you to title a vehicle in your home state.

You are still responsible for paying your states' fees for tax, tags, and title above and beyond what you pay any titling company for their "service".

Some states don't accept paperwork from out-of-state titling services, so caveat emptor before spending money with ITS or Broadway. Most state have a process for obtaining a title for a vehicle that doesn't otherwise have one, which is usually cheaper and quicker than using an out-of-state titling service, which is why that FAQ is on scoot.net.

Enjoy,
John M. Stafford

My second purchase: R1 shock conversion

(Sorry I rotated the picture before I saved it, but Blogger did not accept)

My second purchase is items needed for converting a Yamaha R1 or R6 rear shock for the Lambretta. Pictured above is a "184" shock from Century Springs and brass bushings. I spent a total of $40.00 on these items. A nice fellow from Lambretta Club USA named Jake posted a request to do a big order and I went in with him to cheapen the price of the springs.

For "detailed instructions on converting an R1 shock" copy and paste this url into your web browser:
http://www.lambretta.org/index.php?pid=13

I am NOT big on mods at all, but did not have a rear shock included with my TV when I bought it and I wanted a inexpensive performance shock. I will powder-coat the spring black to honor the factory look -- at least an effort to.

Now all I need to do is place an order on eBay for the rear shock. I hope to buy a $30 or less practically-NIB (new in box) R1 or R6 shock since some Yamaha riders upgrade their shocks before they hit their first 100 miles.

Vespa Vagabond

I attempt to be meticulous in my restoration blogs (see Vespa and Lambretta), but the quality of the writing goes by the wayside for the content.

I have always wanted to tour coast-to-coast on a scoot. This woman did it solo and documented the trip with quality writing (which I appreciate as a English teacher) and photographs (which I also appreciate as a amateur photographer of film cameras).

I have chatted about scooter camping before, but this woman took the ride to a whole new level by traveling alone on her Vespa from SF to NYC over two months on back roads through no named towns. An amazing trip indeed.

Check her blog out at:
http://www.vespa-vagabond.blogspot.com

I recognize that this post if off-topic for the restoration of my Lambretta TV175, but for the sake of documentation . . . her blog honors the craft with a great read and good information.

Thanx to my wife for showing me it.

My first purchase

My first purchase was an original (Italian) collar for the switch. When I bought the bike Stu told me this would be one of the more difficult parts to the find that was missing from the bike. This collar is specific to the TV -- the Li model switch would not fit; although non-switch side collar will fit just fine (and I need it). I did have the switch and wiring though. I began looking for this part right away. According to Stu and Tom G. they were confident I would find one and Stu guessed the price at $50 tops. I posted on BBS and asked people to keep an eye out, but they all told me that I would "never" find it. This specific switch uses the brass pulley system for cables and I was told that I could adapt another switch and use the plastic pulley system in worst case scenario.

Months passed by, but I remain relaxed and trusted Stu and Tom G. that I would find it. One day Stu emailed me his friend's, Bret R.'s, contact info stating he had my switch. I emailed Bret and low-and-behold he was willing to sell it to me. Stu also told me that the UK and Asian shops were getting in reproductions of the switches. Bret lived out of state, but his scooter gear was stored in the city I live in. A couple more months passed and I got an email from Bret telling me we could meet up and he would sell me the collar. The irony here is that BBS said I would never find it and Bret's scooter gear was located five blocks from my house -- walking distance. I paid Bret $40 for the original Italian switch.

I am not a purist, but I believe that staying as original as your wallet will let you is important. It's about the integrity of the bike in my eyes -- or the soul if you will.

If you are looking for Lammy parts go to the Lambretta Club of America's site and ask for help. BBS requires you to wear thick skin and not everyone who responds to you is truly an expert.

The Vision (for when all is said and done)

In speaking with Stu I decided to use an R1/R6 shock conversion for my rear shock. He sent me to Lambretta Club of America (lambretta.org) where a group of guys were going in on a bulk order of shock springs and bushings for the conversion.

Wow! I'd first like to say that the folks in this club are so nice and helpful. These guys offer solutions and share information. The guy, Jake, who placed the order for the springs and bushings not only fronted the cash for everybody, he even drove from San Mateo to SF to deliver my parts to my dad's office. Seriously, good people at the Lambretta Club of America!

Sorry I digress . . .

While perusing the rest of the site I found a section on the "forums" where folks post pictures of their Lambretta's and I came across a 1962 Lambretta TV175 restored to Stone White with a Ox red seat . . . it is exactly the same bike that I have and I have decided to restore it to its original color as well as reuse my red seat. Looking at these photos of this Lambretta is basically like looking at my bike after the restoration is complete.

The bike first looked like this. It was restored by Mike Anhalt, a member of Lambretta Club of America. His post said, "Fully redone TV175 with a GT186, 24mm mikuni, Casa Exhaust. All stainless hardware and proper stickers with orgional floor board extentions. Took about 7 months start to finish (50 hours of 2 hour weekends and mornings)."

Mike wrote the bike was an East Coast rust scoot when he first got it. He was hired by someone to restore it as if Mike was restoring it for himself.

The bike looks a little rougher than my bike, but then again it was 100% complete when Mike received it -- as far as I can tell from the photos.

The beauty in this bike is in the details, I believe. It is clear to me that Mike Anhalt is an experienced restorer and has the eye-of-a-jeweler -- all the small details matter to him. That is the mark of a true restorer. Notice the R1/R6 shock conversion, not stock, but an inexpensive way to build a performance rear shock. I will also build a R1 shock for my TV.

At first I thought that all white scooters were a bit of bore, but with the ox blood red seat the bike really pops. Furthermore, the idea of having the bike look nearly exact the way it did coming out of the factory over 40 years ago seems very cool to me.

I will not add a GT badge on my Lammy, but I will use a Dean's Speed 190 kit so performance wise it may not be different than the 186 kit Mike put on the top end of this TV.

All in all my bike will look pretty similar and also be very mildly customed. My goal, like Mike, is to keep the TV as true to the era.

If bike comes out anything like the one above, I will be so happy.