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LI125 Series 2 Olympic homage

Friends of Lambretta Obsessions are aware of an Olympic connection. Steve’s wife, Tash, is an Olympian, representing Australia at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games in Weightlifting (placing 10th). Knowing the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome used a collection of 80 Lambrettas in the opening ceremony and seeing one of those scooters at Casa Lambretta in Milan during a visit in 2012, Tash decided she wanted her own.

At the Casa Lambretta museum in Milan, Italy (2012)

Others have created replicas before. When deciding to set about this project for ourselves, we didn’t want to copy what they had done, we wanted a slight difference. In the Rome Games the scooters were all numbered from 1-80. During a conversation with a friend about our plans, an idea formed to use number “00” on Tash’s side panels as homage to her being a 2000 Olympian.

It’s been a long, slow process, due to other priorities, plenty of interruptions and a few decision changes along the way. Here is the progress so far…

First we had to find a suitable Lambretta to restore. In 2014 we located a tatty LI 125 Series 2 in Ohio, USA which was asking a good price. It was the right production period that the original Olympic ones were made in. We bought it.

We sent it to our friend, Eric, at ‘2nd Avenue Scooters’ in Arizona, USA. Eric is well known for his genius in the Lambretta community, particularly his skilled panel beating and paintwork. Eric discovered a bad twist in the frame and sent it to Casa Lambretta USA in Denver so Jon Kroge could perform a miracle. Together they would work their magic on the bodywork to bring this scooter back to life. We were sent photos of the process as it was stripped and prepared:

Paintwork followed:

By April 2016 it was ready to be packed into a crate and shipped to its new home in Sydney, Australia. When it arrived in May, Tash excitedly watched as Steve opened the crate and then opened the carefully wrapped parts.

The bodywork was stored away carefully as Steve set about rebuilding the engine. From this:

Commencement of the build occurred at the same time:

Tash helped a little building the forks.

Check back for more updates later…

SX150 restoration (original verde mela)

About this project

This customer is known for his love of SX200’s – he has never wanted a small block Lambretta. Then he saw a picture of the SX150 verde mela. What followed was countless hours on the internet looking for an unrestored SX150 that was originally that colour.

He found it and brought it to Lambretta Obsessions. The engine was seized. Bodywork was particularly terrible, having been heavily filled and brushed over with house paint. Yes, you read that correctly. But other than that, it was pretty much complete.

As seen in the photos, some of the original apple green was preserved between panels.

We found the most pristine area under the rear light rubber gasket. We used this area to colour match before bodywork went for stripping.

Scooter dismantled
Frame checked
Repairs marked & noted

Ready for stripping:

Repairs pre- dry build:

Damage revealed after stripping
Left hand floor section irreparable

Dry build:

Panel reshaping & badge fitment checked
Rubbers fitted, panel gaps checked & adjusted
Panels being checked

Back from the painters and assembly commenced:

And the final touches: headset and side panel badges

Final test ride and shake down (2 heat cycles, about 50km) and she’s finally done – no adjustments necessary.

GP200 80’s retro cutdown

About this project

So who doesn’t regret selling their very first scooter? Well this customer sold his scooter back in the 80’s because life got in the way.  Imagine his surprise when he was at a garage sale almost 35 years later and there sitting in the corner, with its engine missing, was his old Lambretta cut down dilapidated but untouched since the day he sold it, right down to the electrical tape stripes on the side panels.

He brought it to Lambretta Obsessions with the remit that he wants it to be the scooter he always wanted in the 80’s but didn’t have the time, money or experience to build. Plus as you will remember, parts were scarce it the 80’s. Though the remit has changed slightly, due to the arrival on the scene of Casa Performance.

This is the story of its rebirth.  Continue reading “GP200 80’s retro cutdown”