Cigarettes, booze & Vespa?

I just got this jewel. An old ashtray in the form of a Firestone tire where the tray has beautiful drawing of a couple on a Vespa. From the beginning of the 60's? No faro basso, the headlamp is on the handle bar.
Pretty cool, huh?

Ingap Vespa box found

I received this box today, from a good friend. It's a box for a Vespa tin toy, made by the firm Ingap from Padova in Italy. It's just the box, the toy is missing. But I'm really happy anyway. It's a nice piece of Vespa memorabilia from the 50's.

Mobile on a 1962 Vespa?

I have found yet another cover for a Swedish magazine with a Vespa on it. This is from the magazine "Motor", 5th of March 1962. The headline reads "Tvåhjulingen i kläm" (the two-wheeler in a squeeze).

If you're expecting an article on Vespa you will be disappointed, nothing inside the magazine. It's just a pretty girl and a Vespa between an american-looking car and a Fiat 1400 (1900? I'm not sure here).

The most awkward thing though, is she really holding a smart phone? In 1962?

Molto strano, la bella ragazza tiene una cellulare! Nel 1962...

Penso che il foto é da Italia.

Lambretta + Carello for Vespa

The headlamp in it's place.

I've been doing some scooter work as well as tending to my newly bought moped.
In order to get my Lambretta TV 175 series 1 going, I moved it to my friend Jim. He has the tools, a lathe, a weld and more, and he knows how to use them. The other day we started out with some of the electrics, it's certainly a tight fit in the headset.
Next task was to help me with the brackets for my Carello half moon fog lights. The ones bought at the Imola fair and that will end up on my Vespa 160 GS. Another friend had the crash bars, an original accessory from the 60's. Thank's, C!
Unfortunately the brackets I had bought had a inner dimension of 25 mm, and the crash bar tubes are 19 mm...
Jim made some washers on his lathe and the mounting was no problem, as you can se.
The chainguards, two of them, to my moped (motobici) Svalette was missing. With a strike of luck two spares can turn up the coming week. Fingers crossed...

It's a tight fit with the electrics and cables.

Not ready for start yet...

The Carello fog lights mounted on the crashbar...

...which will be fitted to my Vespa 160 GS.

Vespa rally badge from 1954

Happy day! I just got this one delievered by mail (old fashioned snail mail). A friend of mine from up north told me that he had an old Vespa badge from a rally. I met him in his home this summer, but he couldn't find it during my visit. But he promised to send it to me as soon as it showed up.
I've been waiting and waiting...thanx a million!
Right now I don't know so much about "Rally de Stockholm 1954", organised by Vespa Club Sverige. But I will found out.
The circumference is about five centimeters or two inches.

Questa emblema ha arrivata oggi!

Delta Rhythm Boys on Vespas

I just found this EP, recorded in 1957. The first song is "Liselott", not even close to Northern soul...
But there are five lovely guys on five Vespas.
The vocal group Delta Rhytm Boys was started as early as 1939 in Oklahoma, USA, according to the record sleeve. After WWII the went to Europe and ended up in Sweden in 1949. During the early fifties they recorded some EP:s for the newly formed Swedish record company Metronome. In 1955 they performed in over 150 places in Sweden.
Originally a jazz group but during their stay in Sweden they recorded several folkloristic and popular Swedish songs. In Swedish! I myself remember their rendition of "Flickorna i Småland", sung with a thick american accent and I believe that they only roughly knew what they were singing about. They also sang in Finnish!
So why posing on five Vespas?
The record label Metronome was started by Anders Burman and his brother Lars. But it was owned buy two brothers Bjerke, Mats and Tore. The Bjerke brothers also owned the Vespa importer "Como M & T Bjerke", Como came from their start as importers of fabric (silk) from the Como-district in Italy. Both businesses, records and Vespas, were operated from the same adress, Karlavägen 67 in Stockholm. And, this adress was also home for the Vespa Club Sverige (Sweden).
So, one hand makes an EP with Delta Rhytm Boys, the other want's to sell more Vespas. Voila, a beautiful record sleeve!
But I wonder if the Delta Boys ever drove their Vespas, in the pic they're all on their stands.
The model is the Vespa Touring, an export model with 150 cc, 6 hp and 10-inch wheels - the most common vintage Vespa in Sweden. The cowls had the "grodyngel" (tadpole, parole italiano e' girino) accesory. Note the arial with the foxtail, and I think there is a Vespa Club Sverige badge on the shield to the one in the middle.

Awesome Aussie Vespa dealer

Les Smith, importer, and Vittorio "Tony" Tonon.

The wonderful world of internet. I started chatting on the forum of Vespa Riders Club of Australia. I asked about some old Vespas and was directed to the site of the Vespa dealer Vespa House in Melbourne.
And discovered some amazing pictures from the about the late fifties, Vespa House was established in 1956 by italian immigrant Vittorio "Tony" Tonon.
I got in contact with his grandson Dean Tonon, who with his brother Jemahl is running the business nowadays while their father Frank keeps an eye on things.
Dean has let me publish the pictures here on my blog.
- Tony, everybody called him that, and my father Frank and our mechanic Johnny, established the company. We're just happy to continue, Dean says.
Tony is riding pillion in the top picture, at the handlebar is Les Smith, manager for the Vespa importer Bruce Small.
Dean's uncle Bruno Tonon was also involved.
- He worked with them in the early days. He even met his future wife, Ingun from Gothenburg (!), in the workshop. I think that Ingun was riding a Lambretta at that time.
The mechanic Giovanni "Johnny" Scriba arrived 1959 at the age of 20 in Melbourne and the year after he started to work for Vespa House. And he is still helping out!
The pictures are actually in colour, but heavily faded after over 50 years. I decided to show them in b/w instead.
Look at the awesome Holden "Ute"or "Utility"car with two kids outside the workshop. With the inscription "Tony's Vespa Towing Service". I bet it was handy, but was it good for business? Does Vespas really need towing?
Holden was the Australian subsidary of General Motors, since 1931. I think the one below is the FJ Holden Utility 1953-1956 (Aussies, feel free to correct me!).

Bruno Tonon outside the workshop.

A wonderful Holden "Ute", a pickup affiliated with General Motors.

They serviced both Vespa and Lambretta. Faro basso far right.

They even had a Vespa 400! Missed the girls name.

And an Ape!

Imola: Vespa and Vespa and...

The sun, an umbrella and a Vespa, you don't need more.

Well, what can I say. This was the first time I gave up taking pictures of all the Vespas at a fair. In Sweden that's actually possible. At Imola, no. 

Okay, I didn't see a 98, an Utilitaria or a GS "cavi esterni" (VS1). They were home by the collectors. 

It would have been fun to see an Allstate from USA also. 

Otherwise their were Vespas from 1949 to present.

I'm basically a 50's and 60's man, but the 80's are creeping up on me. The overpimped PX's with Yankee-seats white plastic trim is, well, digestable.

Yeah, I also missed seeing any Longhi sidecars.

And if I have made any mistakes, please rectify in a comment or so.

Prego:

This would be a "Roman Vacanzes".

This one too, but this one should be left alone.

Here is a faro basso, VM1 or VM2. 

Cosa, they get more beautiful by each year passing by...

A JPS smallframe should be at Imola!

I'm only guessing: VNB4 with original sidecar, custom paint.

Some PK, I like the white accessories.

Widebody with a hideous flyscreen.

 

This sad lot waited for their new masters...

A 1951-1952 "Roman Holiday" with two sparewheels.

A mixed lot, even a Lambretta and some engines.

Some small frames and to the far right a "Struzzo", VL1-VL3.

GS 160, first series.

French Acma, about 1955-1956.

Ancora una Vespa sidecar

This original Piaggio sidecar for Vespa might be for sale. At the moment I'm negotiating with the current owner. The sidecar has been resprayed in this metallic blue colour. For me that's bad, my plan is to have a sidecar attached to my 1956 Vespa 150 (VL3), il Struzzo, that will get an original light grey colour.
I don't think we had any side cars of the italian Longhi brand here in Sweden. I've seen some german Bender and Royal sidecars attached to Vespas. Steib was also an option but I think that was mostly for motorcycles.

As you can see, the very small enamel Piaggio-badge isn't in top condition. Very hard to find, seems a bit like the badge on the Moscone outboard motor, but it's in another size.
The wind screen is ordered some ten years ago or so. I believe it's too short compared to the original screen from the 50's.

The seat is absolutely original and in good condition.

Surviving 'Bongo' or just getting around Dar

We wake up to an unpleasant surprise: Our new, used spare tyre is flat -- it burst while parking outside the Safari Inn we stayed for the night. Seems the tyre decide to take us to Dar and give up life straight after that. At least we made it here and can look for a spare... another one. The search begins, through Dar's many shops, mechanics and even the labyrinth of the notorious Kariakoo market

Elbowing our way into Dar

The day starts with a nerve-racking drive through the Mikumi National Park. There is nobody around to tell us not to enter the park so we go ahead -- although the 'Danger' sign at its entrance keeps us (well, at least me) anxiously looking left and right every now and then. Be it as it may, we don't get to see too many wild animals today. Some impalas and baboons cross our path and we see the

A pricey, used spare tyre and the manual we don't have

We get off to an early start but to no use. There is no tyre that will fit our scooter in the whole of Iringa. The Chinese imports on the market have a bigger wheel, almost double the size of the Vespa. Alberto follows one of the locals around town all morning looking for a possible replacement, but nothing can be done. A local mechanic promises he will be able to organise 'something', but we are

Iringa to ... well, IRINGA!

The day started on a rather pleasant note: woke up near the river, a hearty breakfast, good company from some Swahili-learning volunteers and the nice British pensioner who nostalgically pondered with us about his own crazy, good ol' scooter-days... There are many activities on offer at the camp -- from horse riding, to river walks or swimming in its current -- but the road is calling us. A 2 km

The hanging tree and racing on the Cape Town-Nairobi highway

Mbeya is one of those place you won't rush back to... yet it has its purpose nevertheless. There is not much to see, although the Loleza and Mbeya peaks are looming graciously over the town. The semi-colonial town centre is bustling with life this Wednesday morning. People are crowding around the local market and the garages in town. We scooter around looking for the 'hanging tree' -- according

Wazungu, pikipiki and Tanzania's greener pastures

East Africa, here we come! We get two nicknames the moment we pass the border: "mzungu" (or wazungu in plural) as they tend to refer to any white person walking around and "pikipiki" as all two wheelers are being called. Our Vespa feels right at home with scooters seemingly the preferred mode of transport in this part of the world. We cross the border at Tunduma and get sucked into a row of green

A state-subsidised bed in the heart of Zambia

Every day we plan to leave early to either cover the maximum distance... or to at least be able to stop in between to give our sore behinds a break. But every day the story is the same: it takes forever to fit everything back into our bags (it seems our stuff is multiplying even though we've been steadily depleting our food supplies); the scooter is getting less stable by the day while we try to

All roads lead out of Lusaka...

As in the case of Rome in Europe, all the roads in southern Africa seem to be leading into and out of Lusaka. One may not describe the urban trading hub with many superlatives, but the mishmash of dusty streets, bustling markets and sleepy charm in its many side roads has an attraction of its own. A colourful anti-AIDS campaign lining up murals along Cairo Road is leading us north out of Lusaka.

Sliding in mud and rain all the way to Lusaka...

We start the day at Wonder Bake, a local bakery that sells huge muffins and many other unidentifiable sweets and savouries. The cappuccinos taste yummy, even served in the tiger-pattern cups and saucers. At the next table all sorts of trading and money exchanges going on, with one hand passing the bills under the table, the other gently raising the cup of tea for another sip. We start off for

The mighty falls

At Livingstone, we head straight for Victoria (or Vic) Falls. Somehow, once again, we end up at the Zimbabwean border post instead. They tell us we've driven past the turnoff to see Vic Falls on the Zambian side. How did we miss that? Weren't these falls supposed to be huge? We turn around, pay the hefty $20 a person fee to see the natural wonder. The clouds and rain add a bit to the drama. Even

"I give you 20 cows for your scooter," a Zambian says

The ferry at Kazungula is a very special place. Four African countries meet here and two rivers run together. The ferry crossing is quite a mind-boggling affair. Trucks line up in a long cue up to the rivers edge. Luckily, with our tiny vehicle we get to move past everyone. All around us all possible trades: women and men alike running around with jerry cans, big plastic duffel bags selling and