Another Lambretta rim

This chromed Lambretta rim arrived in the mail today. A friend from southern Sweden put it up for sale, thanx Olof!
It will be the spare wheel for my Lambretta TV 175, series 1. But first it needs a coat of ivory paint. Only the outer part of the rim should be chromed. My painter fixed it on the two other wheels. Like this!

The other Lambretta series 1...

Two Lambretta TV 175, series 1, from 1958.

Maybe you have guessed, that there is something fishy going on in my backyard.

Yes, I have a Lambretta TV 175, series 1, under restoration. And a wreck.

It's always scary to post an ongoing restoration.  Will the inspiration go away? Will people ask about what happend to it?

Okay, I'll make a try anyway.

I bought this scooter three years ago, me thinks...

A friend restoring old cars mentioned that he had inherit an old Lambretta from his father who had passed away. I waited over six months before I contacted him, saying "you shouldn't be tellling me things like this...". He said "I know".

When the garage doors were opened and I could see that it was a series 1, I was hooked. The son had told me that it was from 1958, not much more.

A deal was struck, if I don't restore I have to sell it back to him. Luckily he didn't set a time limit...

The Lambretta was saved at the end of the 80's and the restoration started around 1990. The old man resprayed it himself in the right colour, ivory. He had the wheels re-chromed, but not painted. The restoration came to a halt since couldn't locate a new piston. This where the early 90's!

The scooter was partly reassembled, but the engine was in pieces.

I have so far purchased a piston with rings and my good friend Patrik put the engine together. I have also polished some of the aluminium bits. I decided early on that I wanted a yellow/brown two-tone, so the saddle was sent to a upholsterer. Here I also choose yellow/brown, trying to match the paint.

I also had the painter to apply the ivory paint on the chromed rims, just like original. 

As I showed in the former blogpost I had to take some parts from my wreck,

Right now I don't have all parts, but it's getting closer.

Stay tuned, and cheer me on!

It was for this head set I needed the bolt from the wreck.

The yellow is the original ivory, the brown is hazel nut.

A Lammy wreck is useful

The Lambretta TV 175 series 1 wreck in my yard have proven itself useful again. I have just saved the bolt that thightens the headset to the steering column/fork. The bolt is special made for Lambrettas and has the Allen-system, much favoured by Innocenti. The point is that you have a fair chance to adjust the sprint in this cramped area, if necessary, without dismantling the whole headset.
Not even that helps if use a regular nut and bolt since a spanner or a socket wrench is way too big.

The bolt, nut and washer did come off, some 53 years after someone fitted them at the Innocenti factory.

Cleaned from grime and rust. I applied some spray paint as well.

Strange Lammy wheel...

Oops, where did that come from?

Dabbling with a 175 series 1

Today's task, removing the engine from my Lambretta TV 175, series 1.

I have had a rough, very, rough Lambretta TV 175 series 1 from 1958 on my yard. I bought a couple of years ago.
The owner had salvaged it from a scrap yard in the beginning of the 80's.
There it had been idling outside for 10-15 years.
The man who sold it to me brought it home were his two sons played with it. Loosing side panels, saddle and other stuff along the way. Then another 25-30 years outside...
Well, it's a series 1 so I saved it. Thought it was time the let old lady come under a roof. (Well, the missus was displeased with this kind of garden art).
In order to bring it inside I had to take the seized engine out. It was only joint to the frame by the engine bolt at the back. It was very stuck. A hot air gun and rust oil did the trick, after some 45 minutes...
The front wheel was much easier to losen.

Spraying with rust oil, time after time.

Applying heat with a warm air gun (?). Time after time.

The sprint that finally gave in. 

The engine is out, at last.

The other side.

The front wheel was easier to remove.

The frame, not much left.

I had a little helper during work. Couldn't stand the heat?