Paging the old Vespa scooteristi-foak-sperts

Is this http://www.leboncoin.fr/motos/201653364.htm a good deal?

 

If it runs and isn't rusty in the bits the pictures don't show. Yes.

Fraser

 

"sell Vespa ACMA June 1955
I roll with 2 times per week should see the light of the headlight and
rear."

Fear my mighty lumiére du phare!

 

I'd be more than a little suspicious of that one.
Exposed handlebar Vespas were discontinued in 1957 and that one says it's
either a 55 or 60, and it looks very clean and shiny.
That's usually a sign of a vietnamese restoration where they have bodged a
newer scooter to look like a classic. The engine serial number won't be
correct for that year and there's a good chance it's about to self destruct,
plus the bodywork is likely to be full of filler.
If it was a genuine original example or a quality european restoration it
would be a lot more expensive than it is.

http://www.scooterlounge.com/Vespa/Handlebar/Handlebar.shtml

http://www.rovers-usa.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1938

 

Ah, thank you. I shall investigate further. I may ask him for the engine
number.

 

Thanks for the info Alex, all very enlightening,,,

Lee...

 

No probs. Ask for engine and chassis number (the cowlings can be swapped to
make it look older than it is too) and also what size wheels are on there.
Original machines would have 8" rather than 10".
http://www.scooterhelp.com/scooters/ACMA.125.55.html

In the US they are very much "Don't touch anything restored overseas", with
stories of doom and gloom about how engines have parts made from coke cans
and frames held together with filler.
I'm sure there are quite a few that are that bad, but I don't think it's
always that black and white as there are other restorations that can still
be worth a look as long as you are careful. This doesn't look to have all
the hallmarks of a really bad bodge (two tone paint, lots of chrome etc) but
you should ask questions about it's history. If he can prove that it's a
european original then at that price it's well worth buying.

If it is an import, a very good look at the bodywork should give you an idea
of how much metal is left under there, and if the engine has been replaced
that's not necessarily the end of the world if you are looking for a bit of
fun transport rather than a show winner. The 50s engines are mind numbingly
slow, so a later 70s or 80s powered machine should be much quicker with
parts (or an entire new engine) easily sourced.

 

"Cette annonce est désactivée"
Maybe it was a fake, after all.

 

All you need to know about machinery of that type and from that era is the
name on the packet and an alternative spelling of Vespa has always been
"Utter fucking shit designed to go fast (for extremely disputable values
of fast) for ten seconds and then either dissolve or evaporate depending
on the local climate, particularly the former if used within 20 miles of
any coastline."




..

 

eh? The Acma was never designed to "go fast" It was a company in its
own right effectively building Vespa's.

The french also built Lambretta's well, the LD models anyway, as did
the Germans under licence as NSU but had the licence withdrawn when
(allegedly) the changes the Germans made were such improvements on the
original Italian design that the Italians just couldnt live with it.

--
Donnie
"**** the world, it's time to fight back"

Lambretta Series 2 186cc "The Shitter"
Lambretta LD 175cc "The Chopper" SOLD and all the cash went on a telly!
Honda CB500R "Look out, Donnie's about!"