Tukxi! Go Ape at the seaside

Phew, the  unexpected sunshine is fantastic scooter riding weather… and maybe you can even squeeze in one more trip to the beach. And we all know the English Seaside and scooter go together like cheese and marmalade (try it, it works!).

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If you’re going, there’s few better places than Lyme Regis, Dorset… on of the extra attractions for me is this beautiful Tuk Tuk Taxi (or Tukxi!) What better way to see Lyme. Den, Tukxi’s owner, will also hire her out for weddings, promotions, TV and film work… check out the rather nicely put together website for all the details! 

I know this is a Vespa based Tuk Tuk, not a Lambretta, but she is unarguably beautiful. And I’m going to throw in a little bit of extra trivia for you. The model is a Piaggio Calessino, (one of less than a thousand made), and it’s base model, as you will doubtless know is called the Ape. Not Ape to rhyme with Grape… but pronounced A–pey …the Italian for “bee”. Because Vespa is the Italian for Wasp… geddit? These scooter based vehicles were real workhorses for many years around Europe, the backbone of many a small business. To see one based on a Lambretta, check my Café Scooteria post.

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Café Scooteria

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Lovin this full service coffee cart in the Sonoma Valley, California.
Via The Sonoma Valley Sun. Built by Sorento Motors.

Ever wish you had a spare £16 Grand?

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I know, silly question. But I do, right now. There’s somebody on eBay selling this delightful, and pretty rare Lambretta Model D sidecar combination. Which looks as close to concours as you’d want. I’ve recently started compiling a ‘dream garage’ list of Lambretta’s I’d love to own, and a D is right up there. As is a Lambretta sidecar combo, but I’d never put the two together in my head. There are several nice touches to the setup that really work well, I love the chrome legshield trim on the scoot, as well as the spare wheel carrier with integrated petrol tank, a lovely original (looking anyway) item with the innocenti logo. The luggage rack on the sidecar and the front bumper bar on the D are nice too. It also comes with optional “butty box’ behind the fitted petrol tank, something I suspect is an expensive addition if you need to source an original one. Another nice touch is the matching saddles and leather trim on the sidecar. Class. The only thing that really jars is the wheel embellisher on the sidecar. I think I’d either lose that and paint the wheel to match the bodywork, or paint the blue part of the embellisher to match the saddles. But who am I to be so picky! It’s sitting at a not inconsequential £8k at the moment, which seems a tad on the high side to me, but if it’s the sort of rare, early Lambretta that floats your boat, it might be right up your alley. Link here.

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The other £8k would be going to the same bloke… clicking the “see sellers other items” link brought up a lovely Fiat 500 D. Nice, although again, probably a little on the high side price wise. Link here.
He does appear to have listed both items twice.

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The Smite – a modern reincarnation of the classic Messerschmitt bubble car

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I posted about this little beauty on my other blog, here, ages ago. Then it all went a bit quiet. … nothing. No updates on the website, nada. Until I spotted a link to this video on Facebook. I seriously want one of these… it would ‘go’ so well with my Series 2…The colour even matches (in the video). I’ll keep you updated if I hear more!

The official Smite website (hasn’t been updated for a while)
And Smite on Facebook  (a better bet for more up-to-date stuff)

Bear with me… I’m struggling to embedd the video into this post. Until I do here’s a link to it: SMITE Video

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Lambretta Willam

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A quick bit of “research” has garnered more information on the Lambretta/Willam story. Basically M. Willam was president of Lambretta France, his connections allowing him to create a large microcar empire in France in the next two decades. Willam was basically a marketing label for a variety of foreign-made vehicles to be sold in France. As head of Lambretta S.A.F.D. in Levallois-Peret, M.H. Willam first presented Lambretta-engined prototypes at the Paris Salon in 1966, which were actually manufactured by Scattolini in Italy.In 1967, he formed an alliance with Lawil (which is surely a contraction of Lambretta and Willam) of Italy, which produced a range of microcars sold in France under the names Willam City and Wilam Farmer. It would appear their main selling point was you didn’t need a proper driving licence to drive one… only a Permis A1. If you’re better versed than me in obscure, obsolete French transport regulations, please feel free to put me right.

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The “Sulky” which has to be a candidate for the oddest looking, oddest named car ever award, was ‘powered’ by a Casalini moped engine… 50 or (gasp) 60cc of pure power.

Although, in it’s defence… it has got a good turning circle 🙂 

 

Find out more on the excellent Microcar museum website, and on the (also excellent) Cybermotorcycle. Next post will be back to scooters, I promise!

French Lambretta Willam 125cc Microcar

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One of the best things about being a Lambrettista is that you are always learning… I’ve never even heard of a “Lambretta Willam Microcar” before, but there’s one for sale on eBay…

Apparently Monseuir Willam was president of Lambretta France in the late 1960’s and he created  microcars from 1967-72. Powered by a 125cc Lambretta engine, it’s not going to be beating any Ferrari’s away from the lights, but it’s kinda cute in a “Postman Pat” way. Somebody else has obviously made that link too… check out the (non legal, I’m assuming) numberplate.
Check it out on eBay here.