MACA AND ARMANDO’S
Speaking exclusively to Scootering, Maca explained how he developed the Armando’s scheme: “Dave Burnett and I had just set up business as Down Town Custom. We’d spent a lot of time and money getting the premises clean and ready for business but the only job on the books was a single one-armed bandit. Dave wondered if we’d done the right thing but I was convinced that I could drum up some trade and went on the road.
“My sales pitch was for shops to give me scooters in the worst selling colours, I’d spray detail over the base colour and promised they’d sell them in a week. I came back with four bikes each from Reghams in York, AF RaySpeed, Dyron’s and Armando’s. Although the Regham Dominator has passed from most people’s memories, that resulted in some classic dealer specials, including Armando’s. Devising the scheme was a case of following the panel lines. On a P Range both mudguard and side panel have three areas – a ‘semicircle’ at the top, a wide band in the middle and a smaller band at the base. The early work for Armandos followed that principle but I soon realised that a wedge shape made the scooter looked like it was going fast even standing still. That’s how the classic Armando’s scheme evolved.”