Dealer spotlight
A dealer’s loft full of scarce and NOS parts is the stuff of legend, but in Sheffield it’s a reality. Scootering was invited to take an exclusive look behind the scenes at Armando’s.
This month we nosey behind the scenes of Armando’s.
Thanks to their range of Vespa specials Armando’s are well known to British scooterists but there’s so much more to this famous name than Pinasco-fuelled fun. Situated in the shadow of Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane ground, Armando’s are now in their 58th year of business and can trace their heritage directly back to the Innocenti factory in Milan. They are a true family concern, the shop now being run by brothers Giulio and Guido who took over the business from their father Armando in the late 1980s. Today their premises are both a treasure trove of spare parts and a home to state of the art tuning equipment.
The obvious things when entering the shop are the racks of spare parts and NOS items which seem to be suspended from every available space. “We’ve a lot of scarce items here” says Giulio “Not all of them are for sale though!”
A major part of Armando’s business is their painstaking restorations which are almost all based on machines they source from Italy. “We know that people like to see scarce parts – the series 1/2 mudguard hanging in the corner still has its original parts label. It creates a lot of interest and we’ve been offered big money for that but there’s a TV175 awaiting restoration. It needs a mudguard and if we let that one go we’ll never get another as the factory has closed and no more genuine Innocenti parts are being made. It’s not a question of just selling things on, we’ve a responsibility to make sure they are used properly. People come wanting NOS parts but when we talk to them it’s obvious that there are better, and often cheaper, options. On the other hand we have customers with some very interesting ongoing projects and sometimes we know what parts are required before they do, so we put them to one side, waiting for them to ask the question!”
Although born and raised in Sheffield, it’s easy to see the brothers’ Italian
heritage as there’s an infectious atmosphere about them both. Whether it’s discussing days gone by, tracing parts down in Italy or the latest product from Tino Sacchi, both men have a wealth of stories and expertise to share. Crucially both are active scooterists and it would be extremely unusual if at least one of the brothers hasn’t ridden to work, whatever the weather.
Whether it’s for tuning, restorations, parts or just to see a real, authentic, established scooter shop, Armando’s is well worth a visit and we’ll be coming back to their treasure trove of parts in future editions.
Words: Stan Photographs: Gary Chapman