Not another Lambretta
Converting Lambretta frames to take auto engines is nothing new, but what about converting an auto to look like a Lambretta?
Engineer and founder of EDM Race Paints, Rick Galloway, isn’t a man bound by conventional thinking. His workshop in Barnsley is more like Dr Frankenstein’s laboratory due to the range of two-, three- and four-wheeled projects he’s got under way. Having ridden scooters since the early 1980s it was inevitable that Rick would turn his vivid imagination in their direction. The result is a machine that’s sure to divide opinion as it’s the first Piaggio Zip to feature in
Scootering magazine for many years. “I’d looked at various Lambretta auto conversions and thought there must be another way of approaching the problem,” explained Rick. “I’ve been producing fibreglass moulds for years and looked around for a modern scooter that would take a set of Lambretta panels and by inserting 70mm into the frame, a Zip fits perfectly.”
Rick built a special jig to ensure that handling remains close to factory specifications but the weight saving is considerable. “This weighs around 10kg less than a standard Zip and 35kg less than a GP. Even with the standard 125 engine it’s very quick and far more nimble than a Lambretta to ride.”
Unlike traditional conversions Rick’s creation hasn’t butchered an original frame “The only Lambretta components are a few pieces of trim and the headset which is probably the hardest part to find at a reasonable price.” This way, the Zip retains its original identity and as a result complies with current regulations.
This isn’t the typical machine we’d feature in Scootering but it does show the level of ingenuity among scooterists. If it encourages just one reader to approach an engineering challenge in a different way then Rick’s time has been well spent.
Words & Photographs: Stan