MAN & MACHINE

Name: Neil Castle Scooter club & town: Cheltenham Blue Diamonds. How did you first become interested in scooters: Dad had a GS. Your first scooter: Primy. Favourite scooter model: GS. What is your favourite style of custom scooter:

Smallframe (at the moment!). First rally or event: Isle of Wight 1982. How did you get there: Primy. What’s the furthest you’ve ever ridden a scooter:

200+ miles. What’s your favourite Scootering magazine feature: Custom feature scooters. Your favourite custom/featured scooter of all time: IBBO’s Series 1, Bettie Page. Name of scooter and reason: Castle’s Rocket (as in Stephenson’s Rocket). Steampunk and ’kin fast. Scooter model: Vespa 90/Quatrini 200. Inspiration for the project: I like steampunk stuff, luckily so does Sam Cave at ReBorn to be Wild. Both Sammy and John let their imaginations run wild on this one! Time to build and by who: Yearish. Me. Any frame modifications: Panels widened and tilted – Weasel (Paul Hardwick). All other bodywork and alterations by Tom Clark and John J Tooze at ReBorn to be Wild. A Are there any specialised parts: A lot of pre 1 1820s brass. Seat and tank pad by Gerry at L Leathery Elephant. PK Front disc forks. SIP Perfomance P rear shock. 2.0 race. BGM Pro/ Comp C front shock. Engine E spec (please list all changes from the standard s spec of the engine): Kit: Quattrini 200 Crank: C Quattrini. Carb: 28mm Dellorto. Exhaust: E Quattrini. Clutch: Falc. Gearbox: 27-69 gear g kit. Porting and dyno work by: Jerome, Readspeed R Paintwork P and murals done by: Sammy Cave – murals, m John Tooze Paint. ReBorn to be Wild. I s there any engraving done by: Tried to use as a much original brasswork as possible for aged a look. I s there any powder coating: Levers and wheels painted with brass particle mix.

Is there any chrome: Copper tube used as legshield trim (all done by ReBorn to be Wild).

What was the hardest part of the project: Fitting legshield trim and mudguard trim made from a length of copper pipe (thanks Tom Clark, ReBorn to be Wild). Fitting 90 mudguard on PK forks. Is there anyone you wish to thank: Special thanks to John Tooze, Sammy Cave and Tom Clark at ReBorn to be Wild. Did loads! Weazel from Blue Diamonds for welding stuff. Gerry at Leathery Elephant for a stunning seat and pad. Mark Eavers at Burlow Engineering for the brasswork machining, Jerome as always for Readspeed engine.