Project Street Sleeper
Last month the basis of the project was outlined, as well as the story behind the chassis. This month, the biggest gap in the ‘parts list’ is plugged. Enter, the 275cc Targa Twin...
Dan’s new project, no fancy paintjobs, just a discreet pocket rocket. Last month we found a decent chassis, this month we make the engine choice.
I can’t afford that
I have to admit, this engine was never on my radar when I first set off on this project, and for many reasons. To name just one of those reasons is the fact that I’m a real ‘bang for buck’ type of guy, and this engine was never marketed as representing that. There are many reasons a person would want to own a Targa Twin, which I will come to, but as I say, bang for buck ain’t one of them.
If you are unsure what I mean by that, let’s put it this way… the early 250 TT engines were reputed to be around 23hp, later revised/updated production runs were touted to be circa 25-26hp. At those levels, a decent tune on a cast 240cc cylinder, or a basic tune on a TS1-230 would be the wisest way to spend your money… if you wanted a specific bhp level, on a specific budget.
But this engine was never about bang for buck, it was about so much more. Without getting bogged down in the details of a history lesson, most Lambretta lovers know that ‘Project 137’ was the conspiracy theorist equivalent of Area 51. Project 137 was at first just a myth, the sighting of a twin cylinder SX200 by Mike Karslake when visiting the Milan factory, later denied by Concessionaires head honcho Peter Agg. But many years later Mike Karslake was proven entirely correct by a find in the 1980s which showed that there was a progression to prototype stage of a Lambretta twin-engine machine. Sadly, the demise of Innocenti’s Lambretta production line meant that we, the scootering public, never got to see the mass-production of what would surely have been today’s ‘holy grail’ of machines. This ‘unfinished project’ was the spark which pushed scooter legend Tino Sacchi, along with his team, to develop the very first modern version of the engine… in the Targa Twin 250.
Evolution, not revolution
The latest evolution shown here at 275cc is described as having circa 30hp which, as Tino says, is the perfect combination of speed, mpg, reliability, performance, and driveability. I know also that there are a few cheeky 275R (reed-valve) versions kicking round, with twin expansion chambers and 40hp output… but that development is for the individual owner at the moment. The ‘off the shelf’ version sits firmly in the ‘wider appeal’ bracket which Tino intended.
This new power output, combined with the broad spread of power and good lump of torque, did give the whole situation new perspective in my opinion. But still, when the offer of a deal on one of these engines came my way, my initial gut reaction was… I can’t afford it. This was heavily off-set with the knowledge that I’d love one of these. Who wouldn’t? The ‘completion’ of Innocenti’s prototype, the unmistakable purr of a twin-cylinder two-stroke (being an RD250 fan, I was already starting to crumble), and the chance to own/ride one of the most iconic engines on the market… and if not now, then when? The old adages of ‘life’s too short’ and ‘live for today’ started ebbing into my mind, and eventually I struck a deal and got this ‘second hand’ but unused unit in a very fair deal. It had originally been used by a UK scooter dealer for an upcoming project, but was then no longer required, so I snapped it up… all 275cc of deep-purring twin-cylinder, ready to be shoehorned into my street sleeper chassis… happy f**king days!
Shed and buried
The old Scooterotica garage I worked out of, before life at Scootering magazine, is about 13 miles from my house, and with the thought of wanting to ‘just nip out the garage for half an hour’ on a frequent basis, I decided a decent workshop at home was required. I managed to lay the foundations while the weather was still good in August, and get the unit erected in September, so was very happy about that. Come October I’d installed my tools and a work bench, just in time for the chassis and then engine to arrive. Only one problem – having zero knowledge of electricity, I’d just presumed we could ‘run a wire’ from the house. My pal who does this sort of thing soon set me straight on that, and I now have the job of digging a 25m trench for the armoured cable to go in, so the shed can be linked up to the main fuse box etc. At this point (Dec) it’s freezing cold and pissing it down in rural North Yorkshire, and I’m wishing I’d got the electricity hooked up first instead! But no matter, even without power, I can continue to accrue the parts I need, and find a few daylight hours here and there to progress the project over winter. The anticipation and wait will only make the end result more worthwhile! In the meantime, my ‘parts still required’ list has increased to: long range fuel tank with dual carb cut-outs, front disc brake, rear shock absorber, front dampers, loom, brake light switch, rear light lens, wheel rims, tyres, speedo, and a Targa clubman. My overdraft and credit card are both trembling at the very thought! Stay tuned.