ETS Reunited
Simon Rickers purchased an ETS in bits from a local Telford lad who was having a garage clearance. The scooter was complete. However, it came with the engine cases split and in boxes of parts. Having paid £120, Simon had the intention of rebuilding it as a first scooter for his eldest son, Ben, then aged 16. “The scooter languished in my garage for months without any progress. Then myself and Ben came by a complete and road legal Vespa that we bought for him to use as his first scooter. I wasn't very clued up on Vespa small-frames so decided to part with the ETS, giving it to a mate of mine to sell at Kettering parts fair. My mate sold it on for £140 and I was £20 up!” However, immediately after Simon let the ETS go he subsequently became aware of the scarcity of the ETS small-frame and started to regret the decision. “The ETS model then became something of an obsession of mine!” he explained. Having recently turned 55, Simon took advantage of a private pension option, so with some extra cash he began looking again, and eventually one popped up on-line. “It was local, being located only 20 miles up the road in Dudley. I got straight on the phone to the seller, and started making inquiries about the scooter. As he was describing it to me, it became apparent that it was ticking all the boxes and it was advertised with a reasonable price! I hit ‘buy it now’ and a deposit was agreed. The seller promised to send me more comprehensive pictures and a video of the scooter running, which he promptly did.”
Years before, a friend of Simon’s gave him a house-warming card to mark the occasion. “The card had a painting of a Vespa on the front, so I kept it. Over the intervening years I wrote the registration numbers of all the scooters owned in the card, the last entry being a Lambretta GP I purchased in summer 2018.
“When the pictures of the ETS and video from the seller arrived on my phone I scrolled through them, becoming more and more pleased with my purchase. I then played the video. The seller, Craig, started the scooter up and did a ‘walk round’ it showing it in all its original condition. It had all the correct patina signs of aging and had all the correct factory-fitted decals, seat, exhaust, etc... Amazing!
“As Craig passed over the back of the scooter with the video the number plate came into view... my heart skipped a beat and the hairs on the back of my neck stood up! Amazing doesn't describe the feeling. Could this be the exact same ETS that I’d sold all those years earlier? A quick trip to my garage and a rummage through my boxes of scooter paraphernalia and the house-warming card was located, I could barely believe it! It was the scooter I’d owned! The scooter is now my pride and joy and is sitting along with my other scooters in my garage. Its in an original, unrestored condition and the patina is perfect. It rides beautifully and the engine set up is testament to Craig's ability as a mechanic. When I got the scooter it needed running in and I found every possible excuse that I could to get out on it! I’ve always believed that you shouldn't purchase a vehicle with your heart, as it can often end badly. However, I think you'll agree, I just had to buy this scooter!” Simon smiled.