Tech Torque: Lambretta clutch issues
Keeping a Lambretta in original factory condition is saving its history for future generations. Customising it will mean the history is gone forever, so which to choose?
Keeping a Lambretta in original factory condition is saving its history for future generations. Customising it will mean the history is gone forever, so which to choose?
Finding an old Lambretta or any scooter for that matter in an old garage or shed is a dream we all have. To some it does become a reality, but it raises the question of what should be done with it. Should it have a total restoration from bare metal upwards or perhaps left as it is from the day it came out of the factory? Many factors make up the final decision. Is the paint free from rust and the majority of it still intact? Does the engine turn over or is it seized solid? Is everything still connected ready to work after cleaning up? If the answer to these questions is yes then preservation is by far the best option.
Why should you preserve rather than restore
The last Innocenti Lambretta rolled off the production line almost 50 years ago. Since that time the amount left that are still in original untouched condition has rapidly declined. Many thousands of examples since having being restored. No one can be blamed for this happening. Who was to know that the Lambretta would gain such popularity after production had finished? These days if one is found how it left the factory then it seems everything is done to preserve it. This decision is dictated by the fact that its value is greater than if it's restored, certainly for the rarer and more sought-after models.
More importantly than the financial gain by keeping it this way is the fact that Lambretta history is been saved. Once the paintwork has been removed and the engine changed there is no going back. It's impossible to avoid that cliché, ‘it's only original once’… but the fact is, it's true. The Mona Lisa has been cleaned and preserved, but no one would ever say let’s touch the paint up or go over the faded areas again. So that's how Lambretta preservation should be looked at, like a priceless painting that must remain as is.
No one is saying you can’t clean one up and sort things that need repairing because that’s what this series is about. What you don’t want to do is take it too far and remove history unnecessarily.
Deciding if it's good enough to save
The first thing you have to ask yourself is whether the Lambretta in question is good enough to save? If you have found a proper old barn find then more than likely
it will have stood idle for decades. If left uncovered then there will be years of dust laying on top, even in a garage environment. One thing to note is that Lambretta paint is pretty hardy stuff and though on the surface it may look bad, it does clean up well. Most of the problem stems from whether or not it has rusted badly and a lot of the paint has come off. In saying that, some owners like it when the paint has gone and there is just bare metal. This fashion first started in the VW scene where some owners would hardly have any of the original paint left. Special waxes are now available where the bare metal can be treated and preserved.
Even if all the paintwork is intact, there will be the odd rust spot. This will be along with scratches and paint scuffs. To find one without any marks is almost impossible, even if they are only minor. Don't let that worry you. If it was near perfect then somehow it wouldn't look quite right. The odd mark and dent help show a vehicle’s true age. The other thing to look at is whether the scooter in
question has been painted some time in the past. If so, and for argument's sake it was done in the 1960s, then perhaps that too should be preserved. Edition 379 of Scootering magazine featured one such example of a Supertune Lambretta. Whether it was a famous dealer special or even a home done paint job from that era, they all contain history from a bygone age.
The next thing to look at is the engine. Assuming the bodywork is good, then in all probability the engine will be also. It will need overhauling regardless, and attempting preservation without stripping the engine is not recommended. The problem with the engine comes when it's been left in damp conditions and if the spark plug and drain plug have been removed. If they have then corrosion and rust will be present. Even so, it is possible to replace badly damaged parts with good second-hand Innocenti items. This will be covered fully later in the series. What you do need to remember is that an engine can be saved, even when it looks bad. So don't write off a preservation job because the engine looks too far gone at first glance.
The same can be said of the wheels, hubs and running gear. No one should try and save a tyre from the 1960s as it will be too dangerous to use on the road. Old tyres should only be used for shows or display to give a period look. Items such as the forks or hubs can retain most parts, except items such as bearings and seals. Other parts like bushes in the fork links can be kept as long as they are not worn. Regardless, all these items will need striping and thorough inspection when doing a preservation project.
Missing parts
One of the most annoying situations when you find an old Lambretta is that something is missing. This can be anything from a side panel or footboard to perhaps the headset top. Something like a headlamp or light lens is not so bad, as an original replacement can usually be found. When it comes to bodywork this is far more difficult. A lot of people try to save original paintwork items and it’s surprising what you can pick up. The question is then asked:
Replacing wholesale parts of the bodywork is perhaps taking it a bit too far, but if there is a genuine reason for something to be replaced then do it.
should you, for instance, use a pair of side panels from another source and fit them on your Lambretta if they are missing? The answer to that is yes. If that's all that is missing and a pair that have the correct colour original paint are available, then why not?
Look at it this way. If a piece of bodywork was damaged years ago and replaced at the time, no one would know when the Lambretta is discovered in the present day. Therefore, if you have found genuine replacements and they are from that period, it doesn't matter. Replacing wholesale parts of the bodywork is perhaps taking it a bit too far, but if there is a genuine reason for something to be replaced then do it. The same goes with engine parts. If the barrel and piston are too far gone, but replaced with original items of the same specification, so be it. If they had been damaged back then they would have been replaced. Perhaps you may find a perfect, well kept original Lambretta that only requires minor preservation work. Even then you don't know everything you see in front of you is what left the factory together. Some time during its life part of it may have been replaced, you just don't know.
Being sympathetic
As already mentioned, it may be that some of the paintwork is damaged or rusted. This is more frustrating when the majority of the paintwork is perfect, only to be let down perhaps by one part. It can be very tempting to respray that part to make it blend in. The problem with this (often referred to as sympathetic restoration) is it looks too good for the rest of the paintwork. Even if the colour match is perfect, it looks odd because there are no marks whatsoever on the newly painted piece.
Quite often this method is exercised on the wheel rims and hubs. Both of these parts usually have paint chips or areas missing, and certainly on the aluminium of the hubs. By painting them and leaving them looking perfect, they stand out like a sore thumb on a preserved Lambretta. If you can't stand looking at an area that has paint missing or damage regardless, don't be lured into painting it as it will look totally out of place. The other option is to hide it by perhaps placing a rack over the area or, believe it or not, a strategically placed period sticker. What they do is take the eye away from the main area of damage, making it look less noticeable. Of course, this depends on where abouts the damage is on the bodywork, but works well when the method can be implemented.
Biding your time
It may be that you need to find a replacement piece of bodywork with the
More recently there has been a Facebook group set up for original paint items to be sold or exchanged. This is ideal if you are searching for that elusive part
same colour match of original paint, or perhaps an original light lens or genuine part. They don't always turn up at the time you want them during the preservation work. Don't worry about it, and if you have to put a modern-day replacement on for now then do so. When you finally find the correct part you can then change it. What you don't have to do is leave a part missing, perhaps something that is stopping you from taking your Lambretta out on the road. Just be patient as you will find what's missing in the end.
Sourcing the impossible
So where do you find that left-hand side footboard with the same colour match of the original paint, or perhaps original leg shield trim which isn't scuffed? The answer a lot of the time is your local scooter dealer. Quite often they are requested by the customer to restore a scooter, regardless of its original condition. Some will save paintwork items if possible, depending on whether a customer will allow the parts to be exchanged. Most of the trim and consumables will be removed and usually kept, so this is the ideal source. The majority of the time during restoration the seat cover is replaced. If yours is beyond saving, it’s surprising how many dealers have a good original example in stock. More recently there has been a Facebook group set up for original paint items to be sold or exchanged. This is ideal if you are searching for that elusive part (www. facebook.com/groups/ 194910367526896).
Complete or apart
When you come across an original example Lambretta there are two ways you will find it, either as a complete machine, which is the most or common, or taken apart. It would appear that some owners back in the 1970s, after the demise of the Lambretta, decided to keep theirs, but in the process take it to pieces.
Odd ones found this way were usually stored away in the loft or a room in the house. Whilst the benefit is that everything is well preserved, the problem is that some of it may be mislaid.
If you do find one this way then it's perfectly salvageable, but always check you have everything that is there. What you will end up with is a huge Lambretta jigsaw, but hopefully with no pieces missing.
If it is a complete example then sometimes they are so good they only need a general clean. It seems pointless stripping the bodywork if there is no need to. The outer paintwork can easily be polished if your example is perfect.
Finally, it's up to you how far you go in cleaning your Lambretta. Some choose to leave all the years of dirt and rust as it is, as long as everything is mechanically sound, whereas others try to remove every blemish possible in an attempt to make it look perfect. Whichever route you choose to go down with your preservation is entirely up to you, and hopefully this series will help with that decision.