Hidden potential
To some, street racers are probably one of the most exciting categories of scooters; and the various interpretations of what makes a true street racer is often a topic for debate…
Street racers always pack a punch. Whether it's a race replica, a tribute scooter or one with the classic endurance look, there's always something interesting going on, and Ian Jones' Lambretta Li150 Special is no exception. Ian describes himself as a late starter to the scene. “I'm not too sure whether it was '85 or '86 but my first rally was Colwyn Bay. At the time I didn't have a scooter; so I got there by thumbing a lift with my pal, Andy Morgan!” Soon Ian bought his first scooter, a Vespa PX200E and his rally experience developed. Having ridden various scooters and having been to his fair share of rallies over the years, Ian decided that his favourite type of scooters were street racers. Ian's current scooter started life as a pretty standard-looking Li150 Special, which was imported into the country by Ian's pal Paul Neild in 2005. “Paul ran it with a TS1 kit for just about every Euro and national rally. In 2018 Paul let me borrow it to go to Belgium with him; I liked it so much that on the way back I struck up a deal with him for me to buy it. It was probably one of the longest test-rides in history but it worked out well for both of us!” Ian laughed.
Potential
Having owned the scooter for a while, and having put a few thousand miles on the clock, Ian knew it was in good shape. “The engine had been built by Pete Fay who'd done a good job. But even so I wanted to make some upgrades to both the engine and the general appearance of the scooter. The changes I had in mind weren't massive, but I knew they would develop the scooter and they would make it my own.”
To get things going a set of Lucas lamps were added, which Ian had previously bought for a GP he'd owned a few years back. “With the lamps added I had more plans to develop and upgrade the scooter, and to complete the work I commissioned another one of my pals, Steve Donnelly. Steve gave the scooter a top-end rebuild and fitted a Varitronic ignition kit. Also the tatty nuts, bolts, runners and rubbers were replaced along with the fuel tank and toolbox.”
Also as part of Ian's overall plan he'd decided that he wanted to go for a racier look. “I discussed this with Steve and we agreed that he should paint the forks, hubs and wheels in satin black. Also Steve gave the bodywork a thorough machine polish, which brought the paintwork to life. The decals were then added and it was given a race number which matches the year of the scooter.”
SCOOTER SPEC
Scooter model: 1966 Lambretta Li150 Special.
Date purchased & cost: March 2019, £3500.
Inspiration for project: Tidy up, semirestoration and racier looks.
Time to build & by who: I acquired the scooter in May 2019, the previous owner had the engine rebuilt by Pete Fay. Since I've owned it it's had a top-end rebuild and Varitronic ignition fitted by Steve Donnelly. Any specialised parts or mods: R1 rear shock and BGM dampers.
Engine & chassis spec
Kit: TS1.
Crank: 60mm crank with 110 con rod.
Carb: 30mm Dell'Orto.
Exhaust: ADS/CST 3 Touring.
Clutch: Foxhat six-plate.
Gearbox: Li150.
Porting work by: Pete Fay who built the engine.
Dyno done by: DMC (Deeside).
What brand of oil do you run: Exol fully synth/3%.
Tyres: MC 20s.
Rims: Split.
Suspension: BMG front, R1 rear.
Cable brand: Lambretta upgrades.
Fuel tank & tap: Mid-range AF & fast-flow. Brakes: Hydraulic front, standard rear. Describe engine performance and scooter handling: Excellent low-down grunt.
Top speed & cruising speed: Couldn't tell you; typical Lambretta speedo!
Is the scooter reliable: Yes, except when I didn't put enough oil in it 24 hours before Kelso. (Cheers Steve Donnelly for the rebuild; and I also made it to Kelso!) Paintwork by: As it came into the country in 2005. But the forks, hubs and wheels have been repainted by Steve Donnelly.
Thanks to: Big thanks to Paul Neild for selling it to me, Pete Fay for building an excellent engine, Steve Donnelly for making sure it stays on the road and keeping up with the repairs when I f*!k it up!
Romance
The final elements of the upgrades were completed during the Covid-19 lockdown period so Ian was unable to see the scooter until it was finished. “When it was finished Steve brought it back round to me and to say I was chuffed with the result is an understatement! Since I've had it back I've had some wonderful comments about it and it's been very well received. But when you know someone like Steve who knows his craft you know you're always going to be on to a winner. The only catch now is that I've got to keep up to Steve's expectations; look after it and keep it clean!” Ian laughed.
It's clear that Ian had a good foundation to work from with this scooter; and the additional work that he and Steve have put into it has drawn out its potential. In drawing out that potential they've produced a tasteful vintage-classic endurance street racer look, which when you walk round the scooter conveys stamina and strength touched with a hint of romance.