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Write up by Dean
Orton "Rimini Lambretta Centre" owner
This scooter originally
came from Pavia in Northern Italy and had been used for racing and hillclimbs
in the late Sixties / early Seventies. The scooters 235cc engine had been
tuned first by ‘Ancillotti’ and subsequently by ‘Gori’ ( famous Italian
tuners from that period - who then both turned their hands to producing
top of the range motorcross bikes, as the popularity of Lambretta’s dwindled
following the Innocenti factory closure ). When purchased, the scooter
itself had already been totally dismantled and quite a lot of it’s bodywork
was missing. The engine casing had taken a severe battering and was near-
fit for the bin. Many, many hours were passed welding and panelbeating
in order to bring the frame and motor back to perfect condition.
While all this
was happening at the shop , Jim McCabe ( who had already purchased
a restored SX200 and a TV200 from us ) enquired as to the availability
of a Sixties racing scooter for his collection. A deal was struck, and
Jim ordered the restoration of the Pavia SX235 - but wanted it painted
in the same colour scheme as a scooter he had seen in a large picture gracing
one of the walls in the shop. The picture showed another famous Italian
racer, Cesarino Bartolini, on his blue and white SX200 whilst racing at
the Isle of Man scooter races.
Five months later
and the scooter was finished. The scooter started second kick and ran faultlessly.
One year on and the SX235 still runs perfectly and has proved 100% reliable
– which is no mean feat considering how thin the walls of the barrel are
! In fact, Jim runs a Courier despatch company
in the very heart
of London, and every now and then the SX is used for work.
At the end of the
day, this is a road going racing scooter, that speed-wise will do
just under 90 mph and according to Jim “the acceleration is unbelievable”.
Details.
Owner ; Jim McCabe.
Town / Country ;
London, England.
Model of Scooter
; Innocenti Lambretta SX200 / 235
Engine ; Unstamped
Innocenti block originally tuned by Ancillotti, then Gori. GP race crank,
original 6V points electrics, Scootopia exhaust , 30mm Dell’Orto carb.
( originally fitted with SS30 separate- float carb. ) 235cc top end with
it’s ‘original’ Dinamin piston, all gearbox components are the best money
can buy.
Specialised parts
; front disc stainless airscoop ,
Time to build and
by whom; 5 months by ‘Rimini lambretta Centre’
What other scooters
do you own ? ; About a dozen Vespa GS’s, TV200 ,SX200, and a GP200 on order.
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