Project 'V'

Progetto 'V'

Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce... Project 'V'

A.k.a. Thunderbird 7 (yes there was a Thunderbird 6)
A.k.a. a 1962 Piaggio Vespa 125

1962 Vespa 125 - unaltered since 1967

I'm intending to get this baby back on the road for this summer (crosses fingers!).

It's had two careful* owners - my father-in-law bought it in 1967, just in time to use it to go on honeymoon :-)

A lot of it is original, though the colour should be grigio/noccoiola (grey with a hazelnut base) and it should have two separate seats rather than the handsome tan one he added when he bought it. A few black-coloured faring accessories have been added, along with the spare wheel cover (handmade by... a saddler).

It should be standard grey, but the paint stays for now.

I want to get it up-and-running first: I don't think it's been started for at least 5 years. Then I'll tap the family and local Vespa club (my father-in-law knows the Vice-President ...is there anyone he doesn't know?) for knowledge and parts.

One of my students is restoring one of his three old Vespas, so I know what the subject of our conversation lessons will be for the next few months!

At home in it's garage

It's been garaged all this time, which is fantastic, and isn't without it's scars: the years are etched into the metallic blue paint job.

...and there's a fallback plan in case the project runs too far behind schedule...

Hanging in the other garage, a tandem ready to have it's tyres inflated and to be taken for a spin. Though the last time I tried it out, both chains fell off after 30 metres!

* I've learnt that my father-in-law is rarely - if ever - careful..!!