Lambretta Arthur Francis S type Replica click on image to enlarge

 

For the racing specials I've built since now, I took inspiration from the 50s and 70s; I now want a bike that comes straight from the 60s. Over the years I've collected many spare parts and using them I've decided to build a bike strictly coming from that period; no electronic ignitions, japanese pistons, aluminium made kits even with reed valve etc.; I want it to be just as they did in the 60s trying to let their scooters go faster. For this reason as I found a suitable "Meteor" piston stored for years, I immediately start the project. For the moment the body has just been sand blasted and put together to verify it fits well, I suggest to do this every time before painting, that will be done in a second time once verified on another frame the engine is ok.

 

Upon advice from the man in the engineering shop, highly appreciated as scooterist himself in the past and already builder of tuned Lambrettas, once rebored the barrel to 70 mm. as the piston and enlarged and polished transfers and ports, I let him make two extra finger ports one of which designes an "S" while the other is straight, matching with two holes on the piston. On it also to avoid as much as possible seizing problems, he made some small cuts on the surface and all angles have been rounded.

 

The head is standard, just rebored to piston measures, even if I'd like to find a center plug one, but in the future money allowing me to. I like best to refer to an expert for transfers and ports machining, up to now I'm highly satisfied with it, keeping for me the idea, rebuild and final launch. I've decided to go for LI 150 gear box which I think will be more reliable than any other as regards City and performance using of the bike.

 

The most difficult part of the project was finding the parts I wanted for fuel supply; I have already decided to go for a Mk. 1 Amal or a Wal Phillips injector, widely used in England on tuned engines during the sixties. For the injector I've had the help of Massimo who owns a large amount of spares, reason for which is a unique resource for my projects, while for the carb I've found a great and fast service near the mates in the Cambridge Lambretta Workshop; after sending me the carb and search for its manifold without success they finally came across it, that reached me in a few days. Thank you very much!

 

Update 26/08/02 I had prepared everything for putting together the bike during my three weeks August holidays. In the end I had a AF "S" type paint scheme in "Bianco Nuovo" and "1968 Ford Monza electric blue" as a good friend Graham Bird from UK had on his original S type SX 200 in 1966 (click to view). The engine had been already tried on a spare frame while the bike was at the painter, and sounded good. In the meanwhile I also managed to purchase a pair of fantastic back mounted Lucas spot lights owing to my good friend Eddie from Manchester. Last Friday the bike was finished and I have a trial go: very good acceleration and nice sound from the 42 mm big bore exhaust from AF I had fitted. But suddenly I've heard a very bad noise coming from the engine, and immediately I cut off the engine. I'm afraid one ring had broken so I've decided to replace the engine with a spare GP 200 one I found in a scrap yard in July (it still happens!!!). Today I stripped it down and for my very big surprise has got a standard barrell bored out to 67.2mm with an Asso piston and...........a very neat finger port done in the barrell and matched hole in the piston. So I will rebuild and mount it for the moment, so I can have a better look at the other engine. Anyway the bike is completely rebuilt so as soon as I will replace the engine will take a few snaps to put on this page. I'm very pleased with the final result. Just have to find a Smith rev counter and drive to complete the project, so if anyone has got one pleasee mail me. Look out for pictures very soon.

 

Update 27/08/02 Last night I couldn't resist to see what's happened to the 225 engine, so fast as a Ferrari mechanic I took the engine off the bike to see what's the damage. Suspence while removing head nuts and take the barrell off the casing......both barrell and piston are luckily in perfect condition, so the trouble is with something else. I turned the flywheel and felt there was something wrong probably a damaged bearing, I guess for the old crank fitted I believed was in good condition but is not. I will put a brand new one, but still will mount the GP engine until this one isn't perfectly jetted with the 30 mm Amal carb.

 

Update 21/10/02 Here are pics of the finished project; I just have to add the "S" on the legshields and panels, recover the seat in blue and mount a Lucas Ampmeter (thanks Lee). The GP engine is running so fine I will use the other 225 for another project (a sprinter?) and probably I will just mount the Amal carb, running in the bike with the standard 22/2 Dell'Orto. Hope you like it, I'm always open to advices and still looking for a Smiths mechanical rev counter if anybody can help. And for his help any time I'm in the need of it I would like to thank my mate Dean @ Rimini Lambretta Centre  Click on image to enlarge

 

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