Enfield Fantabulous? - Team-BHP

karlosdeville · 4th September 2006, 11:44

Greetings all...

am looking to learn more about a curious scooter built by enfield in the early 60s...called the fantabulous, she came with a 150cc (i think) villiers engine...heres remains of one...anyone no of anymore survivors?

cheers
karl

2L8uLoose · 4th September 2006, 12:10

Karl.. where on earth do you find all this.. do you spend all day going around scrapyards?
Got any pictures on how this should look....anyone????

jkdas · 4th September 2006, 12:20

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1463053,0046.htm

"Between the fifties and eighties, the company introduced variants like a 175 cc mini-Bullet, a 175 cc Fury, a 100 cc Explorer and even a 175 cc scooter called Fantabulous"

Bomi · 4th September 2006, 14:02

Probably the ugliest scooter on the road. Mercifully, it died.

karlosdeville · 4th September 2006, 14:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2L8uLoose

Karl.. where on earth do you find all this.. do you spend all day going around scrapyards?

well...guilty as charged!!! if you ask me ive reached the stage of divine intervention...i dont go chasing them anymore, they come to me! my cuz spotted the bike in hyderabad...

unfortunately this is the only bike i have pics of...no idea whether a complete scoot will look equally ugly though...;-)

around the same time was an equally queer scooter by rajdoot called the runabout...featured electric start (!) amongst other goodies...

karlosdeville · 4th September 2006, 14:13

u can see more on the rajdoot here..

http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/03/01/s...0100670300.htm

Vicki_Rau · 4th September 2006, 16:20

I remember the fantabulous.
It had foot operated gear shifts.
There were quiete a few in Hyderabad in the late 70s, alongwith Lambys and something called a Vijay (produced by AP Scooters).
All of them were very stable in a straight line, but being longer, lost out to the Vespa/Bajaj in manouverability.
They had weak electricals and a carb prone to flooding.
It was common to see blokes running alongwith the scooter to push start it.

Steeroid · 4th September 2006, 16:26

I've seen one of those scooters and always thought it was an imported italian job. 175cc Villiers engine would mean it runs the Crusader's power(?) plant.

jyobeb · 4th September 2006, 20:27

My Dad used to have a Fantabulous. One thing he remembers about it was that the front and the rear were not aligned and hence had a slightly skewed appearance!

jango · 4th September 2006, 21:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyobeb

My Dad used to have a Fantabulous. One thing he remembers about it was that the front and the rear were not aligned and hence had a slightly skewed appearance!

Does he have any pic of the oldie ??

jyobeb · 5th September 2006, 09:40

Nope, no photos. In his words, Those were times when he had cycle income and fantabulous expenses!

karlosdeville · 25th July 2007, 22:22

On my recent trip to Hyderabad I bought myself a toy...the very same scooter you see at the beginning of this thread. Its remarkably corrosion free, and mechanically complete. She is missing cosmetics, lights, meters and swtiches, but worth it for the Kings ransom I paid...One thousand rupees! Knowledge on this monster is very limited, anybody with ANY info on it, please do contact me. Any other survivors around?

JayD · 26th July 2007, 00:08

Hey! If i'm not mistaken, this scooter had a self start!!! (it was the first in the country i think), also it was radically different from normal scooters in many ways, like its engine cover could not be completely removed, there was a hole or something to tune the engine,had twin tail lamps on mini 'fins', a spre wheel mounted SUV style, full length footboard... etc etc! There's an old man in kerala who still rides it daily, and he's the first owner of it!!

JayD · 26th July 2007, 00:16

@ karlos, if it is any help to u, the original paint for this scoot was 2-tone blue and white, seen a few here! looks different i must say!!

karlosdeville · 26th July 2007, 00:20

Im not sure about the electric start. Though I dont remember seeing a kick lever on it. Hmmm...! The rajdoot runabout for sure had a starter.

Any pics would be of great help. Next time you see one do get me some snaps.

Cheers

4th September 2006, 11:44	#1 (permalink)
karlosdeville Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Pune Posts: 3,092 View My Garage	Enfield Fantabulous? Greetings all... am looking to learn more about a curious scooter built by enfield in the early 60s...called the fantabulous, she came with a 150cc (i think) villiers engine...heres remains of one...anyone no of anymore survivors? cheers karl __________________ ( O \ \| / O )

4th September 2006, 12:20	#3 (permalink)
jkdas Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Thiruvananthapuram Posts: 5,304 View My Garage	http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1463053,0046.htm "Between the fifties and eighties, the company introduced variants like a 175 cc mini-Bullet, a 175 cc Fury, a 100 cc Explorer and even a 175 cc scooter called Fantabulous" __________________ "She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid." Last edited by jkdas : 4th September 2006 at 12:22.

4th September 2006, 14:13	#6 (permalink)
karlosdeville Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Pune Posts: 3,092 View My Garage	u can see more on the rajdoot here.. http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/03/01/s...0100670300.htm __________________ ( O \ \| / O )

4th September 2006, 16:26	#8 (permalink)
Steeroid Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: DXB Posts: 5,360 View My Garage	I've seen one of those scooters and always thought it was an imported italian job. 175cc Villiers engine would mean it runs the Crusader's power(?) plant. __________________ Cheers Steer The Devil Makes Apple

4th September 2006, 20:27	#9 (permalink)
jyobeb BHPian Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Madurai Posts: 353	My Dad used to have a Fantabulous. One thing he remembers about it was that the front and the rear were not aligned and hence had a slightly skewed appearance! __________________ Live Life King Size!

4th September 2006, 12:10	#2 (permalink)
2L8uLoose BANNED Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Bombay Posts: 628 View My Garage	Karl.. where on earth do you find all this.. do you spend all day going around scrapyards? Got any pictures on how this should look....anyone????

4th September 2006, 14:02	#4 (permalink)
Bomi BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: New Delhi Posts: 88	Probably the ugliest scooter on the road. Mercifully, it died.

4th September 2006, 16:20	#7 (permalink)
Vicki_Rau BHPian Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 57	I remember the fantabulous. It had foot operated gear shifts. There were quiete a few in Hyderabad in the late 70s, alongwith Lambys and something called a Vijay (produced by AP Scooters). All of them were very stable in a straight line, but being longer, lost out to the Vespa/Bajaj in manouverability. They had weak electricals and a carb prone to flooding. It was common to see blokes running alongwith the scooter to push start it.

5th September 2006, 09:40	#11 (permalink)
jyobeb BHPian Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Madurai Posts: 353	Nope, no photos. In his words, Those were times when he had cycle income and fantabulous expenses! __________________ Live Life King Size!

25th July 2007, 22:22	#12 (permalink)
karlosdeville Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Pune Posts: 3,092 View My Garage	On my recent trip to Hyderabad I bought myself a toy...the very same scooter you see at the beginning of this thread. Its remarkably corrosion free, and mechanically complete. She is missing cosmetics, lights, meters and swtiches, but worth it for the Kings ransom I paid...One thousand rupees! Knowledge on this monster is very limited, anybody with ANY info on it, please do contact me. Any other survivors around? __________________ ( O \ \| / O )

26th July 2007, 00:08	#13 (permalink)
JayD Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Cochin, coimbatore. Posts: 1,480 View My Garage	Hey! If i'm not mistaken, this scooter had a self start!!! (it was the first in the country i think), also it was radically different from normal scooters in many ways, like its engine cover could not be completely removed, there was a hole or something to tune the engine,had twin tail lamps on mini 'fins', a spre wheel mounted SUV style, full length footboard... etc etc! There's an old man in kerala who still rides it daily, and he's the first owner of it!!

26th July 2007, 00:16	#14 (permalink)
JayD Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Cochin, coimbatore. Posts: 1,480 View My Garage	@ karlos, if it is any help to u, the original paint for this scoot was 2-tone blue and white, seen a few here! looks different i must say!!

26th July 2007, 00:20	#15 (permalink)
karlosdeville Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Pune Posts: 3,092 View My Garage	Im not sure about the electric start. Though I dont remember seeing a kick lever on it. Hmmm...! The rajdoot runabout for sure had a starter. Any pics would be of great help. Next time you see one do get me some snaps. Cheers __________________ ( O \ \| / O )

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