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-   -   Introducing another Lambretta LD- my 1958 LD 150 mk3! (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/post-war/80343-introducing-another-lambretta-ld-my-1958-ld-150-mk3.html)

Hi all,

About time I introduced to y'all this 'new' little guy, of whom I became the proud owner nearly a year ago!
Now I dont know how many among us own such a scooter but you may be aware that our friend Saurabh (SA7VA5) bought an early LD (mk1 most likely) in May 2009, which he'd started a thread on:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/post-1...n-project.html

So thereafter, the LD bug bit me too and I too began considering buying one!

And it thus all started very shortly after Saurabh bought his LD that he'd informed me about 3 more LD 150s and 1 open LD (d 150) for sale with a guy in Delhi who was keen on exporting them all (in dismantled state as spare parts!! :Shockked:) to buyers in S.E.Asian countries. And thus, his demand on all the scooters was steep.

On seeing the pics. of said scoots, I chose this mk3 LD, which was in reasonably decent shape and also price-wise relatively feasible for me to buy. So with a lot of help from Saurabh, who did the little negotiation that was possible (as the seller was rather rigid!) and even made the payment on my behalf, the deal finally went through.

To cut a long story short, the scoot was brought to Saurabh's place where it safely remained since, the initial plan being made to get it just mechanically up and running in Delhi itself, as I didnt have leads on mechanics familiar with these scoots in Hyd.
However, things tended to work out differently and so I decided to get it worked on here itself, mainly because one of my friends here introduced me to such a mechanic.

So, again with Saurabh's help, the scooter was brought down to hyd. last week by a local transporter. After a little confusion on the delivery details (the co. had mentioned at their Delhi office that the vehicle would be home-delivered by truck, but strangely turned out that it was actually sent all the way by train! and then brought down to their hyd. office from where it was to be collected) and a little delay with yesterday being a Sunday, I and my car mech. collected it today and brought it to a shed close to our area, which I'm renting (to store some other 'stuff' that I have! :D) where it is safely kept locked.

OK, enough babbling from me, here are the pics. (warning: a LOT of them!) to feast on.....!

First pic. taken at the seller's.



At the transport office. Except for the front brake lever getting bent somewhere during the transport, there (thankfully!) seems no obvious damage to the scoot. So :Phewww: for that!






Loaded on carefully to be taken home. I'd insisted on putting the centre-stand on despite the driver insisting otherwise. And when he went over a speedbreaker, the scoot jumped off the stand that made me nearly paranoid! So it was decided to let it remain so.








'Home' at last!

Carefully unloaded and inside.






Now the 'blindfolding' comes off......and behold!




To those of you who're familiar with LDs, this scoot is remarkably clean and original, fortunately been untouched to a large extent, with just a careful repaint and very few parts on it changed! And I've already got most of the original missing parts, viz. the "INNOCENTI" horncast badge and the headlight switch.
Clearly its a scooter that was well-cared for!








Among a few things I noticed for the first time on an Ld, the "Aprila" name on the headlight ring and also the glass at the bottom. I know that this is another brand of scooters, were they tied-up with Innocenti before?






Also noticed for the first time that the LD has only 3 gears!




What is the knob that is missing here? I noticed its supposed to be some pull-type knob:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attach...t-dsc02851.jpg

so maybe for choke? The other knob seems to be the petrol flow tap.












What seems to be the original colour of the scooter, I can see white on the chassis tube, so it would've been red and white:








I didnt get to know anything of it's history before it came up for sale but looking at the xerox of the RC that came with the scooter (original to be sent by Saurabh soon), it seems to have been a one-owner scooter all its life, which seems evident from the condition too. The regn. is mentioned as Indore, and the last road(?) tax paid mentioned as 1992, so that explains the old MP regn. still being intact.

Engine is free but needs a lot of work to start up.

OK, now, contrary to what most might expect, I'm not going to completely restore this scoot in the near future, mainly for lack of time/resources. In fact, I feel it can be preserved for a while in it's present state with a little touch-ups here and there plus refurbishing of some rubber/plastic parts (the petrol tank lid is stuck tight and looks close to crumbling on forcing open) I plan to have it just mechanically fit, which I plan to start working on after the end of may, when I'm done with my MA exams.

I plan to get it ready by 15th august for the Deccan Heritage rally. The colour gives me an interesting idea too incidentally!

More later, as work starts. And a big THANK-YOU to Saurabh, without whom this acquisition would not have been possible!

Aug 15th is not too far away Shyam as your restorations are elaborate and time taking.Hoping you can make it there.Good Luck.

Thanks ram! 'hope so too. And yes, elaborate and time-taking they indeed are! Which is mainly why, as I said, I'm not restoring this scooter completely for now. :)
It will only be made MECHANICALLY fit. I have already got some parts for this (again with Saurabh's help), viz. engine packing kit, carb air-filter hose etc.

Vow Shyam thats a revelation! Congratulations! The plastic bag with which that scoot was packed in one picture says "Best before 24 months", so you have revealed it after 12 months.
The scooter is fairly original. The centre stand is borrowed from the Vespa/Bajaj 150.These LD's had a very typical unpainted cast iron centre stand with the left side longer and zig zagging almost in a snake like pattern.The underbody bracket connection was not at the foot board ends like the Lambretta Li 150 and the Vespa 150, but at the centre almost like a bike.
Here's a picture:

Do keep us informed about its restoration as Aug 15th is just 4 months away!

lol: Good one! ;)

Aah yes!! Thanks for pointing it out, totally slipped my mind it did! Yes, that is how it should look like, as in your pic.

So now the centrestand is another item in my list! Hehe!

Congrats Shyam!clap: All the best in getting the scoot ready for the 15 Aug meet.

Reminds me of my Dad's Lamby. It was a later model compared to what you got. The headlight was where the horn is there on your scooter and vice versa. I always wanted one day to restore it. But Dad sold it off to junk dealer.

I always remember one particular night when it really rained very heavily. And among all the Hero Hondas and Bajaj's stuck up with dead engines in knee deep water, our Lamby chugged home safe and sound. And thats when Dad used to put petrol in it. No 2T or any recommended additives. Just neat Petrol.

wow what a find Shyam, do we get to see another restoration like Saurabh's:D,

anyways all the very best for your restoration, 3 months may be too short for restoring if the parts have not been sourced already.

Congratulations Shyam, Wow lovely LD. This reminds of the scooter which Modi's son Michael offered me for Rs.6000/- way back in 2005, then my pocket was too small.

Sorry my friend I couldn't be of any help in mobilising a transport for this little angel. Scooter is a real gem. Very original. A well deserved scooter for a well deserved owner. All the very best Shyam and here starts the sleepless nights eagerly waiting to see your scooter. Shyam you can't stop me coming to see the scooter. He he he:D

Thanksu arun garu!

I guess yours was the Li 150, the more common Lambretta we have had here.
This is the predecessor, known as LD. These were different from the chain-driven Lis as these were shaft-driven (similar to driveshaft in cars.)

You can post more on your dad's Lambretta/Lamby in this thread:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/post-1...vers-here.html

Thanks srisha. Nope, as I said, I DONT intend to restore it fully in the near future. Only MECHANICALS to be attended to. 3 months may be sufficient for that atleast if all the required parts are available.

Thanks bala! Uh, am I missing something here? Mody's son- Rashid Mody's son- Michael offered you an LD for as little as 6000??!! I've never known them quoting even an Li or a Vespa for such a generous price!! Or have the prices so suddenly shot up to more than 10 times in just 4-5 years?!

But what a pity you let go of that LD when you had a chance to grab it at that price! :Frustrati
Ayyo, you should've begged, borrowed or stolen funds to take it! You cant even get pair of wheels from one for 6000/- going by the way prices are for them nowadays!!
No problems reg. the transportation, there's always a next time as they say! :D

And yes, welcome to check out the scoot any time!

Bala..there are still Lambrettas available at decent prices in Hyderabad.Grab them before we start a Scooter club and the prices will go skyrocketing.

They already are skyrocketing, even in case of Lis, although one can still manage to strike a reasonable deal depending on their bargaining skills.

Shyam Congratulations buddy, you have a beauty on your hand. What can I say my dream scooter. Someday hopefully i'll have one in my garage.

Thanks amol!

Yup, I know you like the Ld, especially I'm sure this one, as you'd mentioned the one with the 'kidney' grilles on the side-panels.

You sure can and will have one I'm sure. But do be warned, they do not come cheap, atleast at present! :D

And for that reason my PM to you for more info :D.