# Gran Lusso



## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

Athough a biker for over 30 years, it's scooters that do it for me, I suppose you either get it or you don't, but to me, they are cool in a way motorbikes never can be. It's funny, I don't like anything about the scooter â€œsceneâ€ I only like the machines and then, only Vespas, (sorry Roy), I am a scooterist.

I knew what I wanted. I wanted (and nothing else would do) a vintage Vespa Gran Lusso because, to me, â€œGran Lussoâ€ sounded absolutely beautiful, a wonderfully evocative name, a â€Sprintâ€ or a â€œRallyâ€ just would not do. The fact that it also had a trapezoid headlight was the clincher. Trouble is, they are hard to find compared to the similar and more popular â€œSprintâ€ models, they were only made for a short period 1962-1965. What made it more difficult was that I didn't want a wreck and neither did I want a restored scooter and certainly not a Vietnam cut-and-shut jobbie and nothing upgraded, no PX engines with 12 volt electrics thank you, I wanted a pure, unmolested, usable scooter with character...... I couldn't find one. I considered getting one of these but the upgraded engine bothered me and they are not genuine Italian scooters, it had to be Italian.

In June last year this came up on Ebay, it looked exactly what I wanted so I entered a bid and won it. Then, I did something really stupid, really, really stupid, I was working in London and the seller was in Wigan, I just didn't have the time to complete quickly, the guy was pressing for payment and threatening to sell to one of the other bidders, I had searched for so long that I made a huge error, I paid him by bank transfer without seeing it. 

On collection, it was a bit off a disappointment, some obvious faults, (split air hose, no working lights, no keys) led to me demanding and getting some cash back. But, it fired up easily enough, went through the gears fine and had a brand new MOT so I put it on the trailer and headed home quite pleased although if only I had not assumed that it was only the bulbs that were duff and had investigated a little, then I would not be telling this story now, I would have returned with my money. So, I did what I always do when I come home with an exciting new purchase, I stuck it in the garage and ignored it for months. 

Autumn came and I decided to check it over, yikes! Called up my pal Scooter Sid to confirm what my ears were telling me, something was not right with the engine. Taking the engine out produced an unbelievable sight, however, no massive problem, just lucky that the whole thing was not wrecked. With the engine out the frame was found to have holes, big holes, big holes carefully filled with newspaper, filler and then painted hhmm. Soon, the awful truth dawned on me that I had bought a pup. It was weird, it looked great, was legal and rode but it was, in fact, a complete wreck, it still had value. but probably 50% of what I had paid for it.

The engine casing and the frame were salvageable but just about everything else was junked and so the search started for original Italian 1963 Gran Lusso parts and that search drove me mental. In the meantime, the engine was re-built, the frame straightened and prepared for painting. Now a pansy colour suits these scooters best but I am not a pansy guy, also, I didn''t want it to look like all the other pastel green, baby blue, ivory pansy scooters. But what colour? I recalled seeing a scooter in Gijon at the Euro ye-ye in 2007, it was bright orange and I *liked* it, so.......... Pantone 1505C was chosen. 1505C is bright orange and that colour along with all the brightwork made me worry that it would end up looking blingy, I am not a blingy guy either, so I had the forks, hubs and other bits powder coated black, junked the white rubber mat and pedal covers too and bought black.

It passed the MOT yesterday and here and it's 99% finished, a rubber gasket for the horn is on it's way, I need a genuine air filter as the pattern one is restricted a little and I have removed the Vespa GL legshield badge, I am not sure about the chrome and it's a bit twee for me, I have my eyes on a replica badge in black vinyl, what do you think? Probably worth double what I paid for it but lot less than what I have spent on it and do you know, it's exactly what I didn't want in the first place.........a mint, restored example.


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)




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## mjolnir (Jan 3, 2006)

That looks perfect. It has such nice lines. You can tell a lot of work has gone into it.

In fact I think you might have done too good a job on it. I couldn't bring myself to ride something that nice. I'd have it wall mounted and then get another to be ridden.

Well done mark. It's beautiful.


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## johnbrigade (Oct 15, 2007)

That's ace, love it. Well done, you should be proud of yourself.


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## BondandBigM (Apr 4, 2007)

MarkF said:


> Probably worth double what I paid for it but lot less than what I have spent on it and do you know, it's exactly what I didn't want in the first place.........a mint, restored example.


Usually how it works unfortunately, never the less even though it's not my cup of tea it looks spot on.

B.


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

Thanks for the comments everybody, Rob, you are right, riding it is worrying me, I took it out of the garage this morning, looked at it, brushed off a fleck or two of dust and put it back in. 

I made a mistake in my post, here is what it looked like before, it's beauty hiding the fact that it was a dog.










Now


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## thorpey69 (Feb 8, 2006)

Fantastic job Mark,really impressed,you know i like scooters,and the old Vespas are the prettiest in my opinion


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Very nice Mark! That looks great...who did the paintwork? :huh:


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## Stanford (Feb 10, 2007)

Well done Mark, it looks superb :thumbup:

Many years ago I used to scare myself silly on a Lambretta - vicious clutch


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## MIKE (Feb 23, 2003)

As a biker for 30 years, scooters have never done it for me h34r:

*BUT* I can fully appreciate the time and effort not to mention money you have put in, to get it restored so well 

Well done Mark  excelent job, may you enjoy many miles on it.

Mike

P.S

Nice write up about your scooter saga


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

nice work Mark, :yes:

total respect for anyone who can do that sort of thing.


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## StevenJJ (Jul 22, 2007)

Roll on summer


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## Steve's Dad (Dec 19, 2007)

Always been a biker, but now I am older and wiser *cough* I can appreciate a vintage scooter and can imagine they could be fun.

*Looks up Vespas on Ebay*


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## Boxbrownie (Aug 11, 2005)

Brilliant job Mark, you have obviously had a definate idea of how you wanted it and it appears you reached the goal, whatever the cost it turned out to be a great result!


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## foztex (Nov 6, 2005)

Well done mate and welcome back. It's a smashing job and looks excellent, Vespas were always my favourite I used to race them and still have 2. I did the same garage trick with a shiny new purchase some years ago and still haven't got round to sorting it, anyone got an engine for an NSU Prima mkIII KL?

Andy


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

Looks superb, love the orange paint. Congrats on a superb restoraation. Be safe.


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

Thanks again 

Andy, post a pic of the NSU, I'd like to see it.

Paul, a local guy did the paintwork, he is about to be made redundant and is opening his own paintshop. TBH that was the most scary part, I was running out of money and he was a dabbler not a pro, plus, some parts of scooters are notoriously hard to get right, particularly the headset. But, it was Â£450 not Â£750 as I had been quoted at a scooter specialist. It wasn't just a paint job, there was frame straightening and a lot of plating/welding. When I saw it I was very pleased indeed and probably the part with the flawless finish, is the headset 

Trapezoid shaped headlamp & super duper paint


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## minkle (Mar 17, 2008)

Looks great Mark, we need to see it in action!


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## SharkBike (Apr 15, 2005)

Damn, she's a beaut Mark...get out there and ride 'er. :yes:

My HD was originally "Aztec Orange" until I made it blue. Sometimes wish I'd left it as it was. <_<


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## scottishcammy (Jul 11, 2003)

The colour is superb Mark, I recommended a different colour previously, but that looks the best.

Have you ever considered combining these two:


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## Robert (Jul 26, 2006)

I would never have chosen that colour but it looks great :thumbsup:


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## MarkF (Jul 5, 2003)

No :blink:

Would consider one of these though  Saw it in Gijon 2 summers ago, hung around but never got to meet the owner.












scottishcammy said:


> The colour is superb Mark, I recommended a different colour previously, but that looks the best.
> 
> Have you ever considered combining these two:


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

quite a few of these wacky combo's around.



















One for Bond










nice trailer!


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## PhilM (Nov 5, 2004)

Mark that's a great result, all those long days have been worth it IMO... I hope you just make sure you keep this one


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## Griff (Feb 23, 2003)

Should be ridden wearing an OM


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