Twenty: One: Sixx

A four-week Lambretta custom build inspired by NASCAR racer Sheldon Creed and his race number 216. This feature follows Nikki Volgman’s August 2025 challenge to complete a street sleeper GP-based build using rattle can techniques and a race-themed finish.

Building a custom scooter can take months, even years, but what if you give yourself just four weeks to complete it?

It’s a common desire; wishing to build a custom scooter. But, when it comes to doing it, that process can take a huge amount of time to complete. A lot of that is down to how far it is taken, and processes such as airbrushing or engraving, for example, can take months on their own to complete. Even a build that is less complicated isn’t always straightforward, and certainly not when outsourcing some of the more specialised parts of it. So, what if you have the capability to do everything yourself and have assembled all the parts? How quickly can it be done? One owner took on the challenge of building it in just four weeks.

The Goatman

We often presume that the ageing population of the traditional scooterist means they have been involved in the scene for over forty years. Not so in the case of Nikki Volgman, who debuted in 2004, making him relatively new by comparison. Perhaps part of the reason is living outside of the UK, Pansdorf, Germany, to be exact, where the scooter scene arrived much later. Regardless, he has been devoted ever since and, in that time, learned many of the skills required to build them. Starting out on a Vespa, he soon switched allegiance to the Lambretta, where he has continued to work on them ever since.

Looking at what Nikki has created gives you the feeling that he likes street sleepers. Nothing elaborate or over the top, just well built and good performance with minimal fuss, similar to the Series Two evolution that exists. Ready for another build, he drew new inspiration from the vast lands of America, particularly in the realm of racing. The problem with that is America has many forms of motorsport, which, though huge over there, are seldom heard of in the rest of the world. To be honest, the choice is vast, but Nikki concentrated on the exploits of Sheldon Creed.

If you look him up, you will see that despite his young age, he has been successful in many different forms of four-wheeled racing. His main forte is stock car racing, with NASCAR being the primary focus. Huge, bulky, but extremely fast American muscle cars that focus on oval racing. Sheldon is often referred to as a goat because of his ability to control cars and get them out of almost impossible situations, keeping them on the track. This is what has garnered his reputation and became the inspiration for this build, with the idea being to base it on his NASCAR colour scheme and race number 216.

Countdown

Having acquired a rather battered and bruised GP125, Nikki set himself the task of the quickest Lambretta custom build in history. It was the end of July 2025, with the intention of completing in the month of August, a tall ask, but one he was determined to succeed in. The first part involved stripping the machine down to its bare frame, assessing its condition, and determining what panel work and items were salvageable. Part of the idea was to use as much as possible, and that meant not worrying too much if it wasn’t pristine. To explain in more detail, panel work that was dented would be cleaned up, but didn’t need to be perfect. Many NASCAR vehicles end up with slight dents and scratches as they often touch each other at high speed. It’s also part of the street sleeper scooter culture, where they have that used effect, and if the bodywork is too clean, then it doesn’t quite look right.

The frame was stripped, then cleaned and prepped, ready for painting, as it would serve as the base for the build once completed. The forks and head set would also need the same treatment to ensure there was a complete rolling chassis. Completing this part was of paramount importance if the build timeline was to be met. Another important aspect was to ensure that all the required parts were already purchased. For example, the building of the front end, forks, suspension, etc, needed to be ordered in advance because sometimes components can be out of stock. There is nothing more frustrating than a build stopping because one thing is missing; therefore, this element is just as important to the project.

Rattling around

Paint technology has advanced significantly since the days when customising scooters first began. Not just the paint itself, but the airbrush tools and equipment that apply it. However, this build would utilise the rattle can technique, which has become a well-established method in European custom seen in recent years. Rattle can paints have also undergone the same evolution in technological advancements. Gone are the days when a can of Dupli-Color in boring Ford Fiesta blue was all the rage. Get the can to close, and it would run like rain down a window or spit it out in huge blobs, ruining the finish.

These days, the paint is far more vibrant in the colour choice and easier to apply, thanks to its use by airbrush artists around the world. Nikki chose this method and, with the design etched out, began to weave his magic onto the panels. Taking the scheme from Sheldon Creed’s car, he was able to interpret it in a style that befitted the GP panel work. At the centre was the race number, which took up the majority of the space on the side panel, similar to how it is on a NASCAR. With smaller sponsor graphics added, the images of what he envisioned now came to life. However, there was one final part to getting the exact finish.

There was no laquering it over to produce that glass finish we are accustomed to. No, it required an authentic look, and to achieve that, a bit of ageing was necessary. Not scratched on purpose or anything like that, but wear on the edges and profiles of the panels, after all, that’s what it would look like had it been abused around an oval track a few times. It might sound like a bit of a back garden shed paint job, but far from it, and remember, way back, this is how most of us customised our scooters. This is a modern take on it, and it requires a natural artistic skill to achieve it.

Threads

One part of the build that required advanced work was the engine, as it can take longer than anything, especially if all the necessary parts aren’t available. All was fine, but things went horribly wrong when it came to fitting the Cylinder. Nikki was using a Monza cylinder; however, when it came to tightening the head, two of the stud threads stripped. Although they can be repaired, doing so would require stripping the top end down because the re-welding and cleaning up makes a significant mess and is almost impossible with components still fitted.

Admitting to being a bit impatient, the quick solution was to obtain another engine that was already built. Thankfully, he soon hunted one down using a TS1 top end and having been built 12 years previously, a new clutch and ignition were fitted as a precaution. It was an expensive lesson to learn, and in the future, he has made it a priority to check all casing threads before commencing an engine rebuild. Once ready, the engine was inserted into the frame, meaning it was full steam ahead. Then, that moment when you have a full rolling chassis and can begin cabling it all up gives you the adrenaline rush to get over the finish line.

In the last week of August, it was completed on schedule and ready to go out on the road. Looking at it, you can see it resembles the street racer look, even if it is slightly devoid of some of the flashy extras you often associate with them. That’s how it should be, though, because a NASCAR is exactly the same, not all fancy like a Formula One car, but a racing thoroughbred all the same. Nikki has got this build spot on, and if I were going to do something similar, I would follow his lead. It was built in quick time, but not rushed, and executed its theme perfectly. This trend of rattle can street builds seems to be gaining momentum, and long may it last.

Words: Stuart Owen Images: Nikki Volgman Original feature appeared in Scootering Magazine. For a great subscription offer including £99 worth of freebies, click HERE