A long-unfinished custom scooter project inspired by the 2005 film Kingdom of Heaven has been completed by Dave Hamilton using original engraved parts by the late Don Blocksidge, restored artwork, and a Casa 225-powered engine build.
Over the years, there have been many custom scooter projects that have been started and not completed, but in this case, the final outcome couldn’t have been more different…
Being well known in the scootering community and having a reputation for developing high-end custom machines are two character traits that are firmly established in Dave Hamilton’s background.
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In mid-2022, Dave was contacted by his long-term pal and owner of the restored classic custom Vespa, Little Rascal, Jim Lockwood. Jim rang Dave to let him know about a custom scooter project, Kingdom of Heaven, which had been started and was waiting for the right person, with the proper credentials, to come along and complete it.
With his curiosity piqued and having previously watched the film, Dave had his appetite whetted and decided to follow up on the lead.
In the meantime, for those of us who’ve not seen the film, here’s a quick summary…
The movie is a 2005 epic historical drama directed and produced by Ridley Scott, written by William Monahan, and features an all-star cast. The storyline is a portrayal of the events leading to the Third Crusade, which was an attempt made between 1189 and 1192 led by three European monarchs of Western Christianity (Philip II of France, Richard I of England and Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor) to reconquer the Holy Land following the capture of Jerusalem by the Ayyubid sultan Saladin in 1187; for that reason the Third Crusade is also known as the King’s Crusade and the film focuses mainly on Balian of Ibelin who fights to defend the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem from the Ayyubid Sultan Saladin.
The journey begins…
The custodian of the Kingdom of Heaven scooter parts was Pete Merchant, based in Rochdale, so on the strength of Jim’s call, Dave got in touch with Pete and went over to have a look.
After making the journey over the Pennines, Dave discovered that the parts of the scooter included all the painted bodywork and engraved items. Although time had taken its toll on the artwork, Dave could see beyond that and knew it would make an excellent project worthy of his attention. Also, the engraved parts had been completed by the late Don Blocksidge in his signature craftsman style.
After discussing the project with Pete, a deal was struck that included a condition requiring Dave to complete the build using all the original bodywork and engraved parts.
Once Dave got everything home, he assessed how to complete the build. However, it wasn’t long before word got out that he was in possession of the Kingdom of Heaven parts.
“I was soon contacted by a fella who made me a very attractive offer to buy all the engraved parts. But they were all original items, and so, being true to my word to Pete, that I would complete the build using all the original bodywork and parts, I politely declined.”
Restoration
One of Dave’s first tasks was to find a frame for the scooter, and being a perfectionist, Dave managed to source a 1970 Italian GP 22/2 frame.
He was also fully aware of the challenges he faced in relation to the paint and artwork, which, if the build was going to succeed, would need to be delicately restored and developed. Alongside that, and to maximise the overall outcome of the scooter’s final appearance, Dave also wanted to add a couple of his own personal touches.
So in order to help him tackle these issues, he called in his tried, tested and trusted pal, Colin Fitzgerald of Garage Artwerks.
After discussing the project with Colin, the fellas agreed on a plan, and the original bodywork, along with the new frame, forks and front and rear hubs, were handed over to Colin to work his magic.
Whilst that was going on, engine-wise, Dave decided that he wanted to include a reliable high-powered unit in the build, which would be supported by a setup of equally reliable performance parts.
To help him with this area of the project, Dave called in the services of another long-term, tried, tested and trusted pal, Paul Gillow at Oiltek.
After discussing with Paul, Dave decided on a Casa 225 engine, supported by a 34mm Dellorto carb and a CST3 expansion pipe. Dave knew the engine would be thirsty, so he invested in one of Paul’s long-range fuel tanks, which he then took to Colin for themed artwork.
By now, the process was well underway; however, having said that, Dave also wanted to include several fine-grain, eye-catching, themed custom features into the plan, which meant calling in the services of Keith Newman at K2 Customs to get involved in the affair.
Eventually, when everything was complete, Dave handed the parts over to one of his local scooter pals, Paul Jones, who carefully finished the build. Looking at the scooter, it’s clear that Dave kept his promise.
Plan of action
The carefully restored mural across the front of the legshields brings the theme to life, depicting Crusaders charging into battle. On top of the headset, there is new themed artwork in the form of a Crusader’s banner flag, which also appears on the front mudguard upper pressing, which has been made to look like the spike at the top of a Crusader’s pike.
There is also new themed paintwork on the forks, which have the appearance of chain-mail armour, and on the front and rear hubs, which deliver the appearance of a Crusader’s shoulder armour.
The original artwork then continues on the inner legshield tool box lid, and the mural on the frame behind the Scoots and Soul air-flow Bentley seat is another new additional piece of artwork.
Colin’s restoration work continues on the side panels and brings the original artwork back to life. In addition, he has incorporated a period-themed silver-patterned design that surrounds the main body parts, drawing the viewer’s attention deeper into the detail.
When the side panels are removed, new, additional action-packed murals appear on both sides of the fuel tank, which Dave chose from his favourite scenes in the movie, and the detail is spectacular.
Finally, in a high-end custom project such as this, Dave would typically have used tubeless rims. However, again being true to his word, the standard chrome rims were also part of the original items, which were also the subject of Don Blocksidge’s attention, so they had to be included.
Looking at the details of this project, it goes without saying that if Jim Lockwood hadn’t got in touch with Dave, the opportunity of developing this scooter could have been missed. So, having picked up the challenge to complete and develop the project and take it to its maximum outcome, it’s clear to see that Dave’s used all of his custom project-building skills and knowledge, and by doing that, he’s been able to bring all of the original bodywork and parts into the present day.
Additionally, it is worth noting that the Kingdom of Heaven may be one of the last custom scooters to emerge, featuring the original iconic engraving by Don Blocksidge.
Regardless of whether or not Dave chooses to enter Kingdom of Heaven into any custom shows, one thing is for sure: Dave’s a fully committed, ridden-not-hidden custom scooter rider, and that means that you’ll most certainly see it at scooter rallies all around the country.
Man and Machine:
