The early days of Lambretta tuning in the UK were frowned upon by the official importer; that was until they realised there was money to be made from it! Stu Owen reports…
Buying a Lambretta in the UK during the 1950s centred around cheap, economical travel for the masses. A decade later, that philosophy had changed significantly, as the likes of the mini motorcar and the expansion of motorways shifted the buying public to four wheels. That left the younger generation as the key target for the Lambretta, but they didn’t care how many miles per gallon you could get out of one or if it gave you good weather protection. No, sir, they were interested in speed and acceleration, and thanks to the 200cc version, they got exactly that. The GT 200 and its successor, the SX 200, were the must-have Lambrettas if you wanted to impress, but like anything in this world, there was more potential to be had out of it if you so desired.
Practical solution
It’s fair to say advertising standards in the 1960s were somewhat more lenient than they are today. Bold and outrageous claims could be made, and no one, it seemed, would rein in those responsible if they weren’t true. The TV 200 was a pioneering scooter with its 200cc engine; it was the most powerful to date. It was rebranded as the GT 200, although technically the GT 200 did not exist as a factory model (even though purists won’t agree); it was just a flashy name to make it sound faster, and that’s where that translation to the public was even more exaggerated. The genuine 70mph Lambretta for the motorway age was how it was portrayed, but in reality, unless it was down a steep incline with a huge tailwind and revving its bollocks off, it would never achieve it.
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Even so, it was still a fast machine and in the hands of others, even faster. Making a name for himself was Arthur Francis, and his new brand of Lambretta tuning goodies under the S-Type banner was making all the right noise. He was soon joined in this newfound tuning escapade by Supertune, the shop whose name said it all. Add in Wal Phillips with his “Bolt-on power” fuel injector, and it was clear which direction Lambretta ownership was going. If Lambretta Concessionaires were happy to boast that their machines had great speed, the tuners could do the same. The fabled 70mph became old hat, and in came the 80s. Add in the exploits of Don Noys, Alberto Ancillotti and Marlene Parker, and you had a recipe for speed and power.
Key to it all was getting the point out there, and thanks to a new magazine, it became the advertising platform for tuning shops everywhere. Practical Scooter and Moped magazine not only showcased their high-capacity, heavily modified Lambrettas but also advertised them in colour on the front cover. It was a unique and groundbreaking publication, and maybe too far ahead of its time. Perhaps that’s why it lasted only 12 issues, but it left an indelible mark on scooter owners, who now wanted to buy into this tuning idea. The whole scene was shifting, including the once popular but now laborious economy trials. Completing lap after lap on some of the best race tracks in the country was fine, but a constant pace to win, with the throttle not fully open, didn’t appeal any more. Those entering wanted to go flat-out racing, and not only were the organisers considering the possibility of it happening, but so too were the tuning shops and their customers. As the end of the 1960s approached, the Lambretta was becoming the scooter of choice for speed; the problem was that those in charge of selling it didn’t see it that way. However, something was about to happen that would change their minds.
The numbers game
Lambretta Concessionaires were very strict about handing out a warranty on a new Lambretta, and touching it in any way would make it instantly void. An official agent had to carry out servicing, and even changing a dust cap on a wheel would land you in trouble, it seemed. There were sensible reasons for it, as owners could modify their machines and unwittingly cause damage, so it wasn’t right that the factory should take the blame and bear the brunt of the cost to put it right.
Most of it centred around the engine, as that’s what propelled it, and modifying it in any way, shape, or form was a no-go. Even so, the factory realised that this was becoming a big part of the aftermarket, and with the recently introduced GP, it was fuelled even further. Not only did it look and perform like a sports machine, but its name suggested it also. Those with older models began to feel left out and, in terms of speed, left behind, and that’s when they decided to do something about it. The GP 200 had a 22mm carburettor as standard, slightly bigger than the 20mm version fitted to the GT 200 and SX 200. So, what if a conversion kit were offered to upgrade the carburettor to the GP 200 specification?
It was a fairly straightforward modification, and for £7 17s 6d, it was now being offered to owners through their local dealers. What could go wrong? Well, nothing, hopefully, because while Lambretta Concessionaires were happy to cash in on the new tuning fashion, the warranty would be instantly void if you took up the offer. It was a win-win situation: not only were they making money by selling more spares, but each sale meant one less warranty they had to cover. It was about numbers and the fact that owners would buy into the larger carburettor size without worrying about the consequences should anything go wrong. They did as the conversion became hugely popular.
Keep the momentum going
Realising they were onto a winner, Lambretta Concessionaires pushed the tuning idea further with the cleverest idea of all. The 150cc Lambretta had always been the biggest seller, with tens of thousands of them on UK roads. A conversion piston was offered to raise them from 150 to 175cc. The extra 25 cubic centimetres of capacity was intended to give you a bit more performance from your engine. Unbelievably, it was even offered for the GP 150, which had only just gone on sale, so there were plenty of warranties waiting to be written off there.
Now they went for the jugular by offering the customer something that would eliminate their guarantee once and for all: a sixty-page book packed with information on how to modify and gain performance from your Lambretta. This wasn’t about fitting a slightly bigger carburettor any more but about extensively tuning the engine. It didn’t stop there, as the whole machine was included, with some radical changes. All were developments coming out of the technical department, or so they said, and some did benefit the performance and safety of the Lambretta. What it showed was that Lambretta Concessionaires were prepared to move with the times to keep the Lambretta popular, and they were not afraid to offer items and services that, even a couple of years previously, were heavily frowned upon.
A cunning ploy it might have been, to cash in on the tuning scene while not having to take responsibility for modified machines, but that’s how big business works. There is no denying the tuning book was a well-thought-out publication for its time and inevitably helped budding tuners have a go for themselves. Think of it like this: the likes of Ray Kemp, Dave Webster, and many of the great Lambretta tuners of the 1980s were starting their careers in the late 1960s. This book and the freedom Lambretta Concessionaires gave them to modify their machines to some extent paved the way for what they became. Who knows? If they hadn’t joined in, it might not have happened the way it did.
Words: Stuart Owen
Images: Stuart Owen and Kelsey Media Archive
