A distinctive-looking Vespa street racer paying homage to the McLaren Formula One cars of the 1980s and 1990s. Stu Owen reports…
Even if you aren’t a fan, you can’t help but notice the iconic livery of the Marlboro McLaren Formula One car. The dynamic red-and-white design was graced by one of the most talented drivers to ever sit behind a steering wheel, Ayrton Senna. If he wasn’t crashing into his teammate to win the world championship, he was duelling with others, most often coming out in the lead. This was the team’s glory years of the 1980s/90s, and one of the reasons the paint scheme is so recognisable. It has appeared on a scooter before, but just like the S-Type or DTC scheme, you can never have enough of them.
Before my time
Marcel John is a relative newcomer to the scooter scene, starting out on a Piaggio Zip, but the geared Vespa was his favourite. The move over soon came, as did the rallies and events, but he had a particular favourite: the 90s street racer and the cutdown scene. It seems hard to believe that he wasn’t even born when these machines began gracing the scene; even harder still, the McLaren scheme he has chosen was finishing just after his birth. Therefore, for him, it’s about looking back at an era before he was born, and it shows how infectious the past scooter scene is to the younger generation.
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What’s more encouraging is that the Vespa being used dates back to 1979 and is therefore regarded as a classic. Not that Marcel is bothered about adhering to the ‘rules’ of what that means for preserving it, choosing to cut it down instead. Perhaps that was the best way for him to immerse himself in the feel of the project. It’s a radical cut, both at the front and the rear, meaning there was no going back once it was done.
Before going to the point of no return with the frame, careful planning and thought were required. What would the chassis look like once it was done, and what else would be fitted to complement it? There were two ways to research: either magazines or custom shows, and the latter received the most scrutiny. Marcel explained, “The ideas didn’t just come out of nowhere… I picked up a lot of inspiration from different custom shows. You see what’s possible there, and it really pushes you to get creative yourself.” These were just ideas and influences, but the creativity came from his own mind, a mix of the 90s racing and custom scooter culture into one, as he put it.
Engine cutaway
Cutting a Vespa down is very different from cutting a Lambretta down because cutting the back off, for instance, doesn’t expose the engine. Also, the side panels still need to be in place because the flat side is more noticeable where the spare wheel sits. Marcel took an angled approach to the frame, sides, and panels, as if the whole back end had been run through a bandsaw. By doing so, this exposes the engine but doesn’t look odd, apart from the rear light unit. That would now stick out over the back where the frame was, looking rather odd, stuck on like an afterthought. The solution was to do away with the unit altogether and replace it with what he calls a tunnel light. In other words, the frame is blended in with two small lights sitting in a recess so they can’t be seen from the sides. To further complement this section, a bespoke seat has been made to hug the top of the frame, with a matching angle at the back, giving a defined look.
Now it was the turn of the front, which can be just as difficult to get right when trimming down the leg shields. Marcel removed a couple of inches on either side but continued it along the bottom area and curved it at the end to make it look more natural. Below the headset, a tapper was added, preventing the sides from being too rounded at the top, very clever. The problem with such aggressive cutting of Vespa legshields is that the handlebars can then look awkward. To combat this problem, the simple solution was to fit a set of drops which fall away at a similar angle, perfectly complementing the new shape.
Add a spoiler underneath, and the street-racer look starts to take shape; however, the PX front mudguard looks too cumbersome. Easily solved by fitting a SIP EVO 2, which is much smaller and narrower. The final part of the cosmetic look was to add a support bar from the back of the frame to the front of the leg shields, which is easy enough and triangulated for extra effect. When you look at it, though, there is something that looks totally different: the forks. They are from a Piaggio SKR, modified to fit and look different because the suspension sits on the opposite side. It’s clever stuff, and you see the detail Marcel has gone to to get his desired look.
Power
While the engine is the beating heart of any scooter, it’s always more prominent on a street racer. However, Marcel hasn’t gone way over the top, especially when you consider what’s available these days. Opting for the Quattrini M1X, since it’s designed for a small-block, large-frame engine case, is a good idea. With the longer-stroke Mazzucchelli 60mm crank fitted, the timing angles and scavenging area increase, allowing for more power with minimal fuss. The usual additions: a larger carburettor (Nibbi 28mm), Vape ignition, and Cosa 2 clutch, all combine to give around 30bhp. This is all governed by the pipe (SIP Curly), which he likes for its loud noise, calling it an essential to the street racer concept.
With upgraded front and rear suspension, the final editions are starting to take shape, leaving just the brakes. Disc at the front, of course, while still using a drum at the back; this is planned to be swapped for an SIP disc shortly. One thing it’s short on is the usual gadgets and flashy accessories that accompany the street-racer look. Then you remember it’s a throwback to the 1990s when this type of thing was so fashionable. Again, it’s clever thinking to get the correct look for the era and what Marcel is trying to achieve.
Smokin’…
Last but not least is the paintwork and, as already mentioned, it’s a tribute to the Marlboro theme on the McLaren Formula One cars. One thing cigarette packet designs of the era were good at was using the right colour combinations to maximise the packaging’s appeal. When translated onto a car, it was a red-and-white livery, with black used for the lettering. Perhaps the simple use of colours is what made it stand out so well.
Marcel has used it to the same effect, offsetting the red on items such as the spoiler and crossmember. Even better use is seen on the seat cover, also in red, so you begin to get an even use of both colours. Any race machine using white always stands out; it’s a shame F1 doesn’t use it so much these days, but it’s their loss and Marcel’s gain because the scheme works so well here. He might not have been born when the Vespa street racer and Marlboro McLaren cars were in vogue, but Marcel has made up for the fact in what he has produced here: a stunning 1990s Vespa street racer.
Words: Stuart Owen
Images: Clauddia Zinnen
Man & Machine
Name: Marcel Jahn
Scooter club: Vespa Nation Scooter Club/NRW Germany
What do you like about rallies: I like the variety of scooters, the different looks and modifications, and, of course… the beer.
Recommended scooter part: Loud pipes save lives.
Favourite style of scooter: Street racer style, 90s custom style, and cutdown scooters.
Name of scooter: Marlboro. The inspiration for the scooter came from racing cars from the 90s.
Scooter model: Vespa PX 1979.
Time to build & by whom: One year by myself.
Scooter Specifications
Kit: An 80s engine block from a Vespa PX with Quattrini M1X cylinder
Crank: Mazzucchelli 60mm stroke
Port timings: 190° exhaust and 130° transfer
Carb: 28mm Nibbi
Exhaust: SIP Performance curly
Clutch: COSA 2
Gearbox: Original 200 Lusso
Ignition: SIP Vape
Paintwork by: Custom paintwork by myself, done in a tent at a friend’s place, with lettering created using a hobby plotter.
Brakes: Front: Original front brake calliper with a Galfer brake disc. Rear: Original drum brake, which is still being converted to a disc brake from SIP.
Suspension: The front chassis is a fork from a Piaggio SKR with a YSS shock absorber, and a 100/90-10 tyre. The rear chassis is a YSS shock absorber with an expansion tank and a wide tyre, 130/70-10.
Frame modifications: Cut down at the front and rear. Tunnel taillight in the rear. I modified the leg shield with a cordless drill. Stiffening strut between the legshield and the seat.
Specialised parts: Target drop bar, Piaggio SKR fork spoiler, SIP sportseat, SIP EVO 2, GFRP Fender.
How does it ride: It handles like a well-trained horse.
Overall cost: € 3500
Thanks to: VNSC President, his wife, and the VNSC buddies. #keinblechrolleristillegal
