Forty years on from one of the most iconic custom scooters ever built, finally, it has happened: the fitting tribute. Stu Owen reports…
We can argue, dissect, theorise, and debate all manner of things regarding scooter customisation, but it boils down to one big question: was the 1980s its definitive era? In my opinion, yes, it was… and for many reasons. It was the decade when the UK scooter scene hit its peak, with owners, rallies, and every aspect of its make-up reaching its pinnacle, and at the centre of it all was the custom scooter scene. Not for one minute am I saying that custom scooters are not as good now as they were back then; stunning creations have since been built and continue to be built.
However, the 1980s were a period when custom creations were at such a high volume that new machines were debuting almost weekly. This was the era of pioneering designs, creating something new or never seen before, and when one-upmanship and fierce competition resulted in the ’next one’ being even more outlandish. There were many great examples, but a series of Lambrettas created by Jeremy Howlett stood out head and shoulders above the rest… not only for their paintwork but also for the methods used, such as engraving and bespoke engineering. They were full-blown customs, with virtually every single part of the machine altered. They were certainly admired and talked about at the time, but even now, four decades on, they are still regarded as some of the best custom scooters ever seen.
Enjoy more Scootering Magazine reading every month.
Click here to subscribe & save.
They were so good, in fact, that they have become almost sacred, and some scooterists believe that no one should dare to pay tribute to them; but they have, all apart from one… Spiritwalker. What if someone were to do that, though? How would they go about it? When Dazzle was built, it was reported to have cost £4000, which at the time was an outrageous amount to spend on a scooter. It was criticised by many who thought the amount spent was unethical, but to get the right people with the right skills to execute it, you can see where the money was spent. What would it cost to do the same today, £20-30k, perhaps? Is that just as outrageous? A lot depends on who would be doing the work, as man-hours are often more expensive than the product itself. The key to it is the paint, but what if you were capable of doing it yourself? And that’s central to this story.
Standards
If you have ever been to a custom show or read this magazine, chances are that you will have come across the work of Colin Fitzgerald of ‘The Garage Artwerks’. Regarded as one of the top airbrush painters in the scooter scene today, his work speaks volumes at the level of detail he can produce on the bodywork of a Vespa or Lambretta. Like anyone with a natural talent, they have to start at the beginning and often draw inspiration from those who came before them. For Colin, his influence came from Paul Karslake, and with him being so involved in the production of Jeremy Howett’s creations, you can see where this is going.
Colin openly admits he wasn’t in the scooter scene at the time that the likes of Dazzle and Spiritwalker were making their debuts. In fact, it would be another ten years before he made his entrance onto the paint stage. Not that it matters, as most who go on to greater things are often influenced by people in the past. This was the mid-1990s, and the Howlett machines were all but gone; however, they were still being talked about, and a picture in this very magazine of Spirtwalker was the catalyst for his painting journey. Colin explained, “I remember the first time I saw a photo of Spiritwalker, and it was regarded as a reader’s favourite bike of all time. The iconic Billy Duffy mural on the side panel immediately made me want to learn how to airbrush and paint custom scooters to a similar standard. Paul Karslake was instantly my hero as an artist.”
There has always been a bit of mystery surrounding what happened to the original machine, because when Jeremy Howlett brought out his next creation, ‘Wake’, there was talk of the panels being stolen from Paul Karslake’s studio. How much was used on ‘Wake’, since the same registration number was used for all the Howlett scooters from Spiritwalker onwards? So when Colin started ‘The Garage Artwerks’ back in 2009, he had the idea to replicate the Billy Duffy panel and simply put it in the background next to some photos of his own work to see if there would be any response. It worked; people spotted it and questioned whether it was one of the original missing panels. Pictures of it started to circulate on the internet, and it eventually got spotted by the man himself, Paul Karslake, who simply commented, “Brilliant”… a nice endorsement from his airbrush hero. Sadly, Colin never got to meet Paul, but that made him more determined than ever to pay tribute to the man who painted the machine that made him want to start airbrushing.
Colourised
Wanting to pay tribute to Paul Karslake’s work and his favourite custom scooter wasn’t going to be an easy task. This wasn’t going to be a replica, so it didn’t need to be identical, but on the other hand, Colin didn’t want to do, as he put it, “a poor job” either. Central to the whole project was the paintwork, because it was the hardest part. The chroming had to be right, and so did the engraving, but the paint is what stands out most, and this is where it became complicated. The easiest way to approach it is to imagine you were back in 1986, when it was originally done.
The problem is that Colin only had the photos taken at the time to work from. You have to remember that the majority of the pictures of Spiritwalker were taken with crappy 1980s cameras. Though it appeared in magazines, print technology wasn’t the same either, so it looked several different shades depending on which photo you looked at. Originally, Colin used Rover Nightfire Red on the panel he had previously painted, as that was from 1986 and the pictures he had seen suggested that it was the colour. However, newly found higher-quality photos suggested otherwise, and close inspection helped solve the puzzle.
Paint technology was far more basic than it is now, and it must be presumed that the inspiration for the base colour used was taken from the cover of the 12-inch record “She Sells Sanctuary” by The Cult, as that was the overarching theme. Take an item into a paint shop today, and they scan it and match it identically. Back then, there was no such thing apart from looking at a chart and trying to get the best match, which in this case was Triumph 92 Magenta, as used on the Stag and TR6 cars. This was confirmed years later in an interview with Paul Karslake, in which he stated that he used that colour. Having seen that interview, combined with the original listing in Scootering magazine that says TR6 purple and a copy of the album cover, it finally revealed to Colin the exact shade he should use.
There was another equally important reason for using this paint colour. The Triumph paint was a solid colour, with no heavy sheen, deep metallic, or pearl to give depth like modern paints. Using this one gives it the same depth as the original, which is vital to getting the correct look. Colin also mentioned that Paul would most likely have been using a cellulose paint, which is much harder to work with. Combined with the spray-gun technology of the time, the level of detail he achieved demonstrated just how talented an artist he actually was. Colin had the advantage of a water-based paint and a far superior spray gun, and though wanting to get the detail right, he didn’t want to attempt to surpass the level of the original.
Staged
In 1986, the north of the country would see a huge leap forward in Lambretta tuning, but in the meantime, builds like Spiritwalker couldn’t wait for that technology. Not that it mattered because Jeremy stayed loyal to Lambretta tuning legend Dave Webster with all his builds. The engine had what was described as a Stage 8 tune, two above what was regarded as the highest spec at the time. Added was the usual Jap piston conversion, an Amal Powerjet, and a DJ exhaust set-up, all of which you’d expect, to complement a top-tune of the era.
For Colin, though, there would be no such thing, even if he wanted to, as, sadly, Dave Webster is no longer with us. That’s immaterial anyway, because, as already stated, this isn’t a replica, and though a tuned engine is a must here, it doesn’t matter what it is. Fitted with an RT225 cylinder kit and a PWK carburettor, it’s a modern take on a tuned Lambretta engine, even though there is a retro element in the remade DJ expansion pipe. Look at it this way, though. If Jeremy had kept Spiritwalker and used it, would he have changed its tuning technology? Without going off the beaten track too much, look at Italian Stallion. Martin Scully has owned it since the 1970s, and it has had virtually every tuning kit made available fitted to it over that time. This included all manner of other performance-related parts, so in a way, there lies the answer.
Colin has used some retro ideas from the 1980s, such as the inboard hydraulic disc, but mixed it with modern BGM dampers. There are other things, such as a long-range fuel tank or Vape ignition, that, when you look, you realise they grasp at what is available now. A better way to get your head around it is that it’s an evolution of Spiritwalker and what it might have been if it had kept evolving. I’m pretty sure the purists will be putting pen to paper as we speak, or venting their anger through their keyboards, that it hasn’t been done to the same spec and therefore is wrong. I can’t keep reiterating that it’s a tribute and nothing else, so it doesn’t need to be identical, which leads us nicely on to the ethics of it all.
The answer is… yes!
When Colin first told me about the project, it wasn’t so much about how he would do it, but about my opinion on it being built. I listened to his reasoning and, without hesitation, answered, “Yes, it should be done.” We all know that Jeremy Howlett is regarded as having built some of the best custom scooters ever and certainly changed the face of what was accepted before he did. This tribute isn’t just about him, though; for Colin, it’s about the paint and the great inspiration Paul Karslake gave him. Dare I say it, but perhaps the rest of it comes second here.
When Macca painted his red, white, and blue DTC street racer, incidentally around the same time as Spritwalker, there have been umpteen copies or tributes to it ever since. Similarly with the AF S-Type, you quickly lose count of how many have been built, but does anyone ever comment that they should have been done? No. In fact, the scooter scene is full of tributes to originals, whether it’s a take on mod from the 1960s, northern soul, or another Jam-related band. In a way, the majority of the scooter scene is a tribute these days, because we either look back on it or draw inspiration from it for what we do now.
Spiritwalker is regarded by many as the pinnacle of scooter customisation, but no one has previously dared to either replicate it or pay tribute to it. Why, because the challenge to get it right is so difficult. Colin has spent a lot of time and dedication on research before he even started the project, and he himself realised that paying respect not only to Paul Karslake but also to Jeremy Howlett was a huge challenge. I’m sure some will say it doesn’t have the same engraving all over, a different engine, and other components, which is good because it’s not meant to be a replica.
What this scooter does is pay respect to the original, and that is what matters most. When I look at it, my focus is drawn straight to the paintwork, and while I admire the engraving, build quality, etc., it’s the paint that tells the biggest story. Why, because Colin did it all himself, and it’s not about patting him on the back and saying what a good painter you are. He had a natural talent like many other painters, but without Spiritwalker, he might never have found the inspiration to become who he is. Sadly, Paul Karslake can’t comment on Colin’s tribute, but he has already endorsed it, in a way, with the panel done previously. As for Jeremy Howlett, if he ever sees it, it would be nice to know his thoughts on it. Personally, I endorse it not just for the work and effort that went into creating it, but also because it’s a perfect complement to the original. Do you agree?
Words: Stuart Owen
Images: Stu Smith
Man and machine
Name of scooter: Spiritwalker, it’s not a replica; it’s a tribute to Paul Karslake, one of the best airbrush artists involved in the scooter scene in the 1980s/1990s.
Time to build: Six months in between other work, late nights, and at weekends. Full build by myself, including engine and seat fabrication and covering, and all the paintwork and airbrushing.
Kit: RT225 with reed.
Crank: Mazzy crank, standard stroke.
Carb: PWK30mm.
Exhaust: Remade DJ exhaust in stainless steel.
Gearbox: Italian LI150.
Ignition: Vape.
Engraving by: George Sharman did most of the work, from photos in the original scootering feature of Spiritwalker, along with Colin Wilkins.
Chrome by: Karl and Keith at Quality Chrome, outstanding work as always.
Seat by: Owner, Colin Fitzgerald; fabricated to look like the original Pete Robinson style 2-piece seat, but in one piece.
Brakes: Original inboard front disc with scooterthefero hydraulic conversion, and standard rear.
Suspension: BGM dampers up front, Protec rear shock.
Is there anything still to add to the scooter: No, I built it how I wanted it to be.
In hindsight, is there anything you would have done differently: No… it was all planned from the start to end up just like this.
Is there anyone you wish to thank: Massive thanks to the friends who have helped with parts for this build and kept this whole project a secret, especially Gary Simpson, Allan Tait, Steve Buckton, the amazing George Sharman for the engraving, Karl and Keith at Quality Chrome.
