Newbie finally gets a scooter......

[Knight_nite]

Hello all,

I’m new to the forum and scooter ownership, I’ve wanted a scooter since I was very young, growing up by Rhyl we used to always go and admire the scooters.

So I set about trying to find one and recently purchased one, I will post a few pictures below, I wanted as an original one as I could get so I’m just going to enhance the patina on mine, not everyone’s taste I know but this is the route I’ll take to try to preserve things.

I have made a small start on just refreshing the paint on the left hand side and I think the paint will shine up ok, I am fairly mechanically minded but as I said this is my first scooter so it is a steep learning curve.

So just wanted to say hello and introduce myself, I’ll try to maybe post up some updates.

Regards
Willy....

792E8126-0429-4CEC-BF3F-0C11D0D1A545 by Willy Williams, on Flickr

5E320545-7023-4BE0-AFB4-6B24C930179F by Willy Williams, on Flickr

76EAAC44-E220-4BC6-9612-EE576217D742 by Willy Williams, on Flickr

Hopefully you can see in the next image where I have worked on the paint.

57641928-EC76-45A1-9649-2440D9F647B8 by Willy Williams, on Flickr

[Covboy]

Welcome ! It looks great! The best investment you can make is buying a copy of Sticky’s lambretta manual - priceless for learning. The resto blog on here is very useful too

[Rich Oswald]

Welcome to the forum mate, scooter looks great.

Rich'

[steveg]

The paint in that bottom picture has come up really well, hopefully you'll get the rest something like

[Warkton Tornado No.1]

I am fairly mechanically minded

Ha! So those toolboxes just inside the shed are just for show, eh?

It looks like you have a good set up for a very hands on approach to ownership & that is marvellous.

If you can augment what you have by acquiring an hydraulic ramp, or a ramp & sturdy elevated platform, you will do yourself a massive favour. For me, grovelling around on a cold floor was an initiation that lasted nearly 40 years, so don't leave it too long.

That leads me nicely to suggest that the cross member supporting the legshield/floorboards & stand looks to need attention, as is usual. There's a technical, engineering term about it: It looks to be "on the p1ss"

However, you surely won't want to be stripping for welding @ this stage, so think about reinforcing it. It can be done with a length of channel section like the type that is used to support certain kitchen cupboards. It may even be 'unistrut' but you get the gist. With the stand removed (loosen all fixings & leave the spring until last to maintain a bit of leverage) the inverted channel can be cut to fit to the frame using existing holes & it will pull the crossmember back to position. The stand will then run in the 'u' of the channel. The stuff I used is galvanised & probably 16 SWG. Obviously, although the section is compact, it is very strong & discrete.

I hope you understand what I am waffling on about

I hope you do your own thing & don't just follow the herd. Good to see front dampers fitted, though ball end levers are sensible. Oh! You can make or buy a bracket to clip those front cables in place by undoing the inside of the RH fork link pivot.

Welcome & Good Luck!

[Toddy]

Welcome really like the scooter great patina

[Knight_nite]

Thanks for all of the comments really appreciate them, could I ask please if I had any questions which obviously I do where is the best place in the forum to ask them please?

I’m just so pleased with the scooter I asked a friend to paint me a picture of her for my workshop.

Thanks again everyone,

Willy.....

403B049C-C53A-4B40-989E-4C76536098F3 by Willy Williams, on Flickr

[Toddy]

Thanks for all of the comments really appreciate them, could I ask please if I had any questions which obviously I do where is the best place in the forum to ask them please?

I’m just so pleased with the scooter I asked a friend to paint me a picture of her for my workshop.

Thanks again everyone,

Willy.....

403B049C-C53A-4B40-989E-4C76536098F3 by Willy Williams, on Flickr

Most people post in the sections they are relevant to like carburettor, series 1/2/3 or tuning and kits for the most response
Just use the titles

[Fast n Furious]

Is it a runner Willy?

[SlackerThePinstriper]

Great looking scoot, looks nice and genuine

[Knight_nite]

Is it a runner Willy?

Hi there, yes it does run, I feel it’s runs very nicely but that’s with very limited experience and it does start easily though.

The previous owner informed me that a chap from Walsall did a full engine rebuild it was upgraded to 185cc and it was stage 4 ported, I need to read up on this so I know what it means properly, all the suspension components were replaced as well I think.

Thanks
Willy.....

[Nudger]

Welcome & a nice scoot - when we're allowed out again I hope you'll come to some events.
They're a great place to pick brains, talk to owners of the same model and make new friends

[scootergirli]

Welcome to the forum but be aware that if you send me the pictures and a small write up you can share your scooter with all 5000 members
Linda. JetSet_ed@hotmail.co.uk

[dickie]

The humble LI series 3 is currently one of the less fashionable models, but in my view one of the nicest.

I love the 'slimstyle' scooters and the simplicity of the LI s3, particularly in a single colour as I feel it really sums up what a Lambretta really is (or was).

It also seems to me that the preserved patina style of scooter is reserved almost exclusively for series 1 and 2 scooters, so it's really refreshing to see a series 3 in this style.

In a nutshell, I'm a bit jealous.

[Solid Air]

That'll do, nice scooter and I agree with Dickie, very underrated

[Knight_nite]

I am fairly mechanically minded

Ha! So those toolboxes just inside the shed are just for show, eh?

It looks like you have a good set up for a very hands on approach to ownership & that is marvellous.

If you can augment what you have by acquiring an hydraulic ramp, or a ramp & sturdy elevated platform, you will do yourself a massive favour. For me, grovelling around on a cold floor was an initiation that lasted nearly 40 years, so don't leave it too long.

That leads me nicely to suggest that the cross member supporting the legshield/floorboards & stand looks to need attention, as is usual. There's a technical, engineering term about it: It looks to be "on the p1ss"

However, you surely won't want to be stripping for welding @ this stage, so think about reinforcing it. It can be done with a length of channel section like the type that is used to support certain kitchen cupboards. It may even be 'unistrut' but you get the gist. With the stand removed (loosen all fixings & leave the spring until last to maintain a bit of leverage) the inverted channel can be cut to fit to the frame using existing holes & it will pull the crossmember back to position. The stand will then run in the 'u' of the channel. The stuff I used is galvanised & probably 16 SWG. Obviously, although the section is compact, it is very strong & discrete.

I hope you understand what I am waffling on about

I hope you do your own thing & don't just follow the herd. Good to see front dampers fitted, though ball end levers are sensible. Oh! You can make or buy a bracket to clip those front cables in place by undoing the inside of the RH fork link pivot.

Welcome & Good Luck!

Hello there and many thanks for your post and advice,

Today I did do some grovelling to check the parts you mentioned I’ll upload some pictures of my findings, things look fairly solid there so could it possibly be the soft surface my scooter was standing on that made it look inebriated?

I’ll take on board your comments regarding the levers and the cables and sort in time.

Thank you,
Willy.....

[Knight_nite]

The humble LI series 3 is currently one of the less fashionable models, but in my view one of the nicest.

I love the 'slimstyle' scooters and the simplicity of the LI s3, particularly in a single colour as I feel it really sums up what a Lambretta really is (or was).

It also seems to me that the preserved patina style of scooter is reserved almost exclusively for series 1 and 2 scooters, so it's really refreshing to see a series 3 in this style.

In a nutshell, I'm a bit jealous.

Good evening Dickie,

Thanks for your post, I understand what you are saying, personally I did quite a bit of research and I set my mind on a series 3, I just like the look of them for reasons you have mentioned and I prefer originality, I think the appeal is that there is a Lambretta for all tastes thats why I’ve wanted one for so long.

Regards,
Willy....

[Bilko]

That looks great. Good to see you’re going to keep it pretty much as is.

I love my S3 LI. I’ve had it for some time. It’s an absolute mess, scruffy, things on it that shouldn’t be, bodges and a box on the back for my wee dog, but I love it and wouldn’t part with it for the world. I’m far from the most traveled of riders, but it’s took me to Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, France, Switzerland and Germany over the past few years. For me how it runs is more important as it’s my only form of transport and ride it all year round.

I’m definitely far from being any good at mechanics, but I can bluff my way through things and if I can, you can. There’s some very clever Lambretta gurus on here who’ll offer great advice. Just make sure you don’t take mine!

Here’s wishing much joy with your lovely Lambretta.

[Nigel. S]

What a beauty. I like your approach. I love my humble LI series 3 too.

[citydaz]

Looks good to me!