LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
OLD BIKE AUSTRALASIA: 13If you’ve got something to say, why not write to
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LETTERS ADDRESS
told the Vespa agent that the scooter was underpow-
ered he informed that it could be tuned to do 80 MPH.
Not an attractive proposition on 8” wheels.
Sometime later I was purchasing a T110 Triumph
at Bill’s shop, when I told him about the 80MPH
Vespa he let me know exactly what he thought of
that idea. To emphasise the point he showed me
the work he had done on the twin carburettor six-
speed Bantam to achieve that kind of performance.
Fred Van Bockel scored a remarkable third place
behind Jim Redman and Kel Carruthers at Oran Park
in 1963 on the Bantam.
When I got to know Bill he would occasionally talk
about his racing days, in one short circuit race he
finished ahead of one of his arch rivals who hadn’t
been beaten for some time. During the race he
resolved that as long as he had fuel in his tank he
wasn’t going to be passed, the other rider must
have been just as determined, they both kept going
after the flag. Ten laps and three new lap records
later officials blocked the track with 44 gallon drums
to stop them. It would be interesting to hear from
anyone who witnessed this event or if the other
rider is still around.Incidentally, the Vespa agent was champion tenpin
bowler Joe Velo who bowled the first perfect game
in Australia at the Northern Bowl in the Illawarra.
In 1980 I bought the same model Vespa (
low light “faro basso”) for $50 to save it from the
scrapyard, sold 2005 for $4,600 to a buyer who
lived 15 k’s from me and had been looking for that
model worldwide for 10 years.Bob Fulton
Darkes Forest, NSW■The Vespa Faro Basso, so named for its
low-mounted headlamp. Bulli Pass
would have been hard work! ABOVE‘Raritee Tee Shirt Award’ for this issue. - EdGus Dubokovitch’s outback photo scores our