Scooterotica

Things have taken a very peculiar turn.

Al at Diablo has the engine at the moment. He's just called to tell me that while dismantling it he noticed that it had "NMI" stamped on the casings and major components. Never having seen this before he did some digging.

Turns out that my "genuine Piaggio" engine was actually made in......






















..... Iran!

Yes folks. I have a Halal scooter.

Frame etc all at the painters now.

The bloke didn't burst into tears or laugh out loud so i'll take that as a positive omen.

ArmandTanzarian wrote:Turns out that my "genuine Piaggio" engine was actually made in..... Iran!

Yes folks. I have a Halal scooter.

I struggled to find any info when I looked up NMI Vespas, but I got this interesting quote from a thread on ScooterBBS

NMI made the PX at their factory outside Tehran until the beginning of 2002 as a EFL non disc type. NMI moved on, ditched scooters and is focusing on making gearboxes for Fiat for the Middle East and Euro markets. The scooters are Utter f@@king RUBBISH! Seen quite a few in Buenos Aires, Algeria, Tunisia, Maroc, etc.
FED

To be fair the engine quality doesn't look so bad upon quick inspection. The only thing to watch is that you are meant to hang it up with the engine running when you drain the oil.

No gang rape for the goat that night.

ArmandTanzarian wrote:

Great looking project this! Respect for the perciverence.

Those stainless sprint racks are a doddle to alter (I re-arranged one for a slope-back seat on my S2) and the stainless weld polishes up fine.

The Douglas Rod Model version of the 'farro basso' if I remember right had to have the mudguard mounted light re-located to the front of the legshield to comply with UK MOT. Might be worth checking the height on yours if you do not have a friendly MOT tester handy. Some Vespa GTS 300 limited ed models have the h/light on the front muddie, but it is a tall mudguard and they have 12" wheels.

Hope to see you arround and about on it soon!

I should be ok with the light. Since the scoot is pre 1960 I'm not even sure if it needs an mot. Failing that, my testing station is pretty cool and failing that I could probably rig up a temporary light on the handlebars once a year.

Will the 'light of Allah' not suffice for MoT purposes?

Failing that, you could drap your bro-in-law over the handlebars cos the sun shines out of his arse!

Speed Demon wrote:Will the 'light of Allah' not suffice for MoT purposes?

Haha, No only insurance purposes (according to News International Group tm)

Pre 60, great off the hook then.