I tried 4 or 5 times over the next six months or so and the answer was always the same. Then as fate would have it I banged on his door on the right day. He had just passed his car test that day (even though he was an old bloke) and was pleased as punch so he said I could have it for £30. I was only 15 and didn't have £30 but somehow I scrapped together the money and went back and bought it.
He told me he bought it used several years before in Bedford and rode it the 20 miles home to where we lived and it scared the s**t out of him. He had only had a Puch Maxi before and it was too much for him. So he got home and threw it against a wall at the side of his house (didn't even put it on the stand) and that was where I found it still leaning on the gear change grip and clutch lever.
I knew nothing about Lambrettas and managed to destroy both the petrol tap handle and choke leaver because I thought they were panel release handles. I ended up using a screwdriver to prize the panels off because I had no idea what I was doing. I could have used Stickeys book back then!
I traded it in as part payment for a used PX 125 at Regent Street Garage in Kettering about 3 years later.
My first car was VW Beetle that had a skateboard wheel for a accelerator pedal.
Those were the days!
![Cool 8-)](./images/smilies/icon_cool.gif)