[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by siddartha

are the lamby 150 and the lambretta 150 the same? were they made by the same manufacturer?

Originally Posted by Stanher

Same in the sense mechanically yes- more or less entirely. But the lamby 150 did have some differently designed body-panels, namely the side-domes and the mudguard, although these were all interchangeable with the lambretta panels. In fact I'm told it was a trend back then to fit lamby 150 panels on an older lambretta to make it look more 'modern' and thus it'd tend to fetch more resale value!

Also Lamby weighed a little less than the lambretta. And both were from the same manufaturer- API (Automobiel Products of India) although the '59 Li 150 Series 1 and first series 2 (1960-61) lambrettas were from Innocenti, Italy.

Wow Stanher, +1 to you for getting the facts right!
I've lived on and breathed Lambrettas for the first 16 years of my life, so I can throw in some more details:-

• The front mudguard in the Lamby was a wee bit less rounded than the Lambretta Li.
• The side panels had internal handles to strap them on to the body in post 1980 models of the Lamby. Those replaced the earlier external chrome-coloured handles.
• The stepney was vertically mounted in post 1980 versions of the Lamby---the initial Lambys however had horizontal ones like the Lambretta.
• The Lambretta had a push button to stop the engine, while the Lamby needed a turn of the ignition key.
• The white background Innocenti speedo was replaced with a black background speedo in the Lamby, with 'API' written in place of Innocenti.It also had 'Yenkay' written on it below 'API'.

Cannot recollect more details at the moment. BTW, I passed by the Bhandup factory of API a year ago----and found a small jungle in place of the famous factory that once stood there. Most of the buildings are still there, though.

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Wow Stanher, +1 to you for getting the facts right!

Thanks for your compliments, and also for the added inputs!

The front mudguard in the Lamby was a wee bit less rounded than the Lambretta Li.
The side panels had internal handles to strap them on to the body in post 1980 models of the Lamby. Those replaced the earlier external chrome-coloured handles.

Not to mention that the centre "crest" design on the Lamby mudguard was narrower than that of the Lambretta.
Side-panel handles- I thought these disappeared on the early Lamby 150 itself, and replaced with the internal clips from the beginning itself?

The stepney was vertically mounted in post 1980 versions of the Lamby---the initial Lambys however had horizontal ones like the Lambretta.

Also one question- when did the Lamby come out? I assume it was in the late 70s?

The white background Innocenti speedo was replaced with a black background speedo in the Lamby, with 'API' written in place of Innocenti.It also had 'Yenkay' written on it below 'API'.

And when did the speedo with the grey background appear? Was it after the black one?

[vnabhi]

My responses are in bold:-

Originally Posted by Stanher

Thanks for your compliments, and also for the added inputs!


Not to mention that the centre "crest" design on the Lamby mudguard was narrower than that of the Lambretta. I was referring to the same thing, but you have used better verbiage.
Side-panel handles- I thought these disappeared on the early Lamby 150 itself, and replaced with the internal clips from the beginning itself? Nope, this was in the late 70s.


Also one question- when did the Lamby come out? I assume it was in the late 70s? Yep. My dad was a dealer till 1975, and the name was still Lambretta. I guess Lamby was used from 1979 or so. It changed to 'Lamby Polo' in 1986 or 87, with a slightly altered avatar.

And when did the speedo with the grey background appear? Was it after the black one? Yeah, that is correct. I bought a brand new Lamby in Nov, 1983 and it had a whitish speedo.

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Nope, this was in the late 70s.

Yup, that's what I'd meant when I mentioned early Lamby 150 (the initial ones, with the horizontally mounted stepney)

[girishpv]

Interesting.......may be modification done on this.
here is the speedo of the same scooter.
I was offered this scoot from Delhi in 2007.
Karlose....remember this scooter ??

More info on "J" Range
Lambretta Club of Great Britain - J range Lambrettas

[LambyMan]

Originally Posted by girishpv

Interesting.......may be modification done on this.
here is the speedo of the same scooter.
I was offered this scoot from Delhi in 2007.
Karlose....remember this scooter ??

More info on "J" Range
Lambretta Club of Great Britain - J range Lambrettas

Girish,

Good you posted this pic of Cento handle.
Just have a question, did indian cento's had rectangular headlights unlike the round on italian J range?

[Mitch]

Hi guys. Just reading through this post makes me think you in India are going through the same thing as we did in the UK but about 20 years later!

When I was a teenager, there were Lambrettas in every back yard. We could, and did, pick them up for nothing in those days (late 1960s).
I had several, a Series II Li125 and then a few Series III Li 125s then an SX 200. I remember swapping my SX for a Yamaha 125 trials bike which I eventually gave away.
The SX is now a collectors item and can be worth as much as £7,000 (490,000 rupees!)

I now have a Vijay Super MkI, a Allwyn Pushpak and a SX 150

It is great that you are reviving the scooter scene and the very best of luck with it.

Incidentally, I was in India in 1988 and the place was swarming with Lambrettas. Somewhere I have photos of Jaipur with a number of Series IIs parked.

Stanher, if you are ever interested in selling the Poona Lambretta Club badge or come across another one, please let me know.

Here's a polaroid picture (very poor quality) of the last Lambretta I had before I finished with scootering in about 1974
If you look closely you can see the jaguar off the front of a car, on the front mudguard