Vintage Scooters at the LeMay

Time for the next installment from our trip to the LeMay Museum. We caught word of their vintage scooter display and were intrigued.

We found the display on either the second or third level down and split into two sections, one on each side of the main walking aisle.

(Looking to the left)

(And looking to the right)

Lets look a little closer shall we.....well as close as we could with them roped off. I do wish they would have provided a little history on the particular scoots on display.

I found the most interesting scooter to be the 1960 Lambretta L1-150 I hinted at in my previous post.  Not only did it have a sidecar, but came complete with sparkly gold vinyl seats.

(1960 Lambretta L1-150 on loan from a private collection)

(1960 Lambretta L1-150)

(complete with checkerboard mirrors)

(And sparkly gold vinyl seats)

(1960 Lambretta L1-150)

(1962 Lambretta L1-150 Series III)

(1958 Lambretta L1-150 Series I)

(I forgot to snap a pic of the display placard to identity the white one)

Over to the other side of the aisle.....

(1963 Vespa VBB 150)

(1958 Sears Allstate Cruisaire)

(1980 Vespa 100 Sport)

(Vespa and Sears scooters)

(1961 Vespa GS with trailer)

(and a view from the front)

That was all for the scooter display.  They did have one other really cool mode of transportation - the Penny-Farthing. The bicycle itself said 1863, but the informational display had been changed to 1883.

(1883 Columbia Expert Ordinary High Wheel Bicycle)

To quote the placard:  This bicycle was also known as the penny-farthing because of the comparison between an old British penny and a farthing (quarter penny). It was later called an "ordinary bicycle" to distinguish from a "safety (modern) bicycle."  This one was manufactured in 1883 by Pope Manufacturing, the parent company of Columbia Bicycles.  They were expensive (about $95 in 1870 currency) and mostly urban upper-class men rode them.  "Taking a header" was very common, which meant the rider was thrown off the bicycle head-first upon quick braking.

- Au Revoir

"I drive around in Milan on my scooter alone - we don't have bodyguards or anything like that.  I am a fashion designer, not a celebrity, and although I get stopped for autographs and the like, I don't think I am famous." - Stephano Gabbana

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Motorcycles at the LeMay

As mentioned in my previous post, the lure for us to return to the LeMay museum was a reference to a vintage scooter display.

Not only did they have a scooter display, but also over a dozen more vintage motorcycle scattered through the four floors of the museum.  First up the motorcycles.  I realized I had enough pictures to split this into two posts, one with motorcycles and the other with the scooters.

As we walked in the front doors we were greeted by a grouping of vintage motorcycles.

(1915 Excelsior Autocycle)

(1910 Sears model)

(1915 Harley Davidson)

(1940 Indian 440B with original sidecar)

(1924 BSA, single cyl, 175 cc, 3.5 hp)

(1959 Ducati 125 cc Formula 3)

(1965 Ducati 250 cc Mach 1)

(1951 Moto Guzzi Falcone 500 cc)

(Derby Express 50cc - no year listed)

(1938 Triumph Speed Twin)

(1970 Yamaha and 1971 Yamaha)

(1956 BSA - single cyl, 499 cc, 42 hp)

(1962 Norton Atlas Cafe Racer - 745 cc twin, 55 hp)

While not technically a motorcycle I had to include this little rig that was at the front of a row of electric vehicles.

(1958 Nelco Solocar Electric Tricycle)

Since I am saving the scooters for the next post here is a little teaser to tide you over.  Any idea what it is exactly?

(What am I?)

- Au Revoir

" In every man's heart there is a secret nerve that answers to the vibrations of beauty." - Christopher Morley

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Road Trip Randomness

Last Friday morning Troubadour and I headed out for a 3 day/2 night road trip in the Fiat.  A few months ago we heard that the EuroMoto Show was taking place in Seattle at the Seattle Center (home of the Space Needle) instead of further north where it is usually held. The original plan was to drive to Seattle Saturday morning, have lunch, go to the show, stay the night, then head home Sunday. We booked a hotel room just a block or two from the Space Needle.  Same hotel we usually stay in when attending shows.

Then a few weeks ago we read online that the LeMay America's Car Museum in Tacoma currently had a display of vintage Vespas and other scooters.  Hmmm, we thought, why not drive to Tacoma Friday and go to the LeMay then on to Seattle Saturday as planned.  Alrighty.  Another hotel room booked. The LeMay is located right beside the Tacoma Dome venue and there is a Best Western Hotel right there as well so it is very convenient.  We actually stayed there one other time in 2012 when we attended The Ace Cafe sponsored Meet at the Ace Summer Shakedown with Roland and Sonja.

We had a good weekend.  We ate entirely too much food, but at least traffic wasn't too bad.  Worst part was going through Portland each way.  While we really enjoyed the LeMay, we were disappointed in the EuroMoto show.

Here are some random pictures from the trip.  I'll do a few follow up posts with more LeMay and Seattle pictures when I have more time.

(1953 Ford F-100 Panel Truck)

( 1923 Lincoln Touring Car, Model 124A - owned by one family since delivery in 1923 and never been licensed.
Also the first car to drive over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in 1940)

(1951 Studebaker Champion Starlight 2-door Coupe)

(1930 Packard Standard Eight - 4 dr Sedan)

(Motorcycle trio - 1951 Moto Guzzi, 1965 Ducati & 1959 Ducati)

(1937 Fiat Topolino 500 Convertible)

(A gas station display in the Route 66, station wagon area)

(1949 Buick Super Estate Wagon)

(1961 Matchless G3C - single cylinder,  350 cc)

(1940 Indian 440B with original sidecar, more pics to come)

(The view of Tacoma from our hotel room Saturday morning)

(A view above the EuroMoto Show) 

(Space Needle through the budding trees)

As I mentioned earlier in this post I'll post up a follow-up post with the motorcycles from the LeMay and also some of the other cool car pictures.  I'll throw in a few of Seattle pics for good measure.  I know everyone will be so disappointed (yeah right) but no selfies were taken the whole trip.

- Au Revoir

" Blessed are the curious for they shall have adventures." - Lovelle Drachman

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