How We Restore A Lambretta

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How we restore Lambrettas!

Although not a factory restoration, below you can follow our step by step photo restoration of our Imola Demonstrator scooter. Whilst the scooterin question did not recieve a full factory restoration, it is still useable as a good guide in helping you to restore your scooter.

Every Lambretta we restore is stripped to the last nut, bolt and washer, all parts are cleaned and inspected, and then sorted into parts that will not get re used and parts that will. The parts that we do re use are then prepared for the variuos finishes, such as chrome, paint, plating, polishing etc.

When we rebuild Lambrettas, we tend to start from the top and work down, the excpetion to this is we do fit the main stand early on to stabalise the scooter.

	The first job we carry out is to prepare the stand for fitting. We squash one end of the pin in a vice, to aid fitting. Fit the rubber stand foot onto the stand, align the hole in the foot with the hole in the pin with a small screwdriver. Support the stand on a solid base, suxch as the vice, and hammer home the pin. Repeat this for the other side.
	With the frame supported, we fit loosley the stand, with splash plate a U hook, on one side only. This is the side nearest the spring, then fit the spring. We do this as it makes it a bit easier to fit the spring, but you can also fit the stand and splash plate properly and fit the spring afterwards. On note of caution, if you do fit the stand with one bolt, make sure when the spring is attached and you pull the stand around so you can fit the second bolt, be wary of the splash plate scratching the main frame tube.
	Once the two bolts are fitted, the spring, support the frame to take the weight off it and tighten the bolts. One last point to mention is in our Stainless fixing kit for the stand, two strenghener brackets are supplied for inside the frame strut, these help spread the load of the bolt along the strut a bit more, and greatly reduce chance of the bolts damaging and cracking the frame. Particular attention to the frame struts should be taken before painting, as it is not uncomon for these struts to crack away from the frame.
	Next you can fit the rear badge and holder, there are a number of different badges depending on your model. Fit the badge holder from the outside, then the stirrups go insdie the frame, with the washers and nuts. Do not over tighten this, as you will just bend the stirrups, it is probably a good idea to use nyloc nuts as well.
	Next, fit the rear light housing, taking care to get the gasket nice and even around the housing. One small trick on ill fitting gaskets is to cut the lowest part of the gasket, this allows more manovering when fitting, but try fitting it before you cut, if it just wont go then cut it.
	Fitting the coil, or electronic CDI and bracketery is worth while doing now as there is plenty of space to get all the items in there and tighen down properly
	The rear mudguard can now be fitted, and then the bracket assembly for the panel clips. Note if fitting the mudflap now, it may well get kinked up. We always leave the lower bolts that secure the mudflap loose, and fit it at a later on in the rebuild.
	You can now fit the fuel tank, there are three different types of support rubbers depending on your model of scooter, the correct ones must be used on S1/2 machines, mid production items you could use the correct rubbers, or indeed later GP style rubbers which tend to be thicker. Fit the four frame rubbers, two on the lower supports, two on the frame leg, and position the fuel tank
	Here you can see we have used one of our larger long range tanks, these types of tanks can only be used if you intend to run a remote, or no air filter, as they take up the space of the air box. Fit both trunnions into the fuel straps, one straight through hole, one with thread in it, thread the straps through the back leg of the frame, and around the tank. Put the fuel tank bolt in and thread it into the other thread trunnion for a few turns. Next make sure the strap is lined up within the grooves of the tank, and then fit the two lip buffers, tighten the strap. Repeat for the other side, making sure both straps are pretty even, the hole for the filler lines up all correctly.
	Most drip trays are flexible enough to be fitted from the top once the tank is fitted, BUT of course we recommend you ideally put on the tank before fitting to the frame, ie the correct way. This is just a short cut way of fitting one, but you must take care as on certain drip trays you could crack it, so its your choice! Fit the drip felt first, then "squash" the drip tray up, and push all sides down until they are underneath the frame.
	Prepare the tool box door for fitting. First fit the lock unit, originally this would have been held by to blind rivets, but you could also us a pop rivet. Fit the two rubber buffers in the hinge (some early models dont have these).
	With the tool box door complete, fit the door using a tool box door pin. Some supplies use split pins, some use a pin with no split in it, your much better off using the correct pin as it will hold the door more securly, and also not wobble and damage paintwork when opening and closing. There is no trim around the outside of the door.
	This shows which way the rubber door buffers are fitted, to door is now complete, notice the tool box door pin ends are splayed to stop it falling out.
	To aid fitting the top tool box door buffers, smear some washing up liqiud or similar around the hole which will aid the buffer being fitted.
	Finally check the door opens and closes easily, and the lock works, and the door does not damage the paint work, of course on a dry build this would have been done, but always double check the final build.
	Next fit the seat catch, this is held by four bolts (some differing makes of seat only have a two bolt fixing) with the plastic spacer washer placed between the seat catch and frame. It is worth noting that if you are fitting many of the rear racks and carriers, you might want to fit them at this stage, as adding or taking away the spacers will aid in getting the catch level and striaght for it to operate correctly.
	If you have stripped your seat, had the frame re conditition, re fit the new seat cover. All genuine covers come with these clips, take your time to get the cover on nicely, bending the securing tags as you go. Fit the seat strap.
	Fit the main seat to the frame, again there are differences between early and late models. Early models has a small metal washer that sits in the ressess of the frame, later models had plastic washers.
	Turning your attention to the front end of the scooter now, the lower frame fork track has a dust cover, slip this over the track. Using a suitable drift, get a friend to support the frame, and knock the track / dust cover into the frame. This is an interferance fit, and may take some work to get it in. Take your timing, making sure the track goes in square, and goes fully home.
	Repeat the same with the top bearing track. If you need to buy a new track because of pitting or damage to your old one, it is worth noting there are two types, thick and thin. On Lambrettas with a chrome ring trim between the legshields and the headset, and thin one is needed to fit inside the chrome ring. On non chrome ring frames, a thicker one is need as this fits directly into the frame. Which ever one you have drift the bearing track (already put inside the chrome ring if you have one) into the frame, square and fully home.
Rebuild the forks out of the scooter, preferably in a heavy duty vice. Fit the links, cup washers, buffers etc,
	Put plenty of grease on the bearing, you will notice the bearing is being fitted with the brace at the lowest part, the balls at the highest point.
	Slide the forks up through the tube, secure them temporarily with the top fork locking ring.
	Fit the speedo unit in the headset top, the ring has a raised edge to it, this faces into the speedo. Secure using the three bolts and washers.
	Now the headset top is finished until final assembly, make sure the speedo fits nicely in the headset, and then store it away safley!
	Starting with the central fork mounting bracket, secure this into the headset. It is worth noting on the front leading bolt, you should also un like us fit the cable securing clamp. Take special care with these bolts that you either buy them from a Lambretta agent, or get the correct length, these should also be secured with nyloc nuts. Next fit the gear and throttle rod stirrups, with the bushes. The two cable guides are also fitted at this point, they are fitted at the rear of the stirrups.
	Next fit the steering lock, greasing all components liberally. Fit the pin and spring, then while holding this down, slide the lock in. The lock is secured by a grub screw, so you need to line the hole in the headset where the grub screw goes into, with the hole in the steering lock where the grub screw locates. Once done, loosley fit the grub screw, check the operation of the lock, and then if all is well tighten the grub screw. Making sure there is plenty of grease in the mechanism.
	Check again the operation of the steering lock, if all is well fit the dust cover cap, this fits on the hole where you pushed the pin & spring into originally, it is often forgottten, but you should fit one!
	Fit the throttle side housing, this also houses the light switch, secure it with two screws, and internal sprung washers.
	Feed the wire of the switch through the housing and headset, and secure the switch.
	Next we fit the control rods, whilst both side of course use different parts, they are pretty much identical in fitment, so the instructions are valid for both sides. Starting with gearing side, slide the L shaped geal collar onto the handle bars ready (on the throttle slide a shim between the inner and out sleeve is used), insert the inner rod into the gear change sleeve. On Li, Lis, TV and SX (early models) the rod has a thin metal bracket that fits into the slot on the gear housing. On later SX models and GP, there is a plastic bush that needs to be fitted to the rod with a roll pin, and the hole on the gear sleeve is wider to accomodate this. Which ever one you have, fit the rod into the sleeve and make sure there is no play in it. Of course as this stage you will get in and out play, but up and down play needs to be taken out.
	Once this is done, slide the assembly into place, and fit either the brass (for early type) or plastic (for late type) cable roller. Note the two types are not interchangeable, if you have grooves on your rod, you must fit a brass wheel, if you have a hole, you must fit plastic. Once you have slid the control rod all the way home, go to the outer sleeve and make sure the inner rod is tapped as far to the inside of the handle bars as it can go. If there is any space between the securing stirrup and the cable pulley, fit an appropriate amount of shims between these two points to take up the slack. Ideally you are looking for no in and out movement, but just enough "room" so there is no friction when turning the gear / throttle.
	Fit the ignition switch into its hole, note there is a groove that needs to be lined up with a "peg" on the headset housing. Before fitting the outer locking ring, smear some grease all around the area, this will stop the paint chipping off when tightening the locking ring.