Lambretta Lunatic
- a completely crazy project
I (Olof Fransson) last summer renovated a Lambretta Luna to a friend of mine.
One Luna to take parts from had to be purchased during the renovation process since parts for Luna nowadays are getting hard to get.
Thanks to this purchase and numerous deliveries from Casa Lambretta Scandinavia; a nut & bolt renovated Luna could finally be delivered to it's proud owner.
So, a butchered Luna stood in the workshop, to get this in original shape would probably require yet another Luna and the evil circle is started all over again.
Lambretta Luna is clearly one of the coolest scooter models to look at. The design of Bertone is unbeatable and were long before its time when presented in the late 60's, the design is so good that it even today is fully modern, soon 40 years later..
If the Luna is good looking it isn't so very exciting to ride, the performance is mediocre and the comfort is not really that good, maybe is there something to do about this?
So the ideas started to come up in my head, why not combine the modern engineering with the classical design? Not really a new idea, we have seen many examples of Lambretta's with both motorcycle and twist & go engines as well as modern front forks.
Maybe this could be done on a Luna as well?
I made some rough measurement looking at the engine of my wife's Velocifero, yes it would be possible even if it had to be squeezed in, now I started to get really excited about it!
I through out some hooks here and there for a automatic engine and soon found a Aprilia engine from a Habana, after I got it I soon realize that it is missing flywheel, variator, rear hub etc. etc, not very good since these parts are too expensive. But I will not give up..
Soon a Piaggio engine from a ZIP pops up, complete with everything included exhaust and ignition as well as a complete fork and wheels - perfect!
Now all the parts are resting besides the Luna and no one knows what is going to happen. This project is a little bit crazy and thereby named as Lambretta Lunatic - Luna and Automatic could also be short for just Lunatic.
Now it's playtime with angle grinder and welding machine!
- the craziness continues!
With the engine and fork in the workshop the ideas starts to be converted into reality.
If the engine should be swapped for a modern automatic with modern performance the comfort and brakes should also be updated, if you "tune" the engine the brakes should always also be "tuned" is a saying that I use to follow.
When looking at the ZIP forks and starting to make rough measurements, yes even the forks looks to be able to transplant into the Luna. If this operation is successful will this probably be Sweden's (and maybe the world's) first Lambretta Luna with hydraulic disc brake, cool!
After de-mounting the Luna forks I realize that the diameter of the shaft is 27mm and the ZIP's forks 30mm, the inner diameter of the fork tube in the Luna frame is 30mm so it should fit. But after testing I find out that the steering stops welded inside the fork tube is hindering the use if the ZIP's forks, the ZIP forks is also about 100mm longer, what to do, what to do?
The most simple simple solution would be to transplant the Luna's fork shaft to the ZIP's lower part of the fork, a solution that requires welding so I have to wait for Calle so this is halted for some time.
Before I put the angle grinder on the fork tubes I'm testing the ZIP's hydraulic front brake lever on the Luna's steering head.
The Luna is constructed here just like most motorcycles with throttle and front brake lever units just clamped on to the steering heads tubes. So no problems at all to fit the modernities on this classical steering head. Good looking, ugly or just crazy? Look at the pictures and make up your own mind - one thing is certain - it will be a good stopper!
As the fork project have to wait for Calle's welding machine as well as knowledge, I will then start the engine transplantation. The ZIP engine came with a engine fitting converter, these are fitted to almost all automatic scooters as many models use the same engine so the manufacturers use fitting converters instead of casting new engine casings that fits directly to the frame for each and every type of scooter.
The fitting converter from the ZIP looked like it could fit perfectly for this operation since it has a bend downwards and that is great since at first glance it seemed to tight for the cylinder and mainly for the spark plug and cap towards the Luna-frame.
I took of the converter from the ZIP-engine and checked roughly the length measurement, it looked okay but still just a rough check. The engine mounting on the Luna frame is 80mm and the fitting converter much smaller, but it looked that it could be used anyway. I adjusted the fitting converter to take the wider engine mounting. After some work with the angle grinder it had a perfect fit. Great!
The fitting converter in place, the engine mounting bolt from the Luna couldn't be used since it is to short and to thick. A long bolt had to be purchased. A wooden stick hade to do as a stand in..
The engine up on the bench and into the fitting, yes it shows that the rough measurements were correct, cylinder and sparkplug and cap don't touch the frame - lovely.
That the engine should be positioned further back compared to the original was the feeling I had from previous measurements and this was also the case. So I have to cut the frames lower lovely part, a sacrifice that had to be made for the transplantatation.It's never that fun to cut in Bertone's design but you have to do what you have to do. Before this is done, the rear fitting for the shock have to be welded to the frame, the ZIP's shock is positioned on the other side compared to the original and as well further back. So I have to wait for Calle's welding equipment before cutting the Luna's lovely rear part, I would like to make sure it will look as good as possible. The project have to rest a couple of weeks before Calle returns from Malaga and when he have time and possibility to help me further with the madness.
- is this the way to madness?
So finally the day came when Calle could spare some hours and help me to get my mad project further. The first we attacked were the fork transplantation since it were important to get it in place to get the correct height on the scoot before we put the rear shock fitting in place.
The easiest way to convert the ZIP fork to the Luna is to start with the lower part of the ZIP fork and on that weld the Luna's fork shaft, by this we keep the steering stops and get correct length on the fork shaft. The difficulty is to get the same angle on the ZIP forks lower part as on the Luna's as well as adjusting the length so the forks lower part moves freely from the front shield. After a whole lot of measurement is the angle grinder put into the forks and the forks are no more and the parts are put on the bench for welding. A final check, some very minor adjustments of the angle and the first welding joint is done, a lot of more welding will be done this day..
Surely with the Luna's fork shaft in place there were no problem in getting the new forks in the frame, it showed however despite the carefully measurements that the forks lower part touched the shield in a left turn, but the root cause were that the shield were a little bit warped so the measurements were correct. The angle of the lower part also became correct and with the wheels and engine in place you see that the Lunatic is quite high and that we surely extend the wheelbase with 50cm compared to the original.
With new fork and front wheel in place we could get a picture how long travel the shocks will have and where to place the rear shock fitting. After measurements, it happily shows that the rear end not needed to be cut and the frame s free from the rear wheel when the shock is compressed.
The ZIP's rear shock is in the opposite side compared to the Luna's so we had to weld one fitting on the correct side. To cope with the forces this joint will get we put a 90° steel right through the frame and fix it on both side by welding, after that a hole is drilled and the shock is in place. Maybe not the words most handsome solution but effective.
With the engine and shock in place it shows that Lunatic is high, so high that the original stand don't really do it anymore, not even the ZIP's that is mounted on the engine does it. So we have to extend. We choose the ZIP's and to complete the madness we take parts from the butchered ZIP fork to remind of it's destiny, the project is crazy so let the madness continue!
Calle welds again and finally the Lunatic stands on it's own, the layout didn't really get that bad according to me, or what do you think?
Two cutting discs and 10 welding electrodes later and a number of hours and the days job is done, a big thank you to Calle for his contribution to the madness!
Next step is to put some wires in place and get the engine running for the first test run!
- rock and rollin'
Finally some small work with cables and wires. Since I still haven't purchased front reflector and rear light, this day will be devoted to putting the cables in place so a test run could be reality.
In the front parts is now a days a hydraulic front brake, it's lever and fluid container were a easy operation to add onto the Luna's steering head, as I mentioned before it was only to clamp it in place. The hydraulic hose were a little bit more tricky to get into place through the Luna's steering head and bottom, the hose is quite much larger than the outer cables normally running here so some drilling in the head and bottom and the hose runs nice and neat up to the container and the lever. Well in place and the air taken out from the system the Lunatic is a very good stopper.
As easy as the brake lever mounting were the throttle grip, I kept the throttle grip from the ZIP and even here it could just be clamped into the handlebar, the cables went easily through the frame and all were in place in no time at all.
Still to fix is the rear brake, since the ZIP's original cable is quite thick it had to be replaced with one good old one from a traditional scooter, no problem and suddenly the Lunatic had both front and rear brakes.
Disc brake in place and ready to be operated.
Next step is to se if I could get any life into the engine. It shouldn't be any problem since the engine according to information given only had run about 5000km and is completely untouched. I check first if there were any spark and yes it were and then I put the exhaust in place, fuel hose and ignition coil, that and the voltage regulator will finally be hidden in the frame below the fuel tank so they not are seen, we save it for the future when all wires are put in place.
Time to start, since the choke is some electronic little thing, my hand had to act as air stopper by the air filter mounting and after a number of kicks the engine starts - lovely!
Lunatic is rolled down from the bench and out on the street, when I mount it, it feels directly that Lunatic is considerably higher than a standard Luna. Twist the grip and we are away, Lunatic moves steady and stable, you could feel that the tires are wider and the rear shock and fork is of another calibre compared from what were there originally. Some test runs back and forth on the way ahead before I'm satisfied with that everything is in place and feels right. Satisfied with the test I give full throttle, the acceleration is always most lively in the beginning and the ZIP's engine is no exception and after that the speed quite fast stable up and as this as previously said is totally original i guess that the top speed now is about 40km/h.
The engine will be mildly tuned, some cosmetics like round air filter and a nicer exhaust pipe as well as removing the washers in the variator will surely give better acceleration and a top speed of around 70 km/h. Since this is no way legal the Lunatic will off course be run only in fenced areas...
Still to do is to as said before, make the wiring loom and enforce the fork with a rod inside since the angle between the shaft and the lower part is that sharp so it feels like a necessity.
The frame will be taken care off and dent and others removed, and surely some holes no longer in use exists that will be filled. After that sand blasting and painting!
Lunatic with it's italian cousins and first test run.
- God said "Let there be light" and there was light
Now the time were mature to build a new electrical system, and when it's time to make a cleaver and functional wiring loom there is only one pro - Calle Krokstäde. Calle have made many one off wiring looms in his days and have helped me with both my TS1 and my DL 225, so I asked Calle for help one more time.
After following Calle's shopping list, me and the Lunatic were ready to be enlightened.
Since Lunatic have some more electrical parts than the original Luna I will hide these under the frame out of viewing, to solve this, voltage regulator, ignition unit and revving control is mounted on a metal plate that will be put into the frame below the fuel tank. We did hit on a problem here since the Luna's original rear shock fitting runs directly through the frame this were now a hinder, the solution were to once again bring out the angle grinder and after some work the fitting were finally gone. Now the plate could be pushed into the frame without problem.
The Luna's rear shock fitting have to give way for the electrical mounting plate.
On the steering head is original a light switch, this had to leave place for the hydraulic fluid container and lever. A light switch is anyway needed to get the electrics in place and a universal classic is purchased from good old Hobbex and is fitted on the steering head, nice and neat.
Even when the electrical system now is 12 volts the original horn works well and is leaved in place, Calle put the rest of the wiring loom together and there is light both at the back and at the rear. A revving control is attached so the Lunatic could be driven at it's maximum legal speed of 30km/h on public roads, within fenced areas the revving control could then be switched of and the engine could work properly, a guess is about 70km/h.
With the help from Calle the Lunatic were now illuminated and the schematics could be seen here above, a big thanks to Calle for his help and expertise.
I finally succeeded in finding a rear lamp via Casa Lambretta Scandinavia but still looking madly for a reflector with rim and bulb holder but it will surely sooner or later find a solution.
Now all holes without use will be welded and then it's time to go to the paint shop for sand blasting and painting while the engine work is undertaken. Then it's putting it all together and premier ride!
Many wires to keep in place, luckily I have Calle for help!
To be continued.