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Post by vespavirgin on Nov 3, 2005 13:00:52 GMT
Good afternoon  I picked up a Vespa for my missus last weekend (an ET2, I think) and after buzzing around London on it for an hour, was instantly hooked, so much that I'm now seriously considering my own purchase. I am, however, clueless about scooters so please excuse any 'stupid' questions. What I love are the older looking scooters, one of them being the Vespa Douglas. Doesn't have to be mint, I don't care if it's a bit tatty, in fact I'd love to take it appart and put it back together. The thing is, I can not find any information on the Douglas... most importantly I can not even find any repair or restoration guides. Am I missing something really obvious? Any assistance will be most appreciated...  |
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Post by inishmore on Nov 3, 2005 18:07:25 GMT
Welcome to the forum mate:)
The Douglas is the PX and Haynes do a manual for them:)
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Post by Spence on Nov 3, 2005 21:09:31 GMT
Douglas was a Bristol-based motorcycle company that signed an agreement with Piaggio in 1949 to build Vespas in Britain under license. They were the first company to move the headlight from the mudguard to the legshield to comply with British regs of the time.
They made several models until the factory closed down in 1960, when they continued to import Vespas from Italy.
Sorry to p*sh on your chips inishmore.
;D
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Post by vespavirgin on Nov 4, 2005 9:26:06 GMT
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Post by holidaydad on Nov 4, 2005 12:23:34 GMT
Have a look here to see all differnt makes of vespa... www.beedspeed.com/vespa_scooter_id.htmalso look at... www.scooterhelp.comDouglas imported Vespas in kit form and assembled them better than the Italians. When this was not economical they started to import them ready assembled until the late 80's. They is no real advantage to having a "Douglas' - it is just where it was assembled... Good luck though - but don't pay a premium because it may have Douglas on the log book. |
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Post by sportique on Nov 4, 2005 12:54:03 GMT
Douglas was a Bristol-based motorcycle company that signed an agreement with Piaggio in 1949 to build Vespas in Britain under license. They were the first company to move the headlight from the mudguard to the legshield to comply with British regs of the time. They made several models until the factory closed down in 1960, when they continued to import Vespas from Italy. Sorry to p*sh on your chips inishmore. ;D My Douglas Sportique was made in 1962 in Bristol ,production ceased in 1965 . Sorry to p*sh on your chips Spence! |
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Post by vespavirgin on Nov 4, 2005 13:52:35 GMT
Have a look here to see all differnt makes of vespa... www.beedspeed.com/vespa_scooter_id.htmalso look at... www.scooterhelp.comDouglas imported Vespas in kit form and assembled them better than the Italians. When this was not economical they started to import them ready assembled until the late 80's. They is no real advantage to having a "Douglas' - it is just where it was assembled... Good luck though - but don't pay a premium because it may have Douglas on the log book. superb - cheers!! |
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Post by Spence on Nov 4, 2005 15:27:48 GMT
Douglas was a Bristol-based motorcycle company that signed an agreement with Piaggio in 1949 to build Vespas in Britain under license. They were the first company to move the headlight from the mudguard to the legshield to comply with British regs of the time. They made several models until the factory closed down in 1960, when they continued to import Vespas from Italy. Sorry to p*sh on your chips inishmore. ;D My Douglas Sportique was made in 1962 in Bristol ,production ceased in 1965 . Sorry to p*sh on your chips Spence! Sorry to p*sh on yours, but my source is the official Piaggio book "Vespa: Italian Street Style". |
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Post by inishmore on Nov 4, 2005 17:46:22 GMT
ladies please lets not fight:) the guy here needs an idea of what to buy, lets be constructive lol mate have a look at www.scootertrader.com and on ebay do a search for "vespa px" then choose only to show the scooters. if you have the cash go for a px200.....u will never regret it and u will never ever sell the scooter:) if its one with a Disc Brake at front then you got a winner |
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Post by holidaydad on Nov 4, 2005 19:15:11 GMT
Hi, me again.
Dear Vespavirgin,
Have a look here if you want more Douglas stuff.
I strongly agree with inishmore! A Vespa PX200 is a perfect scooter. The disc brake model is a must these days (other people have good brakes). A PX 125 is identical bar the badges and engine. The real beauty is you can maintain it easily, cheap to run, reliable and perfect for London. I have owned them for 20 years now with never a major problem. I have a few friends in town if you need help.
Have you passed your bike test? Any more questions - ask away.
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Post by Spence on Nov 5, 2005 11:20:40 GMT
Sorry about the belligerence, I just get excited when people actually post on my forum. Carry on chaps.
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Post by vespavirgin on Nov 7, 2005 16:12:16 GMT
well a PX it is then... I have to say, I have noticed that the scooters have been going for considerably cheaper on Ebay at this time of year the in summer. also ordered some books from amazon, couple of Haynes manuals for my missus' girlie ET2, and "Vespa: Italian Street Style" and "How to Restore and Maintain Your Vespa Motorscooter". well, thankyou for the friendly introduction... apart from a bit of initial p*shing about (  sorry...) you guys have been of great help! |
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Post by Spence on Nov 7, 2005 19:59:10 GMT
If we're not on it, we're taking it.
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Post by sportique on Nov 8, 2005 21:23:49 GMT
My Douglas Sportique was made in 1962 in Bristol ,production ceased in 1965 . Sorry to p*sh on your chips Spence! Sorry to p*sh on yours, but my source is the official Piaggio book "Vespa: Italian Street Style". Then the book is wrong I'm afraid Spence . Check out the veteranvespaclub website for the relevent info. Increase the peace. |
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Post by Spence on Nov 9, 2005 11:42:44 GMT
Oh yes that's right. The official book published by Piaggio is wrong.
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Post by sportique on Nov 9, 2005 21:52:45 GMT
Oh yes that's right. The official book published by Piaggio is wrong. It is indeed.For example the Vespa 150 Douglas Sportique was made exclusively at Bristol for the British market and they ceased production in 1965, as I've stated previously mine is a 1962 model . Do some research and eat some humble pie. End of chat. |
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Post by Spence on Nov 10, 2005 11:45:03 GMT
The last thing I'll be doing on MY forum on MY website is eat humble pie. I produced some evidence to back up my statement, maybe you can bring yours along to the Casa on Saturday and we can discuss it over a beer.
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Post by Spence on Nov 10, 2005 12:06:23 GMT
Looks like this splits the difference between both our arguments Sportique!
"Vespa manufacture in England is a story in itself. The Douglas company of Bristol built motorcycles for many years in England before discovering motor scooters. Owner Claude McCormack was inspired while on vacation in 1948 by the sight of them buzzing around the streets of Italy, and he envisioned a similar transportation revolution for Great Britain. As in Italy, Britons had to deal with scarce, expensive gasoline and a shortage of automobiles after World War II. Like the Italians, their cars were tiny, so the transition to a small, two-wheeled “car” like the motor scooter did not seem like such a stretch.
McCormack forged an agreement with Piaggio to build Vespa models on British soil, and in early 1951, began producing scooters. The 125-cc Douglas scooter was nearly identical to the Piaggio scooter, right down to the same metallic-green paint scheme. But it had an immediately obvious difference: instead of having the headlight mounted on the fender, the Douglas scooter had the headlight mounted on the legshield below the handlebars. This design was in accordance with British law governing headlight heights, but it created the obvious detriment of the headlight no longer turning with the direction of the front wheel.
Under the sheet metal, there were some minor mechanical differences, as the Douglas company bought most of its outsourced components from British manufactures instead of Italian ones. Lucas electrical systems, Amal carburetors instead of the otherwise ubiquitous Dell’Ortos, British-made seats and tires were among the differences. But essentially, Douglas was building Vespa scooters.
The Douglas scooters caught on, and soon many thousands of them were running around England. Douglas followed Piaggio in upgrading the models through the years. Unlike Piaggio, Douglas changed its model numbers each year, so that a VS2 built in the 1956 model year became a VS3 the following year, and so forth. That was Douglas’s designation for the Vespa 150 GS. After building more than 1125,000 scooters, Douglas quit making them in 1964, but continued importing them from Italy for many years thereafter."
Source: How to Restore and Maintain Your Vespa Motor Scooter, by Bob Darnell & Bob Golfen
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Post by sportique on Nov 10, 2005 20:23:13 GMT
Douglas was a Bristol-based motorcycle company that signed an agreement with Piaggio in 1949 to build Vespas in Britain under license. They were the first company to move the headlight from the mudguard to the legshield to comply with British regs of the time. They made several models until the factory closed down in 1960, when they continued to import Vespas from Italy. Sorry to p*sh on your chips inishmore. ;D One minute your saying 1960 and the next you change your story to 1964  Therefore your original quote was wrong and I did indeed 'p*sh on your chips'. I take no satisfaction in proving you wrong |
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Post by sportique on Nov 10, 2005 20:53:26 GMT
Enjoy the pie  A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DOUGLAS VESPA The Douglas company of Kingswood, Bristol, commenced motorcycle production in 1907. By 1948 it was effectively bankrupt, actually going into receivership that year. When on holiday in Italy that year the Managing Director, Claude McCormack, caught sight of a Vespa and soon made arrangements with Piaggio to build it under licence in Bristol. A Piaggio built machine was on the Douglas stand at the Motorcycle Show at Earls Court in 1949, but production did not actually start until April 1951. The early Vespas were almost entirely built in Britain. The Douglas Foundry churned out items such as engine bearers, clutch covers and cylinder heads, whilst from the machinery shop came gear clusters, brake drums and much else besides. Most of the pressings were made by Pressed Steel in Birmingham. After the introduction of the 152L2 model more parts were sourced from Piaggio. The Douglas factory was always, however, more than a mere assembly plant. There was a proper (if rather small) assembly line and a paint shop with infra-red drying equipment. Amongst the "bought in" components was quite a lot of "local content", items such as saddles, carbs, tyres and some electrical components being British made. Vespa production ceased in 1965 after 126,230 units had been completed. Douglas continued to be the British importer of Vespas (models such as the GS had always been imported) until 1982. The Douglas Vespas were the only scooters to be built in really large quantities in Britain, and Douglas themselves took a keen interest in supporting their product and scootering in general. Vespa models produced by Douglas "Rod" model 1951-53 click here to see more on this model "Rod" is retro term referring to gear change mechanism - scooter was marketed as just "Vespa 125" The spec was basically that of the Piaggio 1949 model which had just been replaced. The headlight on British production was moved to the leg shields in deference to local lighting regulations. "G" model 1953-54 click here to see more on this model The previous model with a cable gear change GL2 1954-55 click here to see more on this model Up-to-date twin transfer port engine installed in the by-now-archaic 1949 style chassis 42L2 1955-56 Parity with Piaggio production at last with newer style chassis and front damper. The headlight was moved to the handlebars 92L2 1956-59 click here to see more on this model Modifications to the 42L2 mirrored those of Piaggio with a larger fuel tank and other detail differences 102L2 1957 The 92l2 with a 150cc engine imported from Piaggio. Just a handful were made. 152L2 1959-61 A completely new model introduced about a year after Piaggio. The rear of the chassis was constructed in two halves with a seam up the middle, and the engine bearer was now integral with the crankcase. When demand outstripped supply, a quantity of the equivalent Piaggio model (the VNA) were imported. Sportique 1961-65 Douglas stopped producing 125cc Vespas and built instead a version of the current Piaggio 150cc model - the VBB. In an attempt to halt declining sales, various "special editions" with accessories as standard were produced. 1962 saw the Supreme in silver and the Grand Luxe in gold. 1n 1965, just before production of Vespas ended, came the Grand Tourer in metallic maroon.
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Post by Lucia on Nov 11, 2005 8:46:26 GMT
Thought I'd bring my handbag along...Sportique - who's the above article written by? I'm contacting our friends at Piaggio again and we may be asking them to eat humble pie... Will get back to you soon chaps |
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Post by Spence on Nov 11, 2005 11:52:49 GMT
Douglas was a Bristol-based motorcycle company that signed an agreement with Piaggio in 1949 to build Vespas in Britain under license. They were the first company to move the headlight from the mudguard to the legshield to comply with British regs of the time. They made several models until the factory closed down in 1960, when they continued to import Vespas from Italy. Sorry to p*sh on your chips inishmore. ;D One minute your saying 1960 and the next you change your story to 1964 Therefore your original quote was wrong and I did indeed 'p*sh on your chips'. I take no satisfaction in proving you wrong At least I was big enough to admit my initial research could be wrong, having found some more information. I've also openly said what my source material is. So far I've come up with 1960 and 1964. And disclosed my source material. All you've done is rant on that 1965 was the year production at Douglas ceased without admitting that evidence also suggests 1964, and without stating what your source is. If you can categorically prove to me that the year in question was 1965, I will bow down to your greater knowledge, and hope that you'd be gracious enough to leave it at that. You'll be able to go home to your LFC duvet cover and thrap yourself silly in your own time. But I can assure you the only Humble Pie that you'll find in my possession will be "Live At The Fillmore". At least I don't hide behind a pseudonym. Or like that whining James Blunt. |
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Post by vespavirgin on Nov 11, 2005 12:53:21 GMT
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Post by inishmore on Nov 11, 2005 15:25:52 GMT
they just use the name DOUGLAS mate.....it has nothing to do with the scooter. They are all the same....douglas or not.
about the above ebay link i only have 1 question.......if it was a 2002 scooter wouldn't it come with a disc brake? i cannot see one on this?
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Post by Spence on Nov 11, 2005 18:37:21 GMT
Blimey Moses, you must have eyes like a sh*t house rat! You been eating your carrots then?
Vespavirgin, sorry about the slight digression on the subject matter, guess we got a little bit carried away there.
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Post by inishmore on Nov 11, 2005 18:53:38 GMT
lol come on! u must be able to see that there is no master cylinder on that picture:)
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Post by vaarl on Nov 12, 2005 15:19:26 GMT
i have a 1998 lml vespa douglas 150 super which was reg in 2000 as a l25, it looks like a px to me it says douglas on the paperwork.
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Post by Lucia on Nov 15, 2005 10:25:38 GMT
Sorry to anyone trying to post - I've locked the thread until I hear back from Piaggio - they're going to check their sales/prodi records from the Douglas factory.
(Sportique - sorry, I removed your last post - we acknowledge you researched the year from the VVC website, but we're doing our job to find out why Piaggio's author quoted a different year to the Douglas factory mentioned on the VVC website. And to answer your question - I asked who the author was on your second quote because you didn't type it underneath).
Will post when I hear from Piaggio.
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I picked up a Vespa for my missus last weekend (an ET2, I think) and after buzzing around London on it for an hour, was instantly hooked, so much that I'm now seriously considering my own purchase.
sorry...) you guys have been of great help!
