| Description | I’m selling my rare vintage Vespa VNB model scooter. It is one of the Cushman Vespas, which were made at the Vespa factory in Italy but were sold in the US by the Cushman company from 1960-1962. This one is from 1962, and is right here in Louisville, Kentucky.
Lots of pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/29752195@N05/sets/72157606870771706/detail/
This is not one of the Pacific Rim-based vintage scooters you usually find under vintage Vespa listings. This one has always been in the USA, aside from its Italian manufacturing. I had the engine worked on by a local shop a few years ago, and have replaced/upgraded quite a few things over the years, mostly with items from Scooterworks in Chicago. Don Spencer and I got the electrical system back on track. I kept all the original parts I took off the scooter, in case someone might choose to do a full restoration on it. There is a similar Cushman VNB for sale at First Kick Scooters in San Francisco which has undergone a museum quality restoration. They are asking 8500. for that one! I chose a different path for mine, just wanted it for around town, the occasional commute to work. I painted it last summer, so the paint still looks good, although it's not showroom quality. It runs pretty well for a 46 year old vehicle, with 45 mph max speed hauling a 210 pound guy. An experienced scooterist could have it running even better in short order, and as a seller, that's what I'm looking for in a buyer--someone who knows her or his way around a vintage Vespa, and realizes the potential this scooter has. It needs a good home.
Facts about the scooter:
Titled and tagged in Kentucky
125cc original engine
engine vin VNB3M075868
fuselage vin VNB3T072366
Lots and lots of new things added: clutch, 20/20 carb, better muffler, locking storage cowl (the original had some rust damage), cowl rubber, front steering lock, speedometer lens, headlight and taillight assemblies, front and buddy seats, locking gas cap, choke lever, michelin tires, tubes, mirror mount and mirrors, front fender, front bearing race, front brakes and drum, lots of rubber things, chrome legshield protector, etc., etc. The list goes on and on. Like anyone who fixes up an old scoot, I don't really want to think about all the time and money I've put into it... :)
The scooter is in solid shape, and turns a lot of heads in town, everyone from the older folks who used to have one (or wanted to) to the younger ones. The other day I was picking up some subs at a local shop and the kid behind the counter said, "Man, that is a Vespa and a half! What year is that?"
I don't intend to ship this scooter, so I’m hoping a local scooterist will buy it. If you’re out of town will have to arrange shipping at his or her own expense. Shipping is expensive these days--take this into consideration.
I'm looking for any offer around 3000. I had rotator cuff surgery recently and have bills to pay.
Please email me with any questions you might have. Good luck and happy bidding!
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