Martin Squires Automotive Illustration: Vintage Motor Scooter Club Extravaganza 2016

After sketching more and more scooters over the last few months I decided to travel to Coventry for the Vintage Motor Scooter Club Extravaganza. It turned out to be a great show with a range of machines from classic Lambrettas and Vespas through more obscure models onto full on customs. There were a few machines that I would have loved to sketch but unfortunately couldn't get a good point to sketch them from, as it got really busy. I did however get to sketch some great machines and here are the results of my days sketching.

1965 Maicoletta

(ink sketch)

I first saw one of these Maico scooters at the NEC show last year and was impressed with the styling and solid look to them. This scooter for the time was expensive but really well engineered. It was very well received in the UK, so much so that when Maico stopped making the Maicoletta in 1966 the UK importer built more from the spare parts they had left up until late 1967. With front and rear suspension and a 4 speed gear box with a heal toe change on the floor this well built large scooter was a luxury machine. With this came a high price and so they were only produced for 11 years. With a young demographic that came with scooters there was a limited amount of customers and so they couldn't compete with the Italian rivals.

1960 BSA Sunbeam

(ink sketch)

Designed by Edward Turner, the general manager and chief designer at Triumph this scooter was also sold under the Triumph mark as the Triumph Tigress. A prototype of the 250cc BSA Sunbeam was first shown at the 1958 Earls Court Cycle and Motor Cycle Show. The 2 stroke engine was a developed from the BSA Bantam engine, where the 4 stroke was an entirely new parallel-twin which was gear driven to the gearbox. Final drive was by chain in an enclosed oil bath.

This particular Sunbeam was restored between 1983 and 1986. The scooter has been regularly used for holidays club runs and displays since. Only modification has been an electronic charging regulator.

Also woned and restored by the same owner was this 1959 BSA Sunbeam Trials Special. An intriguing machine that I wished I had more time to sketch.

Sting, Quadrophenia, Vespa GS Replica

(ink sketch)

I've been wanting to sketch a Mod scooter for a while and this was a perfect choice for a sketch. It's an exact replica of Stings scooter from the film Quadrophenia. The owner has spent a long time sourcing all the parts to get it right. Apparently one of the hardest parts to find was the amber lamps on the front. Prop makers for the film would have stuck what they could find at the time on the scooters to get them to look right.