Beschreibung
H&H Classic Auction @ National Motorcycle Museum | Solihull, West Midlands
27th March, 2024 13:00
1973 Vespa SS90 Racer
Restoration project
Estimate
£2, 000 - £4, 000
Registration No: FWX 506L
Frame No: V9SS2T 10428
Engine No: V9SS2T 7097
CC: 88. 5
MOT: Exempt
An opportunity to acquire one of the rarest Vespas ever produced
Original SS90 engine and SS frame and parts
Correct numbers
V5 present for use on UK roads
By the early 1960s Vespa Douglas in Great Britain were importing Italian-built Vespas as opposed to continuing to manufacture them. The Vespa SS90 made between 1965 and 1971 is much sought after by collectors due to its extreme rarity and only just over 5000 were produced. The later Vespa SS90 Racer is even rarer with a total reported production of only 3512 machines. The engine is identical to the SS90 Supersprint with the two-stroke 88. 5 cc engine as a single-cylinder, air-cooled unit with a bore/ stroke of 47/ 51mm and an 8. 7:1 compression ratio. It’s paired with a 4-speed gearbox, the dry weight is 77 kilograms, and the top speed is 93km/ h (58mph). The only visible difference on the 90 Racer is that the exhaust was black as opposed to the SS90 exhaust which was chrome. The frame was a standard Vespa 90 body with simple Vespa badging on the front. On the rear, however, there was an identifiable sticker ‘Racer’. The headset, forks and wheels were the same as the 125 Primavera.
This 90 Racer is a very interesting lot indeed. The original correct engine is there but will need restoration and is missing some parts. However, the extremely rare SS90 ’S’ cylinder barrel is supplied. The chassis is an original correct SS90 racer frame although work had started to cut down to imitate a SS90 Supersprint and this work could be continued. The frame has already been jigged to be correct by well-known Vespa engineer John McLochlan. There are also many extremely hard-to-find original and correct parts including the seat which is in very good order, the speedometer, ball-end levers, headset and front light. This could be a very worthwhile restoration project and it already has a V5C.
