Retro Features Archives

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PINASCO 251 BUILD PART 7 – CDI AND IGNITION | FEATURE

If you’ve been following our Pinasco 251 engine build features you’ll be as pleased as us that the engine is almost complete. We’ve just got a few more issues left to sort out in this episode. Building a standard or tuned engine? This is part seven of an eight-part series;…

Rory McIntosh28 March 2022

Retro Features Retro Tech

PINASCO 251 BUILD PART 8 – SHE LIVES! FEATURE

Our Pinasco 251 series has been running for longer than Forrest Gump but in reality it only took us three days to strip the old donor P2 engine and build the new 251 back in September last year. Three days of building, fettling, videoing and taking photos for this series.Once…

Rory McIntosh5 March 2022

Retro Features Retro Tech

PINASCO 251 BUILD PART 6 – CLUTCH FETTLING | FEATURE

Pinasco’s 251 Bull Clutch system solves one of the problems of the Vespa PX clutch design for powerful engines. Instead of simply mounting to the crankshaft using a woodruff key and a silent prayer, it uses a splined fit.As such, the Bull clutch is easy to assemble and dismount, but…

Rory McIntosh16 February 2022

Retro Features Retro Tech

PINASCO 251 BUILD PART 5 – BUSINESS END FITTED | WORKSHOP

The missing pieces of the jigsaw Sadly, the process of building and photographing an engine over several weeks and several venues means that pieces do inevitably get misplaced. When it came to hunting for the cylinder base gaskets (and the Pinasco instructions) for the 251 we may as well have…

Rory McIntosh9 December 2021

Retro Features Retro Tech

PINASCO 251 BUILD PART 3 – GEARBOX & PRIMARY DRIVE BUILD | WORKSHOP

So you’ve watched the previous part of Iggy’s Pinasco 251 engine build where we delved into the shady world of drive bearing shimming (yes, that’s a thing) and fitting of drive-side oil-seals. If not, go back to Part 2 here.You can also revisit the first part in the series here.For this episode…

Rory McIntosh25 November 2021

Retro Features Retro Tech

VESPA PINASCO 251 – ENGINE BUILD: PART 2 | FEATURE

We recently brought you the first part of this Pinasco 251 feature. For anybody building a large frame Vespa engine, or indeed a Pinasco 251 there will be plenty of useful info and tips contained in the articles and videos so it should prove to be a very good reference guide.This time…

Rory McIntosh11 November 2021

Retro Features Retro Tech

PINASCO 251 VESPA BUILD – PART 1 | WORKSHOP

Almost two years ago SLUK was the first scooter publication to test the Pinasco 251 engine. Essentially, the 251 is a kit of parts which you can use to build your own ‘super T5’ engine, because it is based on the T5 layout rather than the PX. Back in our…

Rory McIntosh27 October 2021

Retro Features Retro Tech

PINASCO 251 BUILD PART 4 – CASE CLOSED | WORKSHOP

Iggy’s 251 engine build is more of a Carry On than Sid James’ laugh. Today we finally get to close the casings.You can catch up on the first three parts of this series by clicking on the images above.If you read the earlier episodes then you know that the bearings…

Rory McIntosh12 September 2021

Legendary scooter rally patch printer, Paddy Smith hands out trophies at Sun Run in France 2016.

Retro Features

40 YEARS SINCE THE FIRST PADDY SMITH SCOOTER RALLY PATCH | NOSTALGIA

*UPDATE* The following feature was moved over from our Archive site on 5th December 2024. A computer bug killed lots of our old features, so the most important ones are being moved over and revitalised as much as possible. If there's something on the old site that you want to…

Rory McIntosh2 July 2021

Retro Features

SHED FIND SPANISH JET 200 RESTORED |

Rumoured by experts on Spanish model Lambrettas to be 10 times rarer than an Italian SX 200, this very early model ochre Jet 200 is one of only around 1000-1200 ever produced. Found in a leaky old shed, where it was stored for 37 years it’s now been restored and…

Rory McIntosh30 March 2021