Gori 02-800

Legendary scooter tuning brand Gori of Florence (Firenze) is moving to a new home after purchase of the company by Piergiorgio Bettella of Pinasco.

Vittorio (left) and Piergiorgio (centre) of Pinasco with Giancarlo Gori (right).
Vittorio (left) and Piergiorgio (centre) of Pinasco with Giancarlo Gori (right).

Who is Gori?

Gori was like Manchester City to the Ancillotti brothers Manchester United. Two firms tuning scooters in the same city. Their Lambrettas were used for illegal street races between loyal customers in the dead of night.

Giancarlo with his father Vasco in Firenze in the late 1950s
Giancarlo with his father Vasco in Firenze in the late 1950s

101 mph TV 175

Giancarlo Gori followed in his father’s footsteps in loving engines and scooters. Gori’s high point in the Lambretta world was achieving 162.83kmh (101.1mph) from a full-frame Lambretta TV175 fitted with a 200 casing, a Gori-tuned Lambro cylinder and a massive dustbin fairing at Monza in 1965.

The Gori-tuned TV175 hit over 100mph in 1965.
The Gori-tuned TV175 hit over 100mph in 1965.

That would still be an outstanding achievement today for a full-bodywork scooter and only a 200cc engine. Sadly the achievement remained unrecognised officially because Innocenti were too busy to turn up!

Impressive results, even if not officially recognised
Impressive results, even if not officially recognised

Just Lambretta?

Gori did not restrict his tuning skills to Lambretta. He claimed to be the first to produce a commercial bolt-on 75cc tuning kit for the Vespa 50; even before Andrea Pinasco.

Yes, that's a cut-down Vespa SS90 under the dustbin fairing
Yes, that’s a cut-down Vespa SS90 under the dustbin fairing

Cutdown 91mph Vespa 90SS

As a proof of Gori’s Vespa tuning ability he modified a Vespa 90SS for sprinting in 1967-68. A piston-port Parilla kart cylinder and exhaust were adapted to fit onto the Vespa casing running a 22mm carb. The Vespa was fitted with the same dustbin fairing created from chicken wire and paper maché for the Lambretta record, but simply cut down even more to suit. This Vespa ran a quarter mile with an exit speed of 147 kmh (91.2mph).

The Gori Vespa still exists and I photographed it thanks to Mr Guido Periccioli of the Ancillotti Historic Register
The Gori Vespa still exists and I photographed it thanks to Mr Guido Periccioli of the Ancillotti Historic Register

Diversifying 

In the 1970s Gori – like rivals Ancilotti – moved into the motorcycle market, producing off-road bikes that competed at both national and international level until the market crashed in the early 1980s.

Gori's 75cc conversion for the Vespa 50 was one of the first true tuning kits that you could buy off the shelf
Gori’s 75cc conversion for the Vespa 50 was one of the first true tuning kits that you could buy off the shelf

Gori 2.0

 

I interviewed Gori together with Paolo Catani of Racing Lambrettas in 2006. At the end of the interview Giancarlo explained how he would like to produce another historic kit for Lambrettas.

It seemed that finally through the magazine coverage he could get the recognition for his achievements with Lambretta which weren’t really given at the time. Innocenti didn’t even show up for his Monza attempt because the publicity department were double-booked with the launch of a new Innocenti car.

Since then, Gori was encouraged to use his skills again in the Lambretta market. He has released many new products for Lambretta including cylinder kits, exhausts and even a close ratio gearbox.

The current Gori Sport 200 kit for smallblock Lambretta
The current Gori Sport 200 kit for smallblock Lambretta
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What does the move mean for Giancarlo Gori?

 

For Giancarlo the sale means that his brand will carry on in good hands, producing parts for Gori Tifosi and keeping the name alive on the Lambretta market.

Mr Gori – who is now in his 80s – will hopefully maintain the same good relationship with his brand that Andrea Pinasco has as a figurehead for the evolving Pinasco product range.

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Giancarlo still has all his tuning data stretching back to the early 1960s
Giancarlo still has all his tuning data stretching back to the early 1960s

Gori 3.0

 

For the moment Mr Bettella’s plan for Gori products is to first pause and take a breath. It will take some time to conduct a technical assessment of each part in the current product range; possibly updating the designs before continuing production of the most important ones.

Beyond that, it’s been no secret that for the last few years Pinasco have started to develop products for Lambretta, but since the name has no history in the Lambretta market, it now makes sense that all these products are more likely to arrive under the Gori brand.

Gori Lambretta split tubeless rims and rear shocks will go on sale early next year
Gori Lambretta split tubeless rims and rear shocks will go on sale early next year

What new products are we likely to see from Gori soon?

 

First off the blocks is likely to be a Gori Lambretta rear shock, followed closely by an electronic ignition kit using a 4-pole stator layout and single-piece flywheel.

This Gori electronic ignition will likely hit the market in 2021.
This Gori electronic ignition will likely hit the market in 2021.

Perhaps the most eagerly-anticipated Pinasco Lambretta product is the split tubeless wheel rims. These are due to arrive by Spring 2021 and will almost certainly arrive as a Gori product.

Finally considering Pinasco’s expertise in cylinder kits I’d be very surprised if they don’t re-visit Gori’s kit line-up and give it a bit of a boost.

Words and images: Sticky
Additional Images: Gori

Thanks to: Giancarlo Gori, Piergiorgio Bettella, Christiaan @ PLC Corse, Paolo Catani @ Racing Lambrettas, Andy @ Gori and Guido Periccioli for help with this article.

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