Lambretta History in Australia
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Sunday Times (Perth), 25th Sept 1949

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The West Australian 29th Sept 1949

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AN ITALIAN SCOOTER

Ingenious Design Of New Machine

The latest motor scooter to arrive in this State is the Lambretta, an Italian machine of ingenious design. Capable of 40 to 43 miles an hour and 140 miles to the gallon, it is avail able as a two-seater two wheeler, or a three-wheel utility transport with a pay load of 440lb.

This machine has the unusual constructional feature of a sheet
metal frame with chromed tubular seat supports. The front seat
tilts forward to give access to the petrol tank cap (also the oil
measure), and the complete assembly of two seats, petrol tank,
tool-case and rear mudguard pivots forward to uncover the
rear wheel, engine and transmission.

The power unit is a single cylinder two-stroke motor of 125c.c. capacity developing 4.3 b.h.p. at 4,000 r.p.m. The ignition and lights are provided by a fly wheel magneto-dynamo, and the
utility model carries a storage battery in a separate container.
Fuel as mixed in the ratio of 5 per cent oil in the 7-quart tank,
which has one quart held in reserve by a three-way fuel tap.
Handle-bar controls are a front wheel brake lever, twist-grip
throttle, and horn and cut-out button on the right-hand side;
clutch lever, twist-grip gear change and gear selection indi
cator on the left-hand side. The gear change is operated by a flexible transmission from a rack moved by a double helical gearing in the handgrip, to a special receiving box on the three-speed gearbox.

There is a shaft drive to the rear wheel, which is sprung by
means of a lever system connected to a hydraulic shock-absorber enclosed in the transmission box.

A parallelogram system of two coil springs and a cone clutch are the basic elements of the front wheel springing. The three
wheeler has transverse springs in front. The only foot controls are the kick-start pedal and the rear wheel brake pedal

Four types of bodies are fitted to the three-wheeler--two open
case types, a closed case, or a platform only.

​Dunlop tyres are available as replacements.
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Harvey Murray Times, 7th Oct 1949

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Mr. C. L. Squire invites the public to inspect the Lambretta
Motor scooter in his showrooms.

It is ideal for ladies for shopping, and travelling to golf, tennis, etc., giving a petrol consumption of 190 miles a gallon.

The construction consists of a sheet-metal frame with chromed tubular seat supports.

The machine is powered by a single-cylinder, two stroke motor of 125 c.c. capacity, developing 4.3 horse power. There are two seats. The machine is also available as a three-wheeled unit.

Harvey Murray Times 14th Oct 1949

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Source: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article251108033

Kargoolie Miner, 18th November 1949

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The Western Australian, 15th December 1949

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The West Australian, 13th January 1950

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Wentworth Motors, 21st Jan 1950.

The West Australian, 2nd Feb 1950

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West Australian, 30th May 1951

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Sunday Times (Perth), 16th September 1951

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Narrogin Observer, 14th December 1951

trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/262845423?searchTerm=lambretta

​
Lambretta Club
Notes
The Initial outing of the Narragin Lambretta Club was held last Sunday at Wolwolling Pool. it was voted a great success by all present. The pool had improved a lot as a result of the recent heavy rains, and was ideal for swimming. Miniature races were held during the afternoon and a Junior member in Bill Mahoney ran out the winner from riders of far greater experience.
A meeting was held towards the end of the day and the election of officers resulted as follow:--

President: H. R. Smith.
Secretary-Treasurer: Mrs. L.J. Matulich.
Captain and Handicapper : Mr. D. Kessels.
Social Committee: Mrs. H. R* Smith, Messrs. L. J. Matulich, Kelvin Broun, R. James.

The next outing will again be held at Wolwolling Pool and members will assemble at the Town Hall at 10.15 a.m. on Sunday next, December 16.

Intending members are welcome and transport will be arranged if necessary.
Note: Members need not necessarily be Lambretta owners.


Mirror, 31st May 1952

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75779404
Lambretta club's acceleration test last Sunday at Attadale resulted in a win for A. van Steeg from F.Atkinson, F. Sherry, T. Elliott. 

Mirror, 7th June 1952

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75780655

Lambretta Scooter Club has scheduled a social run and picnic, for tomorrow week. Assembly point is at the rear of Christian Bros, V i c toria-ave. at 10.30. Venue is the Zoo.
Next Lambretta meeting will be at Wentworth Motors on June 12, when the drive to make every member a blood donor will be continued.​

Mirror, 19th July 1952

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75782517

LAMBRETTA
Lambretta Club, at their run tomorrow, will entertain Brisbane's Keith Batten, who is here during a 22,000-mile tour of Australia.
Batten will be honoured guest at a hamburger send off on Sunday night.

​(ed, note that Keith Batten was from Edgecliff, NSW. See more of his exploits on the Long Distance Riding Page)

Mirror, 9th August 1952

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75781885

LAMBRETTA CLUB
A very enjoyable day was spent by the Lambretta Club at Bindoon last Sunday.
Also a most gratifying sum of money was donated by members present, and contributed to the welfare of members at Boystown.
August 17 a scramble trial will be held at Coogee, and the general meeting is on August 14.

Mirror, 23rd August 1952

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75783885

LAMBRETTA CLUB
Tony Elliott, with 10 points, won the Lambretta Trial at Coogee. Albert Vanstey was second with 9 points, and Keith Dick third with 8.

Mirror, 30th August 1952

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75784004

Lambretta has a run to Lake Lechenaultia tomorrow, leaving the rear of CBC. Perth, at 10 o'clook​

The Beverley Times, 24th Sept 1953

​LAMBRETTA CLUB
Lambretta motor scooters have formeed one of the most virile and enthusiastic clubs in the State. A chosen team will stage a
demonstration known on the Continent as a "Motor Carousell." This has involved long and intricate training and the team will
display concerted movement and team riding on a lighted square. 
The Lambrettas will also stage a lambretta soccer match using a full soccer field and a white ball some 17in in diameter.
This is also an established Continental sport, is highly
entertaining and sometimes involves frequent replacements
of men and machines during the game.
Two of the members of the Lambretta team reside in Northam and make a long journey from that town each week for practice.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article202760667
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West Australian, 27th August 1954

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Wentworth Motors, from 1954 to 1957.

Winterbottoms, What not to do - 1955 or later


Lambretta Notaziario, Oct-Dec 1957.

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1. Mosman Park, Australia: Ron Gill and Albert Vansteeg, riding two Lambretta scooters, successfully won a scramble course, charging up impossible gradients. Both the scooters gave an excellent performance under their well qualified riders control.

The Beverley Times, 15th August 1958

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Source: National Archives of Australia
Date: 1959


Immigration - Migrants in employment in Australia - Commercial/clerical miscellaneous - When former Dutchman van Steeg arrived in Perth, WA from Leiden, near the Hague eleven years ago, few people had seen a motor scooter. Hard work by Albert has brought recognition to the motor scooter - and a highly-paid executive position to himself. Today Albert is the manager of a firm selling 60 to 80 Italian Lambretta motor scooters a month and he is earning between four and five times the salary he earned in his first year in Australia, when he was a struggling salesman.




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Source: Trove Good neighbour, ACT
Date: 1st October, 1959

FORMER    Dutch mechanical engineer Albert van Steeg has done much to popularise motor  scooters in Western Australia and has built himself a career at the sametime.  When he arrived in Australia 11 years ago, motor scooters were almost unknown.  After a short time in Sydney and Melbourne, Albert applied for a salesman's job  with a motor firm in Perth,  agents for the Italian manufacturers of  Lambretta motors cooters.  "For a while I needed all the encouragement I could get," he said.  "In my first month I sold one motor scooter and my average for the first 12 monthswas only three a month." Today Albert's firm sells between 60 and 80 scooters a  month and he earns four to five times the £8 a week he averaged during his first year.  


Set record


Early this year Albert and  three other new settlers set a  World record by riding a scooter for 24 hours continuously, covering 1,042 miles. The other riders were Britons Del Ing and Ron Gill and Luigi Ponane, from Italy. The four men received goldmedals from the  Lambretta  company in Milan.  Albert van Steeg, who was  naturalised six years ago, is a  keen supporter of Australian Rules football. "I may have been lucky,but I have always felt at  home in Australia" he said.




N.B. Albert Van Steeg applied for citizenship in November 1953. 
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52941812

Wentworth Motors 1962

The Age, 22nd March 1960

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Car Distributor
Profit Recovers

​Group turnover and profit of Winterbottom Motor Co. Ltd., West Australian B.M.C., Chrysler and 
Peugeot distributor, increased considerably in the December half-year compared with the same period last year.
Interim ordinary dividend has been held at 5 per cent.
Directors say turnover for the two months since December has continued the satisfactory trend.
All major franchises contributed to the improved half-year, they add.
​Recent acquisition of a controlling interest in Lambretta Distributors (A/asia) Pty. Ltd. has been completely justified by marked improvement in its turnover.

Peter Nicol Dealership plate

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1961, LI 125 S2 Prepared for Shipment to WA, via Fremantle

Lambretta Club of WA, October 1961

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Display team: Graham Bently, Ted Harding, Mary Mahoney Vicki Bridge (Lynn), Bernice Thompson.
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Flying High: Vicki Lynn, Jean Peacock, Theo Pabst (Top to Bottom)
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The End of the LCoWA - 1974

The LCoWA had been around since the beginning, but by 1974 it had definitely wound up, and had left s few dollars in the National Bank of Australia. Source: nla.gov.au/nla.news-page25991069
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from a 1997 Scootering. 

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