Looks Italian: ’61 Vespa 400S
Looks Italian and the name sounds Italian but alas, it is French. it was built in France by Ateliers de Constructions de Motos et Accessoires (ACMA), which was licensed to build Vespa scooters in that country. It is a pretty sophisticated little car with a monocoque chassis and a body that is integral to the structure. We are talking a 394cc engine that developed 14hp, and the top speed of 50 mph. The few US cars that made it here had 3-speed transmissions like today’s car. They stopped production at the end of ’61 producing 28,000 units worldwide. The Vespa has a clear title but that comes with a story about reissuing a title after the Vespa fell off the California DMV records. The interior is 13 years old and looks good and so does the body. No signs of previous damage or rust according to the seller. Paint might benefit from a wet sand too. The microcar market is doing very nicely and there are legions of fans of these diminutive transports. The listing is very popular with 92 bids so far and days to go. Click here for the listing.