groovylee Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 Hi everyone. last weekend, i did embark upon a mercy mission. "a friend of a friend has a *thing, and said thing wasn't working, would i mind taking a look at it?" god i love non motoring type people. further questioning revealed that it has a gear stick, handlebars, and a terminal case of FTP. oh, and it's grey. *helpful. so, following a heavy night on the ale for a friends 40th, i did load up the ranger of much awesomeness with ALL the tools, and made my way over to the *thing. more to follow, figuring out pics..... Amishtat, The Moog, loserone and 7 others 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groovylee Posted February 27, 2019 Author Share Posted February 27, 2019 After arrival at the offending driveway, the *thing did turn up. turns out it is a Piaggio Ape. not a bad looking little thing really. we chucked it off the trailer, and set to looking at its undercarriage. no matter how hard we tried, it just wouldn't fire. so, off with the airbox, and liberal use of brake cleaner had it firing! ok, so fuel then..... tank off. some form of yeti piss came out of the tank.... complete with hair ?? oh, and this anyone care to guess what that was once? Lacquer Peel, Fat_Pirate, D Spares & Tyres and 20 others 23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groovylee Posted February 27, 2019 Author Share Posted February 27, 2019 we eventually got it running with new fuel, too much 2 stoke, and a LOT of fettling gear cables and throttle cable. i did get a vid of it running, but not sure how to do that here at work, so it'll have to wait. not all that interesting really, but i know some of you out there like these sorts of things cheers,Lee RayMK, paulplom, LightBulbFun and 6 others 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colnerov Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 You do know they're supposed to be the other way up? Aston Martin and groovylee 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazfr69 Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 That’s outstanding, I love micro cars and their ilk. groovylee 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuvvum Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 I had a brief go in one of those once. Flat out in first gear was 5mph. groovylee, tobyd and barefoot 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groovylee Posted February 27, 2019 Author Share Posted February 27, 2019 oops, it appears to be an aussie model lol yeah, it was interesting trying to figure out the gears - you have a gearstick for forwards/reverse, and then the clutch lever on the left handlebar as per motorbikes, but you then rotated the left bar to change gear. proper confusing. i only managed 1st or maybe 3rd? not sure how many gears it had. anything over walking pace on the pavement was terrifying I felt like a full on giant in the cab lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Bell Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 So the gears are as per a traditional scooter. Is it just basically a scooter trike? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scaryoldcortina Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 No, it's a scooter box van. Jim Bell 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barefoot Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 Did you know that in much the same way as Vespa means Wasp, Ape (Ar-pay) means Bee? Jim Bell, Twiggy, groovylee and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anonymous user Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 Will it soon be selling coffee/prosecco/ice-cream egg, Aston Martin, groovylee and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Jimmy Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 An apearist is someone who likes getting it on with apes.One of those Apes parks up in Nailsworth near me sometimes, oddly it doesn't have coffee making facilities. N Dentressangle 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 There was one of these, on Polish plates, bombing around Aberystwyth last year. I like to think it drove all the way. Lacquer Peel, Yoss, Tamworthbay and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuvvum Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 There's a NFN type round my way has one of these, complete with all sorts of stick-on tat, neon lights, flashing beacons etc. It does about 22mph flat out, less uphill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luxxo Waftybarger Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 Will it soon be selling coffee/prosecco/ice-creamNah, surely artisan gin Bamboocarman, egg and twosmoke300 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groovylee Posted February 27, 2019 Author Share Posted February 27, 2019 Will it soon be selling coffee/prosecco/ice-cream it is indeed a prosecco van. I was *mildly disappointed that it wasn't ale, but ho hum. I did get a nice bottle of single malt for my endeavours, so it all good in the world. till the morning lol Yoss and anonymous user 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louiepj Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 This looks like the type of screwdriver a friend with no mechanical experience hands you stating its the only screwdriver they own while you try to fix what ever they have broken AMC Rebel, egg, Ohdearme and 4 others 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groovylee Posted February 27, 2019 Author Share Posted February 27, 2019 get that man a prize! it is indeed the bastard lovechild of a toy screwdriver and a poundland multimeter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martc Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 Just come back from Italy and I can confirm that Apes are still being used for proper work! It is THE LAW to recycle and at least two of the local hotels use pick up versions to run down to the recycling centre with flat cardboard boxes etc in the back of them. The smell of two stroke fumes in the mountain air was special. You know those Chinese versions of the Daihatsu/Piaggio Hijets, the ones with the BMW grills? Well they're taking over, badged as 'Victorias' often in 4x4 flavour, with Italian built tipping tippers (although Piaggio also make a 4x4 pick up, the Porter, as well). Victoria Piaggio Lacquer Peel, egg, puddlethumper and 7 others 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kringle Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 I find it so sad to see them pimped up llike this. They should be workhorses, and as mentioned above in Italy they remain so. Back in May I went and I can confirm that they're everywhere. One day I'll own one and religiously use it for tip runs only. Lacquer Peel, Sudsprint, martc and 4 others 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamworthbay Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 Apes are fucking ace! I have been looking for one in this country for a while with no luck, so plan at some point in the future to drive to Italy and buy a trailer and an ape and bring one home, They are everywhere in Italy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N Dentressangle Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 An apearist is someone who likes getting it on with apes.One of those Apes parks up in Nailsworth near me sometimes, oddly it doesn't have coffee making facilities. Belongs to Keith Amos, I think: http://www.amosjoinery.co.uk/ You're more likely to buy some new window frames from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aston Martin Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 There was a company in Hull importing them. We used to get them in giant wooden boxes. Store them, sort the paperwork and then they went to this company. Including a fancy white limited edition wedding thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamworthbay Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 Perhaps we should get cheap flights to northern Italy and do an Autoshite alps run and bring a few back. LightBulbFun, bangernomics, drivewaymyway and 7 others 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vin Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 A few years ago, heading north on the A15, just past Caenby Corner, the traffic slowed and the 'rolling roadblock' was 3 Apes. All Italian registered and covered in stickers, flags, streamers etc... My turn came to pass them and as I did, I got a load of horn honking and waving, as I was in the Fiat 126 at the time. I joined in the horn honking too. As you would. :-D drivewaymyway, Datsuncog, Sudsprint and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bub2006 Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 Prices have been high for a while. I love them. 4 speed bar change. Can be had with larger engines and steering wheels too. I had a brief go in a 50cc q pod once. Was hilarious. The 50 q pods have 3 wheels with stabiliser bars,larger engines have 4 wheels. Tamworthbay 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drivewaymyway Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 Perhaps we should get cheap flights to northern Italy and do an Autoshite alps run and bring a few back.Bit like a Cannon Ball run, or mission of mercy... What are parts like to get hold of ?? How do they get through emissions ? Tamworthbay 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamworthbay Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 Bit like a Cannon Ball run, or mission of mercy... What are parts like to get hold of ?? How do they get through emissions ?Being three wheeled they would come under motorbike MoT regs wouldn’t they? eBay Italy is full of bits for them and I have a friend in Naples who can help out with translations etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drivewaymyway Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 Could we fill the load space up with fags and booze ?? Just to make it worth while... Tamworthbay and Kringle 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Jimmy Posted February 27, 2019 Share Posted February 27, 2019 Belongs to Keith Amos, I think: http://www.amosjoinery.co.uk/ You're more likely to buy some new window frames from it.That is part of what I do; are you in said town? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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