Quicksilver Scooter

Ever since I was a kid I have always loved old scooters.

However I have never really wanted the responsibility of maintaining a “vintage” machine. I always thought to myself, “why can’t we have the convenience and reliability of modern engineering like a Honda with the class and styling of an old Lambretta?” Then it occurred to me that as an adult, I actually have the skills and facilities to address this important issue that has nagged me all these years. This project began with a very tired looking 1980’s Honda Elite 125 scooter and my usual arsenal of aluminum scrap objects.  In this case street lamp, and vacuum cleaner parts make up the majority of it.  Many thanks to Rich Humphrey for providing the original scooter carcass and helping with the electrical system, to Wendell Jones for his saint-like patience in bringing the engine back to life, and to Cameron Platt for these lovely photos. For those curious about the process, I have posted a step-by-step essay of this piece over at Instructables.com.

Every element was found — scrap yards, second-hand stores, dumpsters — then cleaned, stripped, sorted and rebuilt. Found aluminum is TIG-welded and sanded seamless; nothing is cast. The electronics are salvaged from consumer devices, repaired and rewired so the piece does something when you touch it.