From Italy: looking for my grandfather's Vespa

[DiegoGS150]

Hi folks,
I'm new to the forum. I'm an Italian boy, my name is Diego, I live in Venice and I joined this forum for a “mission impossible”!
I am a big fan of Vespa, I have several of them, but the one I'm looking for is special: it was of my grandfather.
I have thoroughly investigated in order to understand where it is, and some months ago I finally discovered that it had been sold, along with many others, probably to a Swedish merchant who in the late '90s was carrying Vespas in your Country and has sold them.

It is a Vespa VB1 of 1958, named “GS dei poveri” here.
I have the chassis number and my mission impossible is to try to look for it in Sweden. Maybe now it belongs to someone of the forum. I do not want to get it back but just know where it is, hopefully I can make a quotation or offer an exchange with one or more of my Vespas.

Meanwhile, I would like to see how many people here have a VB1T from Italy (bought from 1997 onwards). In private, then I can provide the chassis number.
Many thanks to all!
Ciao
Diego

p.s. I'm sorry but I do not speak swedish

[colsson]

Hi Diego!
I´m posting your message on our Facebook Group.

Best regards
Christian

[Peter Sundfeldt]

Hey, Diego, pm me the chassis number and I will have a swift answer for you. It's one call away. That's what you want, right?
Because, just for your information, the scene in Sweden are aware of – and not very fond of – people from abroad trying to do scooter business in a dishonest way. We know there's lots of old scoots around in the country waiting to be found, but most of them have an old identity. If you're looking for a certain scooter, just say so, and do not pull a stunt with grandfathers and in the same breath looking for other VB1:s.
Why did you post exactly the same story in England?

[DiegoGS150]

Hi everyone,

thanks a lot for the replies.

I have posted exactly the same message in several UK's forum because the friend of my grandfather -the one that has collected dozens of vespas and lambretta in the nineties - doesn't remeber of wich nationality the carrier was.
In the past here in Italy you had to pay a fee every year in order to have a valid license plate so the majority of people has prefered to sold or give away the motorbikes and return the license plate. But the motorbikes without license plate here in Italy could not be put back on the road (now luckily you can).
This man has told me that all the motorbikes that did not have license plate, were been sold "in block" to a foreign carrier...unfortunately he doesn't remember the nationality, he thinks English or Swedish but it could be also from another country...
I am not looking for a scooter, I have mine, or just a VB1 (here in Italy there are still several of them) but I am looking for the one of my grandfather (of course, I have some old documents of that Vespa with me in which there is my grandfather name, surname, date of birth...)
I don't want to buy or, worse, steal that Vespa but just know if it exists yet.
In UK a man, a gentelman, has verified with his club but the chassis number is not present in his list. He told me that the English "Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency" cannot give you information about a vehicle just by providing them the license plate number or chassis number. What about the Swedish agency? Do you know if, paying, it is possible to have some information?

Peter, I'm sending you a pm with the chassis number.

Many thanks
Diego

[Peter Sundfeldt]

Hi again!

Very good, then we'll help you to find it. But, it's very important that the scoot has a Swedish registration number, otherwise the system won't match with the chassis number, so let's hope it has.
As long as a vehicle have had, or has, a registration number (old, pre-73, or new) it could be found.
Just let me know!

/Peter

[DiegoGS150]

Well, the Vespa was sold in the 1997 or 1998 so probably it is still alive and then registered in the "Swedish Vehicles Agency" (which is the correct name there?)

Thanks
Diego

[Peter Sundfeldt]

I've talked to "Transportstyrelsen" today and they did not find a match on the chassis number. No vehicle is registered in Sweden with this chassis number to it. With that said the scooter can of course physically sit in Sweden, but it has not been imported on paper.

/Peter

[DiegoGS150]

Peter thanks for your help and the time you've spent. If you came to Venice, contact me that I offer you a beer!

If someone find a VB1 or knows someone who has one, do not hesitate to ask the chassis' number to make the comparison.
It would be fascinating to know that this vespa, left from the countryside of Venice, could be now in Sweden...

Thanks again
Ciao
Diego

[Truls]

Hello Diego,

can you please tell us your full name and the scooter club which you are member of?
The scooter might just as well have gone to Norway, if it´s not registered in Sweden.

I also will give you another name to contact here in Sweden,
but not before we know your full name. If you don´t want your full name here send me a PM.

I hope you understand why.

best regards
Truls

[DiegoGS150]

Hi Truls,

you have a PM.

Anyway, I belong to http://www.vespaonline.com

Thanks for your help!

Ciao
Diego