1970 Piaggio Vespa 50cc ‘Ciao Porter’ 3-Wheeler

1970 Piaggio Vespa 50cc ‘Ciao Porter’ 3-Wheeler

Chassis Number 7961; 4-9-1970

(Now sold)

My friends already know I’m mad. So it no longer surprises them when I turn up yet another vintage motorized obscurity.

This Italian Piaggio (Vespa) Ciao triportuer, colloquially known in France as a ‘Ciao Porter’ was designed for countries with large agricultural populations. They were supplied with a choice of boxes on the front, often being used by bakers and other small businesses for local deliveries. This configuration is ideal for rubbish clearance or general handywork.

This particular one was used by a local authority.

It would have been used by a local council for a worker to attend to the flowerbeds on roundabouts, etc …or, as one of my French friends commented, to stand around smoking cigarettes and pretending to work.

The wheelbarrow on this Ciao Porter is easily rolled on and off the vehicle.

And the tipping box is easily removed from the ‘wheelbarrow.’

You could fit any sort of box on the front. Or you can ride it around as I have been, without anything on it.

***********************

*************************

 

*****************

VESPA FRANCE

5 Rue de Tilsitt, Paris VIII

The Vespa Ciao was designed to appeal to the youth market, a big consideration at the end of the sixties. I’m sure you already know the term ‘ciao’ is used throughout Europe as a colloquial form of ‘goodbye.’ So the fact that Vespa also made an ‘agricultural’ version of the same machine is an amusing irony (although they always made three-wheeler versions of their scooters too).

*****************

**************************

**************************