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The Vespa
When small cars and cabin scooters were fashionable in the 1950s, Piaggio brought its Vespa 400 model onto the market. After just five years of construction, production was ended, so that “the Vespa” is now a sought-after, because rare, classic car.
The Vespa
In the spacious vintage car garage of the brothers Gerald and Rainer Liebscher in Neusiedl am See, automotive gems such as a Honda S800, a Lancia 2000 Berlina, a Reliant Scimitar, or a “goddess” Citroen DS are waiting for their first trips, should spring finally show its sunny side. But the first little hop out under the cloudy April sky can be made by a miniature exotic car - a mint green flea of a car, with yellow headlights and a welded front hood. “Only the starter battery and the driver's feet fit underneath, the engine is in the rear,” explains Gerald Liebscher and opens the small flap with a screwed-on pannier rack at the rear of the Vespa 400. A little engine appears, it is an air-cooled 394 cm³ two-cylinder two-stroke engine with 14 HP output at 4,350 revolutions/min. Next to it is an oil container with a crank that can be used to dose the amount of oil required depending on the tank contents.
High speeds
The post bus in the rear window is getting bigger and bigger - there's no chance of outrunning it on the slight slope between Neusiedl and Jois. “The engine wants to be revved up – typical two-stroke engine,” explains Gerald Liebscher, who, with his height of 186 centimeters, occupies a surprisingly comfortable sitting position in the small Vespa cabin. I'm allowed to take the wheel and for the first few kilometers I have to get used to the long-ratio three-speed gearbox with an unsynchronized first gear. As soon as the learning curve is over, making progress with the Vespa 400, which is almost three meters short and weighs less than 400 kilograms, is really fun. The top speed is around 80 km/h – on a flat road with no headwind. The small convertible sedan with a roll-top roof shows its strengths especially in local areas. The lively two-stroke engine has enough torque to keep up with traffic, its rattle attracts attention, and the sight of the cute body puts a smile on the faces of young and old. “I wouldn’t have thought it possible, but when we took part in the Mödling Classic I got a radar penalty,” smiles Rainer Liebscher. The Vespa 400 was speeding at 62 km/h in the local area.
Passion for classics
Gerald and Rainer Liebscher inherited their passion for classic automobiles from their father. Rainer has made a good name for himself as a classic car expert and will soon be opening his new restoration workshop at Werkstraße 16 in Oberwaltersdorf. Gerald is a full-time real estate agent and also runs “Liebscher & Liebscher Classic Automobile OG” together with his brother. “We are more collectors than dealers,” the brothers admit, as they find it difficult to part with their favorite metal pieces. They currently want to try out a new business idea. Gerald Liebscher: “We have founded a pawn shop for classic cars – let’s see how it is received.”