Evaluation: Quick respray with orange peel and particles in the finish, plus a few scratches and touch ups. A few scuffs in the top. Clean interior. Original windows. The windshield rubber doesn’t quite fit straight. A budget restoration on a budget classic.
Bottom Line: With the tiny proportions but lovely styling, the red color and the retractable top, it’s pretty much impossible to think about owning and driving this car without phrases like “Dolce Vita” coming to mind. The Vespa 400 was built under contract in France to the designs off Piaggio (Vespa’s parent company) from late 1957 to 1961 but was never built in large numbers and isn’t a common sight anywhere, especially the US. This one is usable (as usable as a car with 14 hp and a 51-mph top speed can be, anyway), has every bit as much personality as an Isetta, and sold for about what an Isetta in this condition would have. It’s a solid deal for both parties.
