Honeybee: 1966 Vespa Ape
Italy was flattened after the Second World War. By virtue of fighting on both sides, it, or more importantly, its industry and economy were losers. In the post war years, Italian transport industry righted itself by making scooters and other inexpensive vehicles since that was all the populace could afford. But what if you needed something larger to transport your goods, but couldn’t afford a truck? Find this 1966 Vespa Ape Truck for sale in McMinnville, OR for $7,775 via craigslist.
In 1947 Corradino D’Ascanio, the inventor of the Vespa had the idea to add two wheels and a bed to the back of a scooter to make a light weight commercial vehicle. Vespa manufacturer Piaggio went with the idea and began producing three wheeled scooter-trucklett in 1948. Piaggio kept on manufacturing Apes until 2013, when production was moved to India. It is still in production there today.
Ape is Italian for bee, which refers to the hard working aspect of the vehicle and has nothing to do with primates. By the 60’s, the Ape had grown weather protection in the form of a cab. This Ape, being a 1966 with a single rectangular headlight, is powered by a 175cc aircooled two-stroke. It’s also the first Ape with a cabin heater. Minimalism is the order of the day inside the cab, but it was better than being out in the weather.
The little two smoker is located under the seat in the cab. Bring some ear plugs. But hey, it means its a mid-engined Italian, right? And it is red…
See a busier bee? email us here: tips@dailyturismo.com
Gianni is Daily Turismo’s Pacific Northwest correspondent.
Golf driving range I used to hit balls at when I was a kid had one of these.
And I assume the young mrkwong would try to hit the aforementioned vehicle by driving golf balls at it to startle the driver? (lol)
CLANK!
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"Mario, why you call it a bee?"
"Get in and listen."
"Yeah, but 'buzzes your brain out your ears' won't sell. Give me a better reason."
I love the Ape. It was a perfect solution to a specific problem. And "Vespa" is Italian for wasp, so they had a naming theme going.
Hyabusa swap?
Six months of fabrication, twenty minutes of thrill, then you die painfully like one of those insects that gets eaten by its mate during sex.
Sounds like a plan.
@mrkwong….It's not the "eaten" part that worries me…..it's the digestive juices corroding my tailgate
Need to find a better taco truck.
Every time it breaks down i go APE Shit !
Most of these extinct species had no "perk" for human kind, so they have vanished without much fanfare. Hopefully, we have a few photos in our scientific archives. If the honey bee goes extinct, we will notice.bee hives auckland