It's a Woman world - Marlene Parker's Filtrate Sprinter
After the orange-metal flake racer of the Scooter Centers Cologne slumbered for half an eternity in the shop's sales and showroom, it has recently been severely disturbed in its deep sleep. In addition to photo shoots for the flyer for the Sprint Race Marl and for the new Lambretta catalog, it was also exhibited at various international custom shows such as Ried and Antwerp as well as at CSR racing events on the Nürburgring.
Arthur Francis?
The Arthur Francis lettering is very often used as a reference to give the baby a name. But the well-known and quite spectacular, almost dramatic story of the scooter has little to do with the name Arthur Francis.
Lambretta Concessionaires UK & Filtrates!
Instead, it is above all the names Lambretta Concessionaires UK and the then very renowned lubricant manufacturer Filtrate, on whose initiative the racer can be traced back.
In September 1965, for example, those responsible at Filtrate asked Ernie Hall whether he could convert a Lambretta for world record attempts. Together with Bob 'Beard' Webb, another tuning great, he got going shortly after this meeting. The duo is provided with a fresh Lambretta GT 200, which is subjected to radical tuning in all areas. In addition to the quite obvious optical changes, there are many radicalizations of details and quite complex engine tuning. This goes far beyond the first-mentioned measures such as increasing the pre-compression by converting to a full-cheek shaft, a whale Phillips fuel injector and a racing exhaust.
The record set by Don Noys on Lambretta in Elvington in October 1965 with 82.08 mph (131,328 km / h) was to be attacked.
After a real show of strength by the tuner duo, a press conference is announced for November 1965, at which the record breaker will be presented.
"England is looking for the super pilot"
In the run-up to the press conference, a competition for which 67 women are applying is running, according to the motto 'England is looking for the super pilot'. Including a grandmother who is convinced that she has the potential to chase sprint records. The selection criteria are enthusiasm and driving experience. The GT 200, transformed into a mini projectile, fits perfectly with the physique of the twelve young women who made it onto the shortlist. With regard to the assessment of whether the mini skirts go just as well with the photo shoot on the Racer, should be very much in the eye of the beholder. The 22-year-old taxi driver from Bristol, Marlene Parker wins the race. Her trademark should soon be the skin-tight, white leather suit.
Snow in Snetterton - chaos in Italy
The first run planned for November in Snetterton was unfortunately canceled due to snowfall, so that the scooter had to survive its baptism of fire in Italy.
Before the 39th Milan Motor Show the Monza racetrack was booked for record drives on December 2, 1965.
Despite the aerodynamically extremely favorable full fairing and despite the extremely low combat weight, Marlene's scooter does not really get going due to carburetor problems. The 'official' timekeeping is also chaotic. From a motorsport point of view, the trip is a disaster. According to Bob Wilkinson from the Lambretta Concessionaires, the test phase, which was far too short without any run away from the workshop and the high time pressure, was to blame. Marlene has her potential not only to delight in white leather, but can still prove it in Monza. With a borrowed scooter, she was able to break the Italian national record with 17.6 seconds for the standing quartermile.
If the trip from Filtrate to Italy was a sporting disaster, it was a real triumphal procession from a PR point of view. Press and camera teams surround the booth at the motor show and are blown away by Ms. Parker. The name Filtrate is known throughout Italy and Marlene is celebrated for her charm, wit and quick-wittedness in addition to her work in leather.
The inflatable elephants with which the Lambro 550 is advertised are no longer fully effective in addition to this hustle and bustle. Filtrates and the Lambretta Con. issue the following press release: "Yesterday (December 3, 1965), Marlene Parker from Bristol drove a Lambretta GT 200 to maximum speed. The quarter mile was covered at a speed of 82,296 km / h.“This achievement was recognized by the Lambretta Club Italy with a bouquet of flowers and a gold medal.
World record ¼ mile envisaged
Back in England, the rest of the winter was used to get the engine going and to further reduce the weight. In the spring of 1966 Marlene was offered a contract to attack the world record on the standing ¼ mile, the complete mile and over a kilometer in the class up to 250 cc. Unfortunately, the appointment in April does not come and the team around Ms. Parker is quiet.
On May 13, 1966, Garnett Keeler, the press officer of the Lambretta Trojan Group, issued a statement that the now "JET" racer would break the world records with a potential top speed of 125 mph.
In 1967 the scooter lost track. Several years later it appears in the Mike Karlslake collection in its current paintwork and with a few documents. After Mike's death and the subsequent auction of this unique Lambretta collection, Marlene's Roller found its way to Germany and finally to Scooter Center to Cologne (Bergheim).
