A Vespa scooter that featured in The Who’s Quadrophenia Tour has been restored to its former glory to raise money for Teenage Cancer Trust. The original 1964 GS Vespa was ridden on stage by guest star Billy Idol as popular Mod icon Ace Face during the 1996 tour.
The scooter was stored in the garage of The Who’s Roger Daltrey until the 79-year-old – who is a Teenage Cancer Trust honorary patron – gave his son-in-law Des Murphy the green light to attempt to restore it to its original working condition. Speaking to the PA news agency about the restoration, Murphy, 56, said: “It was a stage prop when The Who toured Quadrophenia and Billy Idol was the guest vocalist.
“He appeared as the Ace Face and he was on stage with it singing the song from Quadrophenia. So it travelled with the band on the tour and then after the tour was over, it went back to Roger’s farm and it was slowly rotting away in the corner. And we kept saying we know we’ve got to do something with it because it’s an iconic scooter.”
