Book review- la Mobylette Universelle - National Autocycle and ...

South Staffs Section held their annual Bangers & Mash night on Wednesday 17th March and it
was a huge success, with over 40 people attending. During the evening stalwart member Keith
Walker was presented with a commemorative engraved tanker as a token of appreciation for all the
efforts and organisation he has contributed over many years, not only for the South Staffs Section
but for the NACC as a whole. Bob Terry presented Keith with the tankard and Keith’s partner
Anne was presented with a bouquet of fl owers (for having put up with him for so long?!- Ed).
************************************************
Cry of Help! from the USA, part 2. Re the engine-less Pranafa Playboy mini-scooter shown in
February’s Buzzing, an email was soon received from Larry Fisher of Bristol, Rhode Island USA:
“I opened my latest Issue of Buzzing (Volume 29 Issue 1 February 2010) and began eagerly reading
every page as I always do, only to be very surprised by page 13! No, it wasn’t the bevy of buzzing
bottoms but the Playboy at the top that surprised me because the photo is of my bike! OK Playboy
jokes aside (did you put the naked bums on the bottom of the page on purpose?) [No!- Ed]. The
bike shown is my 1956 Playboy by the East German fi rm Pranafa. The bike in question belongs to
John Anderson is actually quite nicely restored. John is seeking the correct muffl er and the IMPEX
headlamp that were original equipment on these bikes. By the way, if you decide to print it with a
companion photo of Playboy candidates you will confi rm my conspiracy theory :)”[Sorry Larry,
fresh out of Playboy photos, this is a family magazine...]
“I’ve also attached a photo of Ross Alzina and his
Pranafa scooter. Ross was the son of the importer Hap
Alzina, who had the famous BSA dealership in Oakland
California at the time. Also attached are two examples
of adverts for the bikes. The fi rst, featuring young Ross,
was from the American Motorcyclist Magazine, 1956
(right), the second is from Cycle magazine, also 1956.”
(see next page)
7