A Brief History of the Italian Marque
Manufactured 1951-19571 by Tappella-Fuchs
Contrariamente a quanto taluni credono la Fuchs รจ una marca italianissima che aveva sede a Milano prima in via Curio Dentato 5 e poi in via Giambellino. La ragione sociale era Fuchs del comm. Gino Tappella.
La ditta era specializzata nella costruzione di biciclette e, negli anni Cinquanta, allargo' la propria attività ai ciclomotori e motoleggere vendute col marchio Fuchs Schneller (volpe veloce).
Proprio a causa del marchio si sono creati equivoci sulla nazionalita' tanto che, in alcune pubblicazioni, si attribuisce alla Fuchs nazionalita' austriaca.
La produzione comprende i ciclomotori Stambecco costruiti in diversi modelli: Turismo a due o tre marce, Gran Sport, Sprint con pedali, Sprint senza pedali e altri, oltre ad un ciclocarro.
La Fuchs propone anche gli scooter Mod.14 Carenato 50, Mod. 18 Campagnola 50, Gazzella 75 e lo strano Moto- Scooter Gran Sport equipaggiato con motore Jlo 125 presentato nel gennaio del 1952.
Vi sono anche le motoleggere Moscardino 125 e la 160 nelle versioni Roma, Roma Sport, Valdarno e SS, tutte con motore a due tempi costruito dalla bolognese FBM.
È stata anche realizzata una 175 modello Competizione che insieme al Moscardino 125 era stata presentata al Salone del Ciclo e Motociclo di Milano nel 1954 come si legge sul numero 48 di Motociclismo di quell'anno.
Particolarmente aggressivo il look del modello 175 Competizione con serbatoio fortemente sagomato, impianto di scarico definito a "trombone strozzato" e forcella anteriore Earles, forcella dello stesso tipo era montata anche sul ciclomotore Stambecco Gran Sport.
Per i ciclomotori venivano usati i motori MAV e NSV, quest'ultimo costruito a Bologna dalla Nanni Società Velomotori che aveva trasformato il motore ausiliario Grillo con trasmissione a rullo di aderenza, costruito dalla ditta Marzocchi, dotandolo di cambio a due marce e trasmissione finale a catena.
Tappella Fuchs was a company established in Milan by Giovanni Tappella which produced mopeds and lightweights in the early 1950s.
Their range included 50cc, 75cc and 125cc machines with engines from FBM, JLO, MAV and two-speed NSV auxilliary motors. The MAV and NSV engines were used on their mopeds.
Models: Campagnola 50, Gazzella 75, Gran Sport JLO 125 scooter (1952), Moscardino 125 and 160cc in version Roma, Roma Sport, Valdarno and SS. A 175cc Competizione was revealed at the Milan Show of 1954 with Earles fork.
Their machines were marketed under the Schneller Fuchs brand. A new Italian headquarters was established in Milan and the company name was Fuchs del comm. Gino Tappella.
The company specialized in the manufacture of bicycles and, in the 1950s, included mopeds and light motorcycles in their product range with the brand Fuchs Schneller.
As the name has a Germanic ring to it there have been misconceptions about nationality with the result that, in some publications, it is confused with the Austrian Fuchs marque.
Production included Ibex mopeds built in different versions : Turismo with two or three gears, Grand Sport, Sprint moped, Sprint (without pedals) and others, in addition to a Ciclocarro utility.
Fuchs also offered Mod.14 scooters, Mod 18 Campagnola 50, 75 Gazelle and an unusual motorcycle-scooter hybrid, the Gran Sport powered by a 125 JLO engine. This machine was announced in January of 1952.
There were also the lightweight Moscardino 125 and 160 versions in Rome, Rome Sport, Valdarno and SS, all with two-stroke engines built by FBM of Bologna.
A 175cc model along with the Competition Moscardino 125 was presented at the Milan Show in 1954, and both are noted in Motociclismo number 48 of that year. The article mentions the aggressive look of the 175 Competition model with strongly contoured tank, an exhaust system in "trombone strangled" (trombone strozzato) style, and Earles forks, which were was also fitted to Ibex Gran Sport moped.
The mopeds used engines from MAV and NSV, the latter built in Bologna by Nanni Società Velomotori that had converted the Grillo auxiliary motor with drive roller grip, manufactured by Marzocchi, fitted with two-speed gearbox and chain drive to the rear wheel.
Scuza Itanglish
Sources: Moto di Lombardia, Tragatsch p282
Notes
1. Henshaw gives 1953-1957 but documentation shows a model announced Jan 1952, indicating that 1951 is a more likely date for initial production.
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Lucas
Santiago Chile
Schneller-Fuchs-Minibike-Chile.jpg posted in Comments.
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