Vespa Primavera Restoration

[Il Duce]

Well the PX sold for more than I expected and I've received the money. It's going to G12 Glasgow.

Dis or Stuart?

Scott (apt) from Dowanhill.

[Il Duce]

I fitted a new chrome legshield surround last night. No photos because I forgot. It looks much better as it's thicker than the thin plastic/chrome one that was on there. It actually went on without a problem.

It's going in to the scooter repairer tomorrow to sort out the slipping gears, electrics, and leaking carb among other things.
I shall update on the meeting where I ask them exactly what they did for all that money the last time apart from fit the cables and slightly strip it for spraying. Oh and how it got through an MOT with a knackered front bush and lights that won't turn off.

They are currently on my hate list until they can prove otherwise.

[Il Duce]

Still no news as they haven't started on it yet apparently due to a weekend bike emergency they had to sort before mine.
When I dropped it off they said that the gear slipping is probably due to the new cables stretching slightly as they are sure it was working perfectly when they returned it.

With that in mind and hopefully no massive repair bill due, there could be a new project soon.

Bloke on another forum has a 125 Nuova (1966) that he's stripped and had the frame powder-coated. He's also bought all the new bits that are required. All that's needed is re-assembly. The price is ok but it's a daunting prospect trying to rebuild something that you didn't take apart yourself- especially the engine! Here are some photos:











I suppose if I get stuck I have all of you to turn to.

[S1K]

If you're sure that it will all go back together and that he hasn't abandoned the project because he knows there's a nasty surprise in there somewhere that seems like a good idea. A bike in bits is surely only worth half the price of an assembled one.

[Deuteronomy]

If you're sure that it will all go back together and that he hasn't abandoned the project because he knows there's a nasty surprise in there somewhere that seems like a good idea. A bike in bits is surely only worth half the price of an assembled one.

There can't be that much to go wrong, there's so few components!

[S1K]

If you're sure that it will all go back together and that he hasn't abandoned the project because he knows there's a nasty surprise in there somewhere that seems like a good idea. A bike in bits is surely only worth half the price of an assembled one.

There can't be that much to go wrong, there's so few components!

Those sound like some famous last words Deuts.

Go on ID, Deuts says he'll buy it from you for the same price you paid if it all goes tits up.

[Il Duce]

If you're sure that it will all go back together and that he hasn't abandoned the project because he knows there's a nasty surprise in there somewhere that seems like a good idea. A bike in bits is surely only worth half the price of an assembled one.

There can't be that much to go wrong, there's so few components!

This is true.
Also he's done quite a few full restorations and is well known in Vespa circles. I've seen his restos and they are perfect and his workshop is like a surgery. He started to concentrate on Lambrettas but had two smallframes to complete. He did the one:







but never got around to the other one.

It's a gamble but then so is every vehicle purchase. I figure when rebuilt there is about £600 profit in it so I have some cover for unexpected disasters.

[thekungfury]

pretty

[Deuteronomy]

pretty

Agreed

[Strawman]

Also he's done quite a few full restorations and is well known in Vespa circles. I've seen his restos and they are perfect and his workshop is like a surgery. He started to concentrate on Lambrettas but had two smallframes to complete. He did the one:

I like the stripes, could you do this with a white and green stripe?

[Il Duce]

Also he's done quite a few full restorations and is well known in Vespa circles. I've seen his restos and they are perfect and his workshop is like a surgery. He started to concentrate on Lambrettas but had two smallframes to complete. He did the one:

I like the stripes, could you do this with a white and green stripe?

Oh yes.

But I wouldn't.

Because it wouldn't work: green stripe, white stripe, massive red stripe on the right.

[HappyGoLucky]

Also he's done quite a few full restorations and is well known in Vespa circles. I've seen his restos and they are perfect and his workshop is like a surgery. He started to concentrate on Lambrettas but had two smallframes to complete. He did the one:

I like the stripes, could you do this with a white and green stripe?

Oh yes.

But I wouldn't.

Because it wouldn't work: green stripe, white stripe, massive red stripe on the right.

And I'm sure if you did, the stripes would be the same thickness all the way down and not all wobbly like they are?

That. Makes. My. Teeth. Itch.

[Il Duce]

Maybe the curve of the legshield or the photo that's making them look wobbly. Having seen some of his other projects he doesn't seem to be the sort of person that would settle for less than perfection:





He's offering to bring the kit bike to Cardiff to save me the courier so it looks almost like a done deal.

[Il Duce]

Arsebiscuits!

Just had a call from the repairers to say that adjusting the cables didn't solve the gear jumping problem. As I thought anyway.
This means that the engine has to be removed and split.

And while it's split there are parts that maybe part worn that might as well be changed: clutch, bearings, oil seals, primary gear....

Sigh.

[tanglerat]

Arsebiscuits!

Just had a call from the repairers to say that adjusting the cables didn't solve the gear jumping problem. As I thought anyway.
This means that the engine has to be removed and split.

And while it's split there are parts that maybe part worn that might as well be changed: clutch, bearings, oil seals, primary gear....

Sigh.

Good. No wait, bad?

Good if you're going to do this and the restro-thread is off in unexpected directions. That's proper restro stuff, that is.

Surely to God you're not just going to pay the spannermen to do it whilst they're at it, are you?

[Il Duce]

Arsebiscuits!

Just had a call from the repairers to say that adjusting the cables didn't solve the gear jumping problem. As I thought anyway.
This means that the engine has to be removed and split.

And while it's split there are parts that maybe part worn that might as well be changed: clutch, bearings, oil seals, primary gear....

Sigh.

Good. No wait, bad?

Good if you're going to do this and the restro-thread is off in unexpected directions. That's proper restro stuff, that is.

Surely to God you're not just going to pay the spannermen to do it whilst they're at it, are you?

Yes.
The orange one is the one that I'm taking back to Italy. It has to be 100% bulletproof reliable as I want to spend my holidays on it and not under it because of me cocking up something. The spannermen are going to do that one as I won't know which bits should be changed or not. I could just change all of the bits but that would work out more expensive than them splitting and changing just the worn bits.

I shall do the red one as it's just complex re-assembly: sort of the next stage up from what I've been doing.

[Il Duce]

The scooter repairer called. Balls! It needs two new gears but it's cheaper to fit a whole new gearbox.

They've split the engine and replaced the gearbox. They're waiting for some bearings and gaskets to finish the job then they can refit the engine and try and sort the electrical problem.
The bill is approaching 4 figures- £350 just on parts- or in other words cheaper than an annual service on a Porsche.

Doesn't seem so much when I say it that way.

I could have bought a fairly good one in Italy for the money I've spent but at least I have a concourse one with fully fit mechanicals.

[Il Duce]

Well I've just picked it up. It took them half an hour to go through every single bit they'd changed.
The gearbox and clutch were properly buggered.
They changed every nut, bolt, bearing and oil seal in the engine too.
They fitted the anti-dive kit.
They found the petrol leak was the carb float o-ring.
They found the electrical fault was down to a spade connector near the engine who's wire was not actually connected to the spade* even though it looked like it was. Sneaky!

Ok project hopefully complete. On with the little red bugger.

[Il Duce]

Another thing I forgot was that when they stripped it they found it had a Polini 135 evo race kit on it giving it about 18bhp nearly triple the standard power. Yay! A&E here I come!!!

[S1K]

It's not exactly the weather for riding a scooter in South Wales this week ID. When do you reckon you'll get to have a go on it?

[Strawman]

He's building the world's first scooter friendly wall of death inside, so he can ride his scooter every day whatever the weather.

[Il Duce]

I bought it back in August and have only managed 100m on it due to the slipping gears so as soon as the roads are dry I'm going out on it.

[HappyGoLucky]

I bought it back in August and have only managed 100m on it due to the slipping gears so as soon as the roads are dry I'm going out on it.

Has someone got a cup to put his balls in when he tears them off on the newly chromed legshield?

[Il Duce]

I bought it back in August and have only managed 100m on it due to the slipping gears so as soon as the roads are dry I'm going out on it.

Has someone got a cup to put his balls in when he tears them off on the newly chromed legshield?

Despite what you dream of in your fiddle fantasy I shall be riding it in raw selvedge denim.
No contest in a battle with thin Italian metal.

[HappyGoLucky]

I bought it back in August and have only managed 100m on it due to the slipping gears so as soon as the roads are dry I'm going out on it.

Has someone got a cup to put his balls in when he tears them off on the newly chromed legshield?

Despite what you dream of in your fiddle fantasy I shall be riding it in raw selvedge denim.
No contest in a battle with thin Italian metal.

No fiddle fantasy here, just coming up with an alternate cupping proposal...

[Deuteronomy]

Imagine if we had to explain cupping to a non-CTF...

[DI Burnside]

If you’re all done ID them my brother in law may have some work for you in his scooter graveyard.....

[Il Duce]

Looks like they're all largeframes.
I only restore smallframes.

[thekungfury]

Looks like they're all largeframes.
I only restore smallframes.

>insert sexual reference<