Modern Vespa

Well this is how I did it.

Step 1. Get given a Vespa (NZ 150 Sportique/VBB) when 15 years-old by an older friend (the one from up the road who taught me how to skateboard.)

Step 2. Fail to get it going (woodruff key kept shearing), and end up storing it in dad's barn.

Step 3. Wait 25 years...

Step 4. Finally have the reason and means to fix it up but not the time...

Step 5. Buy a 'restored scooter' from a dealer to skip the resto - fail (another thread... OMG! Look what I just scored - 1977 Sprint 150

Step 6. Take dealer to disputes... win (phew)

Step 7. Finally go back and pull out the scooter from the back of dad's barn...


The Barn

Even a Model A in here... but the Vespa is buried

Pulled these down from the rafters... These are spares with no frame. Home to rats for 25 years it seems.

Literally right at the very back of the barn - a little pop of baby blue. Way too much stuff in the way though.

Go round the back and remove the iron sheets and she's right there...


Last edited by pheasant plucker on Thu Dec 21, 2017 2:06 pm; edited 1 time in total

Too cool! Followed your other thread, and glad to hear you were able to resolve. Glad you are resurrecting the old bike. This might be my new favorite build thread.

thats great mate, fixing that sportique wont be any hard and plus u have the spare that u can fix and put it in the wall as decoration, the rear rack in ur spare looks good

good luck with the project and cheer

Here's the rest of the photos... sorry, got distracted ;P

The only rusted through area that I found is the back of the guard. Rest seems superficial. But the kids were requiring attention so had to bail on a thorough inspection. Inside the frame looked sweet. Didn't check under the floorpan though. Hope to clear the shed at home and pick it up in a week or two... will see how the silly season goes.

Got a wrecked 2005 PX200 arriving about the same time...


Peeking through... how rusty is she?

Getting closer... packed in tight

More spares

Seat, cowls, glove box, headlight etc

Now to try and get her out

Freedom

"Patina"

The worst angle...

its a easy fix if u ask me, just fix the legshield and put some acf50 if theres lil hole just patch it, i say spare engine there and its good as once u fix it u have 2 engine and no reason to put the bike in the barn again, and if u wanna go speedy just put the p200 engine that u have, my hand is itch seeing ur bike, cause i know starting on a project base on a barn find is nice, especially when everything is almost there like in ur pics.. darn i just think if i were you i can even build 2 scooter based on the spares part in basket

enjoy the project and cheer

Get it running, Wash it, polish it, ride it... Done!

Glad it's got the ORIGINAL N.Z. Seat.

I should give that Vespa the 1-800-Vespa abuse hot line for you leaving it neglected all those years!!

How else was I going to achieve this patina?

Hopefully you'll forgive me once I've finished with her... Although I don't plan on going showroom. Or even maintaining originality...

Great story. It isn't often that one finds a decent old scoot in their own barn. Have fun.. looks very restorable.

The painful thing is there used to be another frame (the red one) but my dad had a massive clean-out many years ago and binned it (without asking me) as he thought it was too far gone. Pretty sure it was better than the blue one is now.

All the rust on the blue frame looks superficial to me. I think you have a solid starting point.

Would be nice to have the other frame, though.

Following this thread for updated pictures of the restoration

I'll be following this one too, as I did pretty much the same thing to myself. '75 (really a '74) 150 Super -- daily rider in the '80s, stored in my dad's garage for 25 years, then moved to my new place and I still need to get around to reviving it...

Pics or it didn't happen

well thats bad, but the good part is u can clean all those spare parts and hang it as a decoration in the garage like those two cowl that can be a love shape, not the fork and the headset for a hat poll, if u didnt need the legshield tools box hit me a call cause i know it will look better in my pink rather then the p series tool box

have a nice holiday and cheer mate

I have pics somewhere of the excavation process at my old house.

Current status: Parked behind the (also awaiting restoration) BMW R100RS.

Seats are missing (stolen, hence it getting stuffed in my dad's garage)
Clutch cable is broken.
Tires (and probably anything else rubber) are shot.
So's the battery. Likely the battery cables too.
What's left in the gas tank is probably half water, half turpentine after 30 years of neglect.
On the other hand, that "crease" in the right side of the leg shield is just a shadow

Gotta start somewhere...

Finally rebuilt the falling down shed into a workshop.

First time pulling apart a Vespa. Good fun. Missed tinkering - it’s been a while. Fun machines to work on! And such pretty lines.

And patina...

...

And thanks:

https://www.scooterhelp.com/tips/body/60s.locks.html#forks

Making this easy.

Still chipping away...

Got the wrecked px200 running... came with no keys so had to use a screwdriver and hammer to open the seat to fill her up

Still couldn't get the ignition to turn so had to hotwire that...

https://vimeo.com/282566127/f341c71d1b

I want more pics

Quick update. Haven't had a lot of time lately... but still progressing the project forward. Tear-down of the PX done. Found someone (local forum) who needed a frame so gave them all the bits I didn't need (no room to store, and would rather it got used as much as possible). Have been forced to do a proper panel and paint by a 1cm spot of rust on the floor.... for the best I think. Visit to the chemical strippers done. Time for the dry build! It's going to be fun finally putting stuff together rather than pulling it all apart. But also guessing it's going to get a lot harder...

jealous, always wanted to do a vbb to bare metal, gonna be fun

They look cool bare metal! But it is getting a paint job after the dry build... need to hide a bunch

Well yeah I meant paint after but we have seen it all here!

What's the link to the local forum? PM if you want.

the bare metal is indeed lookin awesome

good luck with the barn find and cheer mate

Just a kiwi classic scooter Facebook group...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1484311775128761/

I figured. But wish I didn’t have to paint her tho!

Color?

Flat black

plastidip is ur friend.. a matt black rubber paint

[/quote]plastidip is ur friend.. a matt black rubber paint [/quote]

I did think about Plasticote. But it needs welding, straightening, filler, and some form of paint anyway. I understand the frames are really difficult to paint because of the tight and numerous curves. To get my bike certified for the road with no dramas it’s going to have to be pretty tidy. Especially with the mods. Gonna admit defeat before I even try and pay someone who knows what they are doing!

workshop is 'clean'.

messing around waiting for parts...

Hahaha. Love it.
Hadn't seen this - but gives some color to your comments on my post.
Looks pretty damn good to me.
(might there be a cross bow in said "shed")?
Oh - and that tire is bad ass - as long as you aren't riding in the rain...
Did you go with the wider version or is it just the angle?

No crossbows. Compound bows. The one you can see is my 7yo’s bow. Kids got me back into it. One of the recent distractions.

Yeah wide tyre. 130/70-11 =) And the K61 should be half decent in the wet. Engine mounts just arrived today so time to get the hacksaw out...

Look what you gone and made me do... got some momentum back.

Great color scheme/components.
Coolest dad on the block.
Can't wait to see.

Ur rear tyre is wide Mate, did u have to cut the engine arm? Looking good there.. keep the spirit and cheer

Yup. Finally put some hours in. See you've been busy too Brother E.