Modern Vespa

Well, I splashed out on Speedys Cuzzie Bro... yip, as far as I can tell they are both from the same factory & production run at "Eyro & Co (Airco) in N.Z.... Now i have a year or so to think things over... But currently my main thought is to build an 'original' VBC 150 Super.
As with most of us, I've kept ALL the original parts from Speedy & have gathered numerous other matching parts over the years... So its time to do drag out the box labelled 'I kept these parts just in case I decided to take it back to original ' & actually use it! Now that I have 2 boxes of these parts, I am sure there will be enough to make 1 'original' scoot.

Yeah, this would also mean an original carb, piston kit, gears, motor etc... Which is kinda daunting given that bunging on a kit & making a racer/sleeper is far more my style. Plus doing so is far simpler.
Which has brought me to a dilemma:
Do I port the cases, or leave them original?
Do I fit a gear-up kit (or new box) & make it go faster?
Do I bung a whole lot of go-fast parts into the motor?
Where do I stop with mods?
Do I try to make an entirely original scoot with the LEAST replacement parts possible ie bearings/seals/gaskets/perished components only to be replaced?

As I already have Speedy & AnaKey (now a track/dirt racer!) I already have something to satisfy the speed aspect.
So, this scoot can be basically standard, & used for cruising around on.

Then I got wondering:
What happened BEFORE there were performance/aftermarket parts/kits parts available, BEFORE a 24/24 carb or 200cc motor existed?
What did they do when they wanted to race?
Does anyone here know what they did or were they involved in this early scene?

My guess is that:
They may have hand-built components (which I lack the skills/tools to do)
They simply modified the original parts
They used components off other vehicles

So, my compromise may be to modify the original parts...
With this in mind... how about this idea:
Leave the cases with original porting, however, taper the barrel ports to force more into them
- EXCEPT that I would prefer to leave the cases original (which I will not know what has happened to them till I pull the motor apart), & I see/hear it a lot that people kinda regret getting out the Dremel & attacking the ports.
- IF I did decide to port the cases, then it would remain a 2-port this time (as welding on an extra port would not suit)
Use original Piston/barrel/head & modify them internally to open them up
Use the original 20/17 Carb & hone it to make it bigger
Use the original crank & hand cut/flow it
Leave the original gears & clutch
The Exhaust has me stumped, as it would 'ruin' the resto to put on an aftermarket, & I still have the original one off Speedy
- Does anyone have an idea on what to do with an exhaust?

This would mean it will become an 'original' but kitted scoot, seeing how much can be extracted from it without the use of aftermarket parts.
Has anyone here done this type of 'modification'? If so please share.

Not sure on the paint... it will wither match Speedy ie. Purple/Yellow (or Orange) or possibly the ORIGINAL "Appliance White" (Airco were wholesalers or refrigerators & other white goods, so it was actually a TRUE Appliance White) body with Orange seat that Speedy came in initially (ref: Ode to Speedy - damn these expensive shopping trolleys! But there is plenty of time for this decision (I guess 18mth to 2yrs)

Just do it original using parts from your/others carboard boxes. Later when you get bored you can make it go faster. I notice you do like to set limits that makes it much harder to achieve your ideal... eg fastest motor you can afford combined with the shittest brakes known to man (I MUST have 8" wheels), bottoming out exhaust (I MUST have 8" wheels) etc. So do it bog stock and free yourself up to make Speedy a proper performance machine.

One thought does come to mind, and that's paint them both the same colour to make plate swaps easy.

Oh crap, sounds like you guys have those registration papers that specify the scooter's color. And here I was, before I read all this biz about purple, yellow & refrigerator shades of white, just thinking how good that thing looks. Right now, as is. How about a good wax job and done, at least for now? Just my impression and my prejudices showing, I know you'll make yourself happy.

Then you could spend your time & money getting it back to dead stock trim & body wise and on the motor, stay original & stock unless/until you find it's simply too slow to be actually useful then maybe a period kit & pipe plus 20/20 on top*. How far from town do you live?


Nice. I even dig the mild two tone(I did a smallie same way, just the horncast) and what, also the raised panel on the cowls? I think Vader had a knockout gorgeous pea green & something dark two tone Super when he joined here. I think I might have a few pics somewhere, I remember drooling.

*if you have newer & better already on hand, it would be hard not to use. The keeping it 'authentic' theme only works if it works for you.

Build a Super Plus, but do it sympathetically, so that if VBCs become more collectible in the future, you can easily roll it back if you want. Keep all the bits, don't drill any new holes in the frame, but otherwise tailor it to your taste and needs.

Shame it doesn't have the three port case, as a stock PX150 top end plus 20/20 carb and SIP Road would provide a decent boost, without any porting work.

I favour 10" wheels on a nice VCB, purely for the proportions, stance and wider choice of rims and tyres. I suspect this preference will fall on deaf ears!!

I hear and concur!!

Sorry, did you say something?

Two extra inches make all the difference!!

I'd say keep it original looking but a cylinder kit plus good exhaust. Yo'll soon get tired of looking good but going slow, in my opinion.

How do you figure you are getting two extra inches? Two extra inches of what? Yes, it will sit a little higher(maybe an inch), but don't be hating the 8s - just don't go there.

Ohh yee riders of big-wheeled tubs... I challenge you some day to take a ride in 8"... then you will KNOW what handling & agility feels like.

Did that! Not so different imo.

Tierney, my comment was tongue in cheek

sorry, stupid post

Last edited by Moto64 on Wed, 04 May 2016 21:54:52 +0000; edited 1 time

While it looks pretty good in the Ebay pics, it has had a big impact on the RHS, the cowl is damaged, rear end is squashed (i guess from the side-panel pushing into it), even the base of carb-box was smashed... So there is a bit of work before it is roadworthy.

The odd thing is that i cant see any other colour than the green (ie under tank, behing horn, on fuel tank etc)... So it's either a reasonable full respray or that is actually the original colour... However there are 'repairs' showing under the paint... So highly unlikely its the original paint.

I took the following closeups last night


Squishy bum

Top of cowl

Headset damaged

Cowl damage

Oops


Last edited by SubEtherBASS on Wed, 04 May 2016 13:07:07 +0000; edited 1 time

Hey SEB. for what it's worth- I say 'rock the stock' my VNC 125 is slow, but a whole lot of hassle free fun. I'm not thinking about whether I'm burning the clutch out or running too lean. Ill leave that for the smallframe

Well sorry man, rough day and all. It's just out of all the Vespas I have owned, I miss the Super the most. Low and slow.