Modern Vespa

Got some cracking on the paint right on the chassis join. Quite concerning as that indicates movement. A little rust is coming through behind it, almost like the paint is offering no protection from the elements.

Here's some photos, the bike is a 12 plate but made in 2010.
Is this normal for the chassis? Or is this maybe the welds giving up already? Don't like how it's on both sides.

As you can see, there's also bad rusting underneath, the paint is falling off now.

I do use acf 50, doesn't seem to be working.

Hope you're all well!

Zach,

Well that looks like the standard Italian quality control you get for free with all piaggio products,
The chassis in this day and age should be galvanized then primed and painted,
Use dinatrol on all the rust spots, it's military grade and lasts rust free for years even submerged in salt water.
The cracks at the seams are flexible sealant which wants digging out and re applying after the area has been treated wit hdinatrol prior to painting.
See my pics of a build i undertook 5 years ago, the paint is still as new.
Cheers Andy.

Andy you do excellent work. 8)

Thanks Judy, if a jobs worth doing an all that
Andy x.

Well, looks like I need to strip the paint off and fix this! I have rust appearing on the front cowl too, so I may as well just go for a full respray. Cant really afford it mind but I also can't afford to ignore it.

Maybe I can go for a new look.

Would you ever consider taking on a project Andy? Obviously for a price. Your work is fantastic. Drop me a message if so!

Thank you for the pictures though, as always exactly what I needed. Will stop me worrying for now.

Zach

Hi zach,
Don't despair too much, you could do a permanent diy repair, patched and blended in for about £120,00 in paint and materials,
Prep is always the making of any job, do the prep to the bodywork Dinatroling , filler primeing seamsealing etc, and i could come and visit on a weekend and paint it for you.
I don't drink so it would cost you the price of a few cups of tea and a room for the night.
Cheers Andy.

Ahh wish I could take you up on that offer, I'm currently working 6 day weeks. So the time is simply not there for me to do it right now. I use it for commuting so need it off the road for the shortest time possible.

Annoying shops around here are saying they'll struggle to blend the paint perfectly since its an "odd" blue. I call bs but basically no one round here wants to do anything other than a full re spray.

Best get saving!

Zach

Yeah my GTS had the same cracking and rust. Vespa was kind enough to cover it under warranty but it shouldn't happen in 12 months of ownership.

Hi Zach
With the correct ral code you can match any paint, i can also age the new paint by drying with uv light, using clear laquer over the blended patch applied to the whole panel then seamlessly connects the old and new area, you can also blend paint on a curve so the shadow line masks any slight colour imbalance, and i am a self taught diy er
When you take a car into the bodyshop for a repair, they never paint the whole car or even the side whole side of the damaged area, the damage is repaired and a few inches either side of the repair are over sprayed and blended in.
So i call the bodyshop who called a respray a bunch of ammatures without the skills required to do a job properly and to steer clear.
Cheers Andy.
Ps your scoot would be painted and ready to ride again within 48 hrs of first stripping down.

Thanks for that Andy,

I shall stay clear of the local guys around here. Like I said I wish I could put you up down here. I'd rather ride down and camp a few nights and take a day off ahaha.

Anyhow I could give some shops further field a try, hopefully someone who has dealt with the chassis before. Might get some cheaper quotes too.

Zach

Shifted this one back over to my original topic on rust, as this is obviously not a compromised chassis