Modern Vespa

The final color looks good. The only real problem with going Full Metal Smurfmobile would be needing to do the rest of it in that blue, which looks like a lot of work!

Kinda love it.

I kinda like the blue... for some reason

Last day of the big Texas roadie… We did the Palo Duro canyon loop twice. 16 miles of the best scooter views/rides in the entire state. Just stellar.

Plan on one more run before we leave.

Wow

That there looks like a mighty fun ride

There are so many places to see and people to meet.

Add you and that place to the list! Awesome looking place to ride...

Place is magic! It would make for an epic camping rally if it wasn't so far from a major city.

This looks like it's been an awesome trip!

Did you make a side trip to Carlsbad Caverns while you were out in Big Bend? I haven't been there in a lot of years, but always remember it being pretty amazing.

My dad's family moved to Amarillo when he was about to start high school (prior to that, they were itinerant teachers in tiny West Texas farm communities) and we would go to Palo Duro pretty much every visit.

It was always amazing to me how that enormous hole could exist in the middle of what was otherwise a completely flat and arid place. And seeing it from the air (you'd see it flying from Dallas to Amarillo) was also pretty damn cool.

You've covered (will cover) a LOT of miles if you've gone Houston->Big Bend-> Amarillo and still have to get home.

I decided to ride my 63 GL to work last week, it was a nice day, a 7 mile ride. Scooter was running fine. I stopped at a church parking lot 5 blocks from my job for a smoke and I noticed fuel leaking near the rear wheel…damn I said to myself. I shut off the fuel and the leak stopped.
I walked the scooter the rest of the way to work and parked it, I decided that I would catch a ride home after work and get my trailer. Probably a stuck float I figured or something else with the carb.
I had my mask and my water bottle stored in the cowl, so I grabbed those before going into the school where I work (part time). The mask was wet….the water bottle was empty! Then it dawned on me, I didn't have fuel leak at all, the water bottle had leaked. I'm a dummy!

All's well that ends well there.

Got the idea from Ginch. Leaky seals identification - smoke if you got'em but a cheap alternative.

So I made this with a sock in a pickle jar soaked with mineral oil, two pens drilled in the top and held with epoxy, tubing and a soldering iron. All from stuff laying around. Stole some play doe from my daughter's room for the high tech intake seal and other sealing solutions.

Found a leak on a new fly side seal. The leak is coming from the crank to seal and not from the seal against the cases. There is sleeve sealant on the seal against the cases and it seems the sealant is holding. Strange to have that leak because the seal was greased up before putting the cases back together.

Dude, that is awesome! It takes checking for air leaks to a whole new level.

I like the creativity involved and imagine the engine is getting infused with the right type of smoke, whim the younguns aren't around of course....

That's the only way I can start and finish these dam things without stress.

BTW, I got how to make if from here:

Really tempted to make a Juul version of this!
I don't smoke, but I played trumpet in high school.

But I didn't inhale, I just had smoke in my mouth and blew smoke into my motor. 😁

What's the sock for?

The sock soak up the mineral oil/baby oil. With heat from the soldering iron provides the smoke. Some wrap the soaked sock around the soldering iron. Mineral oil was the motor lubricant before two stroke oil.

It's almost a necessity to check for leaks after putting a motor back together. You think you're doing everything right, put sealant on the seal, grease up the lip of the seals, torque everything down to spec and still get a leak. I think I got a bad seal or the seal maybe in too far since it is leaking from the crank side of the seal but better to know now then later. I'll fumble with it some more to make sure all is good before getting another seal.

It's a cheap setup for a lot of insurance. Had only to buy an expansion plug to close up the exhaust flange.

Why would a seal be leaking there? Is the crankshaft OD to small? What's behind that seal? I'm used to seeing them with a spring on the backside pulling tight against the shaft.

Would one of these work on there?

https://www.skf.com/us/products/industrial-seals/power-transmission-seals/wear-sleeves/skf-speedi-sleeve

I fixed that for you

Great job Rowdyc!

Today I saw these and more info to follow…

Lllllurvlee....

That patnia yo!

I want the blue one!

These are actually up for grabs. Not mine but are at a local modern shop sort of on consignment I think. I took a bunch of pics and have the engine numbers. Inspected them to the best of my novice ability. Will compile and post in the next couple days. Pm me if you need more info. Engine on the blue one turns, the other one seems to be stuck.

This engine number was different. Blue one had rot in the bottom of the cowl but that's is. The other just surface rust.

Taking advantage of the good paintin' weather ...

Very nice!

That's a great color match

I'd drop in a stock 200 lump, PK fork, disc brake, and use it as a highway cruiser.

Nice work Mike!

Damn nice lookin' paint work there, Mike!

Thx fellas, better than it was for sure. Could've used another coat, but just used up the last of what I had on hand and called it good.

I'd roll with that cowl any day.

I got a little present in the mail from Exmayor today.

Polini right-hand exhaust for my P200. That should make it go braaap

got back from two perfect days of riding on the Giro di California. The Rally was the littlest cheater bike.

Gorgeous rally... looks like a grand tour!

Teach my neigbour kids paint his vespa, and turn out he's more talented then me

I don't know what it is with me and burning vehicles, but this is how I started my morning...

I woke up and heard something that sounded kind've like a horn, but not really. Then one of the dogs (Josie, of course) started going nuts and I heard popping sounds. Looked out the back window and saw a serious column of flame.

Jumped up, got dressed, ran outside and that car burning awaited me. I had my hose, which was really about ten feet too short, but I started wetting down the leaves in the alley to try and keep it from spreading until the fire department got there.

Turns out the car was stolen this morning, then dumped and torched behind my house. Fortunately, the city is dealing with towing it, and then it's all over but the insurance claim.

And as an added bummer for the owner, he had an outstanding felony warrant, so in addition to having a bunch of his tools burnt up (they were in the back of the car), he's going to jail this morning.

My next update will hopefully be scooter-related.

Wow Chandlerman, that was too close!!

I don't know what it is about this place, but it's been non-stop crazy ever since I moved in.

Did I even bother to mention the car that flipped over a couple houses down from me a few weeks ago?