Modern Vespa

I have a NOS reflector but that's it.

Thanks Patrick, but I found a nice reflector w/ glass lens for when I can find the outer rim to hold it all together. For now I Shoe-Gooed a plastic lens into the bottom half and a strong 12V 20W halide w/ reflector onto the headset base back so it doesn't melt the lens.

It's a big ticket here riding w/o your headlite lit up here so this Rube Goldberg setup gets me on the road safe from the cops for now. It's pretty bright and I have a running lite glued on top of that. Electrics all work good except the horn and I discovered that older AllStates require the 'battery' type of brake switch so the brake lite comes on when I hit the brakes instead of going off.

Now I'm in the middle of fitting the floor trim, but first I had to get my groove back. The outer trim has a big hump along the bottom, unlike newer trim which is flat on the bottom. To get it to fit right I first had to reestablish the groove along the edge as well as getting the edges straight and properly curved where the legshield starts.

more pics

Voo Doo

I have a VNA reflector you can have. But its not much of a reflector. Most of the surface is corroded. But if you were using the custom reflector you have it may work.

HIt me up.

Thanks for letting me take this thing for a test ride T. I was surprised at how fast this thing accelerates; I think the combination of the 8inch wheels, 10inch gearing, and that test pipe with no expansion chamber give it a lot of low-end power.

primavera130, thanks but I do have a nice ~110mm reflector & glass lens that I can use when I find a used rim that will fit my headset. It's about 110mm at the front where the rim slips over it.

I don't want to use a repop or even a new Siem for this, same w/ the speedo. The only new stuff used so far are a budget performance 3 port top end and seals, gaskets in the motor and fork bearings, all cables, levers and most of the rubber on the bike. Crank, bearings, clutch and everything else in the motor & on the bike is cherry picked used.


WANTED, speedo like this:

I prefer to use original parts still in serviceable condition where I can. Finding a decent working VNB speedo like the one above that won't cost more than I have in the rest of the bike will be the big challenge. Meanwhile, this will work, but must create custom riser bezel for volcano effect.

Ameribodged, big rubber band keeps headset together

Other than the goofy headset and a possible switch to a bench seat, it's about done and already fairly rideable although I'm still tweaking the motor. Still must finish the final floor rail install w/ rivets including the two center ones and the rubber strips after I clean, prep & rustproof the grooves.

I found a working old column lock w/ key I need to pull the fork to install, then run a speedo cable. I think I'll put on a SIP Road muff instead of the PM Tuning to stay more under the radar... That's it(I hope) except for a little more paint tweaking and final buff until I find the right old headlight bezel & VNB speedo.


stealth voltage regulator

original AllState tire pump and registration for a "1960 Vespa 150"

Oh look, a Vespa 150! but isn't this a 1958?



See the choke lever under the seat?

Kala, thats f%$£*ng great! do you think the muff will deck out? i really like the plenishing and the pump install! the floor rails must have taken some work, every time i go at something that bad it cracks........ mostly. I got some rails in my kitchen i just remembered...

It's a beauty Voodoo. I say keep the seat... the rust color and style suits the bike perfectly. Pure charm.

Oh, those floor rails I gave you... OK now get busy you lazy sod! I think you will like the look w/ them on and they will protect the paint on your floor(snicker). I'll give you a call & share some tips.

Yeah, the plenishing really made all the difference. Bike looks so much better w/ all its iconic aesthetic shapes in good order even if the paint isn't. Adds to the pure charm, ya know

So far SIP muff clears fine w/ 8's, I just put it on and am about to take a more serious test run.

SCG, I will run that seat for a while but I really do prefer a bench for comfort & looks. I have 2 not so normal options I think you will like but both need more work. One is an A. Rejna of Milano old aftermarket seat that is lower & sexier than stock but still w/ similar spring construction that needs recovering and the other is a widebody GS150 Denfeld knock off that needs some repair and an adapter bracket made in back.

so, whats the latest with patina 'wife?' how does it go?

Sweet scooter!

Just now heading out the door for Doc Morgan's shop. We will be running cables and harness in his frame and installing the fork. He had a bodgey VBB that was out of service and is borrowing several parts from it headset, motor, tail lite, seat and a few other necessities. We got the motor running OK in the stand, so it's ready to pop in when the frame is ready.

I'm gonna ride mine over there, or at least try. It will be my longest test so far at maybe 3 or 4 miles but it seems to be running well at this point and not too far to walk the rest of the way if something blows up. Doc has the proper riveting tool, so no pop rivets for this baby installing the floor rails. He also has a lift table which makes it easier to drop the fork out with the headset still connected and suspended from overhead so I can install the column lock.

How does it go? Surprisingly quick, but not yet that fast I think. It's gonna want some gear work to see over 50, but it takes off like a shot and pops the front wheel when I hit second. It's a LOT of fun to ride, it seems light weight and those eight inch wheels are so nimble, a little like a smallie. Ten inch gearing, meet eight inch tires. I need to go read SEB's gearing post: modify VBC1. 2-port -got fuel, need tim(ing)? Only 67mph and this one Crankshaft / gearing ideas for Polini 177 PX125 on 8" w .

go go! good luck.

The scoot did fine on this run, even with rain on the way home. Motor, brakes & lights all performing well. I will need to do some gear work but I do like popping wheelies on demand and the way it eats hills in 4th now. On the other hand, it does seem more like 3rd on my other bikes but with no higher gear for some speed. Yet.

Floor rails were almost finished on Doc's bike except for the center two shorties when I arrived. I rustproofed & painted the grooves on mine and let it dry while we worked on Doc's bike, running the wire harness and all the cables. MUCH easier as a two man job. Then we installed his column lock so we don't think of it after the fork is in , nuff said. He wants to do some fussing w/ the frame & mudguard before we fork it and toss the motor in.

The groove paint on mine was still tacky so we dropped my fork and installed my column lock too. Did NOT completely pull headset to drop the fork, just undid front brake cable & pulled headset up enough to undo stem nuts/ top bearing and suspended headset overhead while we pulled the fork. Column lock in and working, fork reinstalled.

Next up was riveting on my outer floor rails. Doc has the little hand press that makes it a cinch & gives you the waffle imprint on the rivet tip. Slow at first, but you soon get the hang of it and Doc has a nice set of Cleco aircraft skin clamps that make it easy to hold the trim strip firmly in place.

The SIP Road does or rather did drag a bit on corners, but we raised the box part on the left side by drilling a new mounting hole in the muff bracket. Now there's about 1/4" clearance to the frame, before I think over an inch. I might have to cut & section the header pipe to raise the right side if it still scrapes, but the left side was a lot worse & raising it also raised the right side a little. I may also switch to the next size longer shock extender, this thing is really low.

Pics from early in the day , it started raining & we started hustling so forgot to take more.

You may also need to relocate your centerstand spring.

Borrowed pics, identical muffler:

nice job. Love it!

I was asked about raising the muffler. It was easy to do and hasn't kissed pavement since. I did not need to do anything on the other side as mine had enough slop at the cylinder connection and with pressure from a quart paint can underneath forcing it up while mounting, it flexed up the last 1/16" to get the bolt in w/ muff a quarter inch from the pivot arm.





won't have to change anything else here so that's good
but it could go up a fair amount if it had to
it was falling off before I added the spring


Got the speedo working reliably, if not likely accurately today. Now just minor paint touch up & more buffing until I find that elusive headlite rim.

Looking good! I don't understand how you could get that exhaust up so far, generally I need to apply pressure to get it to go up to the normal position.

i think hes cut a piece out and welded it back shorter to accommodate his mod

Haven't done it yet, but I'm gonna have to do it. I did have to force it up a bit w/ just the new hole. I was out riding today and the more I get used to the bike, the harder I take the corners & it is hitting on the right turns sometimes
damn 8" tires

First remove muff, cut a piece out & trim the new joint, then assemble to the bike bolting to the swing arm, adjust the joint gap as needed and tack weld it in place before removing to weld closing up the joint. It's close enough to the inlet that I can weld inside too if I have to.

Done it. Compare, no more muff drag.

Nice work Terry. Now go tear up those twisty roads.

Good point Mike and I just went out for a little functional test run. No matter how hard I tried, I could NOT get muff to touch pavement. Here's what I did to raise it up:


Scraping along the front of the header pipe mostly. Marked for cutting.


Cut at the weld so after deburring I can put the smaller stub back inside the cut off header pipe like it was before.

Super neat! Nicely done Mr V... your crown remains unchallenged.

thats genius Brother T

excellent work Terry!

Thanks, guys. And high praise coming from you Ebeth! I was gonna go out today and really thrash it some on a nice long and bendy uphill road, but it's wet & a little cold out . Maybe I REALLY need to clean up the shop anyway- sort tools, throw out some junk and put the rest away neatly.

It's pretty bad down there now... Did a motor swap w/ a friend and then this muff - 2 late evening finishes and nothing really cleaned up/put away. Muffler job reminded me how much I hate doing a project when I can't find half my tools or parts

I do like to weld. If you local ppl need something welded, I can probably help as long as it's steel. I bet Ebeth welds up all kinds of shit for his neighbors

Wow that is great work...the paint resto turned out awesome and the bodywork looks to be right up your alley!

i only weld for myself and my friends as my neighbour tend to buy new stuff rather then preserve the old parts

wish i have Brother like you in my neighborhood, i bet we can make almost everything together seriuosly i never would have tough of welding the nect of the pipe and i normally just raise the rear by adding the rear suspension extention bolt and heat up the neck so it wont hit the floor, and recently i did the same thing on a left hand pipe by cutting it but lower it not raising it like you, thats why i said ur genious Brother T

keep the spirit high and cheer Brother T

Spectacular, Voo doo.

I have one question currently, what is that light on top of the headset between the speedo and the headlight?

Mine is missing that one, just a hole there. What's it for? And possibly where does one find one of them?

high beam indicator

Guzzino has three that could work, but this one seems to be near correct.
http://guzzino.com/apheinnosred.html

but if you want exactly correct maybe baritaliaclassics has it.

Thank you much!

Headlamp for the models secures underneath the headset
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/0688-Headlight-Vespa-125-VNA1-VNA2-VNB1-VNB2-Bicasbia/313276243693?hash=item48f0b81eed:g:tQsAAMXQBuNQ5JAU

nice try, but still looks like ass


FOUR years later, and my patience has finally paid off! An original Siem chrome rim and very minty reflector showed up and guess where? A block up the street from an old friend who busted the lens forty years ago, so just bought a stock Siem replacement for his old scoot. I was fixing his speedo cable for him and it just showed up in his small box of old parts.

My lucky day!

Dang. I somehow must have missed that you were looking for the lens rim. Coulda sent my original one along to you. It's rough but original at least!

Right on man. Way to be patient and I'm glad you found it!

The magic of 8's 8)

Glad you posted this. We have VERY similar bikes.
Going through what you went through with your exhaust. New Pollini box hitting pavement like crazy (with wife in back only, so far )
I see some room to raise it, maybe move the center stand spring to avoid the pirate ship sound while parking, while I'm at it.

Did you modify your underseat choke?