Modern Vespa

New member...long time on again off again scooter owner/rider. This week in a moment of weakness picked up a stolen, abused and returned 1996 all Italian PX200e.

The list of parts is starting to get long but I'm sure it will be great to get it back on the road.

On the plus side compression is good and there is a spark. However there is a lot of sanding in my future.

Anyone got any hints on replacing steering locks and is there interest in how it progresses?

Wow bet you paid a pretty penny for that out in your neck of the woods.

You'll need to drill out the old lock. Instructions here:
http://scooterhelp.com/tips/body/locks.html

And yeah keep us updated on your progress! Welcome!

Welcome to the forum B2S. Looks like you have plenty of work on your hands there... if you put up pictures people here will always want to see how it goes. No idea on the lock sorry!

How long since you had your last one?

The last Vespa was a 2002 bought new and sold in 2012. The motorbike bug had bitten (again) and ended up on something a little bigger.

The price was pretty reasonable but it is a bit of a mess.

Ya dont drill the lock on a 96 it's part of the ignition ..... unless you don't have a key?

Whereabouts did you score that one from?
Whereabouts in Millbin are you? I'm in Murrumbeena.
Was it originally Sioux Red? If so, it may be ex VespaHouse.

Bitza, I need to change the locks on a PX200e (06/97) that I'm working on... what's the procedure? I can see the back of the lock, & somewhere saw a pic with the basics, but if these are of a different nature it would be helpful for some guidence

The scooter came from the inner south of Melbourne and popped up on Gumtree. In Australia there is a national scheme to track written off and stolen vehicles and the scooter does not appear on the register. Vehicle titles do not exist down here but I have a registration transfer receipt in the seller's name.

This scooter according to the owner had been stolen and was recovered after a few months being used to ride around in "the bush/forest". Looks like the thieves had levered off the horn cover and then drilled out the lock while retaining the ignition switch. A coat of semi gloss black over the wiring loom and most of the scooter completed the "rebirthing"

Spent an hour with a sanding block checking bubbly spots for corrosion. Fortunately most of the blistering is a really poorly prepped paint job. There are no keys and the seat lock is missing with signs of a brutal removal. If I was betting man the glovebox was unlocked when it was stolen as it is mint.

Most likely it did come from Vespa House but sales of scooters were really low in the 90's in Australia. In 1992 a grand total of 18 vespas was sold across all of Australia and they seemed very primitive compared to everything else on the market. 1996 was when the ET4 was released which just made selling a scooter that was effectively unchanged for 10 years even harder.

It's quick and easy to remove and replace the lock cylinder on a PX. Here's a link...
Ignition Barrel Replacement **HELP**

Ok so it was an up and down day in the garage. On the up side got the scooter started, checked the wheels, brakes and adjusted the cables. Then took it for a ride up and down my rear lane. Clutch does not slip but the all the shocks and bushes need replacement, I figured that already.

Bashed flat the bent floorboard in true bush mechanic style with a rubber mallet and then on to removing the crap with compressed air and a good wash.

Then it went south/custard/horribly wrong!

When I inspected it prior to purchase found a couple of minor issues but did not fully check the seams on the floorboards. Up near the leg shields was a big rough patch of paint. When it was washed noticed less water was pooling than it should. Grabbed an unloved screwdriver and started to probe the clumped up matt black paint and discovered it had rusted through.

FAAAAARK!

Moved on to degreasing the tank and found some rust on the outside.

What next? Get the rotating wire brush out and find out how bad it is . Pull the tank and see if my worst case theory is correct. That it sat outdoors without a seat for a period of time facing down a slope and the body has filled with water which sat and rotted from the inside.