Modern Vespa

Hello all,

I have a 1960 Allstate VNA.

I haven't ridden it since October.

It ran fine (as good as a piston ported can) when I parked it in October.

It starts with the choke on but stalls as soon as I let off of the choke.

It has a new plug and fresh gas.

What should I check next?

Thanks for the help.

I have a 64 Allstate...your not going to win a race, but they are cool. I ride mine all the time from Avila beach to Pismo beach, and all through slo. Back to your problem...sounds as if your float is stuck closed. You can try tapping on the carb with the end of a screwdriver. If not you will have to remove the top of the carb and unstick the float. If that doesn't work you will have to "unplug" clean out the carb. There could very well be a plugged passage. Hopefully this will get you going in the right direction.
Best way to keep your scooter running....is to use them. Worst thing you can do to a scooter is to let them sit. Anyway hope this helps.

On a P range a blocked pilot jet does exactly this. Small hole in the end gets blocked when left standing.

Great looking scooter. I could make that go so fast

Avila, Pismo and SLO have some fun roads. I ride bicycles there often.

I'm checking the float and cleaning out the carb.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Jets are soaking in carb cleaner now. Thanks for the suggestion.

Some day I'll make this thing go fast with a P200 engine. but first I have to sort out the dodgy fork. I'm gathering the parts to add the damper.

Take a small wire and run it through the jets. Use compressed air to blow out the jets. Look through the jet to see if it is clear. Should be good to go.

As far as the dodgy fork you say....I have all the parts to add a damper to the front end. I bought a 50% stiffer spring "Stoffie" spring from Scooter Speed out of Azusa Ca. It was about 40.00 dollars. It made all the difference in the world. I still have not retrofitted the front fork with a damper. You might try it...if you still don't like it keep the spring in there and add the shock.

I just installed the Stoffie spring. I was hoping to take it for a test ride today.

Let us know how the spring thing goes....and the carb issue. Scott

Thanks Sjanyary & Jack221 for the suggestions.

Jets are clean and it doesn't stall when I let off of the choke anymore.

How high should it rev at idle?

Some fool hooked up my shift cables backwards.

It was me.

ditto
today

Does it shift backwards if you hook them up backwards?

Well I'm glad you got it running. As far as it revving up at idle?....they don't rev that high. No need to rev it up at idle with no load maybe just to clean it up but other than that no need. As you know your not going to win any races with it.
Scott

TWICE!

It wouldn't get up to speed in first gear.
When I finally got fast enough to shift into second gear it jerked and reved super high.

So yeah. 1st position was second gear. Neutral was still neutral. 2nd position was 1st gear.

I never tried to put it into 3rd

About 30 minutes and it was fixed.

I managed to put 14 miles in it today. Runs so nice now.

Here's a few pictures from around Cambria.

I don't know how to post more than 1 picture at a time.
Sorry.

Another beach photo.

Very nice FNG - nice to see you got it back on the road! Thank you for the pictures. Your ride looks great!

FNG - looking great! Glad you got it sorted out.

I love Cambria! Moonstone beach, so beautiful. Had many good memories up there, but havn't had the chance to scoot around there. Will be traveling through there soon for a road trip, in a car haha. Safe and beautiful scooting on the red beauty!

What a great looking original, mildly pimped out AllState! 8)

Thanks!

As for the front spring, I installed the Stoffis spring on my 1963 Allstate. It worked very well on my roads which are very good. Then I trailered my Allstate up to my brothers for a ride with him. His roads are terrible and the Stoffis spring just did not do it. I then bought the upper bracket and had it welded to the original fork and then added the damper. It worked out very well. I have documented in detail what I did on this forum. BTW, Scootermercato now carries the upper bracket for the Allstate fork modification. You will also need to get a new swing arm. I went with the FA swing arm. Add some bearings and you are good to go.

RB Prior
You are right. The Stoffie spring makes an improvement but it is no substitute for fork with a proper damper.

I have a Bajaj swing arm that I was going to use as I couldn't find the FA Italia. SIP just got the FA Italia back in stock.
That will be a project for the winter.

FNG: check your PM box. Scott

Thanks V oodoo
It came with some cool paperwork too.