Modern Vespa

Big Red is no longer dead!

Long live Big Red!

I can't wait to get Rocket and that fine machine out riding again.

I know that it will be a while, but it will like old times.

Bill

Fingers crossed for you! It seems to be in good hands.....

When I read the subject line I think of this scene from Pulp Fiction. "Zeds Dead Baby"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7Yp2L6c2KM

I have not seen him yet but Darren assures me he is ready for another of 60,000 balls to wall riding.

This happened in part to a great MV community. I have to thank them all.

Darren, of http://www.vespaservicing.com , for doing the transplant operation.
I had hoped to do it myself but realized that since this engine had been setting in a shed for years, it was better to turn over to a professional. I just imagined me getting it all in and that one little thing that Darren would see that needed fixing/replacing/adjusting I would miss and the whole thing would have to come out again

Stareem As soon as I started looking, Star contacted me and said she had a spare engine she no longer needed since a big ass oak tree fell on her GTS 250 and the insurance replaced it with a 300. The added bonus is I got to spend part of a day with her. Star, Big Red and I are coming for a visit. Thank you.

Gascooter Once I decided to save Big Red I went parts shopping. The plastic on the handles bars had all the little tabs broken off from falling over and hitting bears during the Cannonball. I found what I needed on EBay and sent a message to ask about condition of these used parts. Scott immediately
sent me a PM via MV saying he was the owner of the parts and would GIVE them to me. I took him up on his offer but actually swapped some items I had acquired from friends for his. Thank you Scott. A thank you to GoGoGordy who had to sell his scooter for health reason and gave the parts to Scott. Thank you Matt.

I will be back to my garage early next month and will start putting all the plastic pieces back together. When I finish I will post pictures of the New and Improved Big Red.

Thank you Modern Vespa friends.

You are wonderful, i have no words to express my admiration.

Awesome!

I remember well* that blistering day on the Cannonball and, having missed this thread, have often wondering what became of Red.

Yay!

*well, as well as I can remember anything: I remember "well" the spot he finally died but I couldn't tell you the state to save my life. Cannonball blurrrrrrr....

Wow. Impressive saga.

Glad everything's come together (literally!).

so is your cannonball registration in yet?

Easy answer.................................NO

With the Vespa, no, but with this yes:

The best news! Hooray for lostboater and Big Red!! And I'm moved by our wonderful scooter community coming together to save Big Red to get road ready. lostboater and Big Red will ride again!

Good news! But hey, this is Modern Vespa. We want to see a picture! (of the scooter, not your 60,000 balls)

Very True. But I am an ocean away, but by the end of the month there will pictures of the boy!

Yay!

What brilliant news.

Silly question but do you have to change the engine number on the title ?

Bill x

No

That resolves that.

Bill x

I got Red back several weeks ago, but as soon as I got back from Europe I had eye lid surgery and could not do anything for several weeks. Boredom drove me to the garage to finish putting Red back together. I had gotten a new used headset from Gascooter and tried to install it. I could not get to the two parts to mate up. I took it off and put it back on probably a half dozen times without success. As I could not see very well I also dropped about a dozen screws down into the scooter.

Now that I could see I decided to take it down to Darren at Vespa Servicing to see what he could do. It was a absolutely perfect day to ride. I took off about 10 and rode over the Skyway and down to Parish. Darren worked on it for awhile also without success of matting of the parts. We put the tie wraps back on it and we think about what to do next. Ride with the tie wraps or order a new one? Time will tell.

The day was a success in other ways. First, was a great ride!! Second, was I bought a lightly damaged Vespa 200 for WLeouthold......cheap. It only has 800 hundred miles and has a few dents. Bill is after the engine to put into Venassa but other than dents it is a great machine.

Big Red ran great and I will take it on the Courthouse tour #3 at Thanksgiving.

Thank you so much, Ken for finding the perfect scooter for the big fix.

Darren too, for finding this and offering it to us.

The scooter community coming together again.

I am looking forward to getting Vanessa back on the road.

The photo of my new scooter is of the good side.

The other side is not so good.

Bit neither is Vanessa, damaged in four different crashes and mishaps.

Anyone else would have thrown her in the scrap heap.

But after some epic rides, she deserves to be fixed and on the road again.

There might be another Cannonball in her yet.

Bill