Modern Vespa

I'd go Lemon if I'm going citrus. So my 2 choices are lemon yellow or nothing at all. I do like the appeal of a shiny new looking bike though. But also a yellow Allstate seems odd. I dunno what to do! Luckily I've got time to decide.

Guessing you'll go for blue since you're moving parts from bent frame to this one. Unless you fix this one also. Bare metal with a clear always has a certain appeal.

Man... that metallic green from the early and mid fifties always looks so choice on the curvy models. Granted it's not model appropriate on a US market 58 but I could be wrong and/or who cares.

2 cents from the cheap seats...


Yummy

The bare metal clear with the cowls and fender from the old one would be a pretty cool look I would think.

As the owner of a bright orange Cushman VBB, I see nothing wrong with a lemon yellow Allstate.

Pretty much any color will look good so long as the overall fit n' finish of the bike matches it and you can feel the love.

Orange chassis with blue accent panels?

not quite...

Orange chassis with yellow?

way to get at it Friday! Looks real good in bare metal. putting me to shame on my other projects....

something like that!

Just a touch of bondo on the glovebox cowl…


So much bondo for simply brushing paint on the frame. Inside of this cowl still has the og paint which I left in there.

Welp. I've reached the bondo bonanza.
Time to break out the torch.


All the green is bondo. Holy cow. So much.

Much wow.

Probably spent a few hundo on bondo!

Inexcusably late to the party.
Apologies.
Terribly sorry.
Where is the bar?
Ok - now that I have a steadier in my hand - libations will allow me to free form some opinion.

Lemme start with prior page.
From plug and piston, I suspect its jetted rich down low, and lean up top.
Careful - that is classic seize set up.
When you go back together - richen up the main.
Get it right - and then note if your 4 stroking from zero to 1/4 throttle.
My guess: yes.

Clues: that plug is a lil gray - but the piston looks like it is getting a bunch of wash.
Lemme know if I was close when you get to starting.

Not sure there is any value in taking off the skim coat of bondo?
Looks solid - others should know better - but you may just be making work.
Won't you just have to re-skim coat?

She will be a beauty - no matter what color you go with.
Kinda curious tho - shop looks un kitchen like.
Wasn't there a time where you were running short order Vespa as the special?
🙂
(scattered, smothered, and covered for my southern brethren).

Better late than never!
Welcome to the party. Where the party just seems to keep on going.
May be onto something with the jetting. I did attempt a 2nd gear WOT run and there was no sputtering. However I failed at doing that because I forgot my plug wrench lol. Once I jets arrive I can start to shake that down. Which is why I decided to strip the new one already. Got balls else to do!
So with the bondo I'm kinda glad I'm taking it off. It seems to have been used mostly as a rust cover.
As seen below I started removing it and found lots of surface rust under it all. So I wire wheeled the daylights outta that and the engine cowl at least has no rust now!

And I've decided on painting. I'm going to rock it as bare metal (with sharkhide metal protectant on obviously) so the bondo gots to go.

I'm right behind the kitchen so I'm kitchen adjacent. And yes. There's now quite a few scoots in here. My now 2 Allstates, a Yamaha Riva, my friends Allstate and my Yamaha Vino.

Update. Bare metal all around.

Just have to strip the underside of the floorboard now. Then she's off to get welded.


First the heat gun and scraper

Beat up but beautiful.

1/4" bondo. Why sure let's do that!

After the heat gun and scraper



Then after the wire wheel treatment.

Had you known you could have just started with the heat gun. Looking good!

True. I'm not sure trying the stripper saved anytime at all. Less work for my falling apart arm at least though!

Don't waste time apparently. Nice job!

Does anyone have the leg shield vice grip tool I could borrow?

Lookin real good! I support the choice of bare metal finish. This thing is so straight already, just a little metal-zippy and you'll be ready to go. Great work so far.

I have one of those leg shield tools

Walk of shame today.

Took ol twisty buns out to try to work on the jetting and ended up pushing the bike on the worst road possible till I found a turn off and had my wife come get me.
Sigh.

So I got the new jets and put in the
140/BE4/132 combo. Stuck with the 60/160 idle for now. Drilled Air filter is on as well. Up to 1/4 throttle still isn't clean. When I would roll off the throttle the bike would lurch forward.
Plug was moist. For some reason I only had 2 old ones in my tool bag. No clue why. So I had to get picked up cause the bike would not kick over.
When it shut off while riding I grabbed the clutch and coasted to a stop. Checked the plug because I figured it was fouled and not getting spark since it wouldn't kick over. Pulled the plug and the electrode was grayish and the rest looked wet.

I hate tuning carbs. So much.


Much shame.

Plug.

Looks like flakes of melted aluminum. Pull the head out…

Got the head off. Can't remove the cylinder till tomorrow but it looks the same as it was prior to today to me anyways but I have no idea what I'd be looking for aside from a giant hole.

One bit of good news though is that oil leak has been solved. Forgot to put a bowl under the bike all day and no drips. No danglers either. Sweet. Got that sorted at least.

So considering the cylinder and piston from here look ok I should throw one of the richer idle jets huh?


Inside of le head

The exhaust side of the cylinder.

Piston Pete.

That's not a good pattern, I reckon Jack will look be along soon to tell you proper but that's gonna need more than an idle jet change.

That's what I was about to say. Drop to a 120 AC, then recalibrate the main. You're already at a BE4 mixer, so no more room there.

It's the cutting out while running that's odd. Whilst cruising on that jetting its likely to be rich. No obvious sign of seize up that I can see. So with the grey plug and all that black on the head, combined with you saying something about oil leak. The most likely is a seal or gasket air leak.

Looks like it will run again. Save me scrolling back whats the full set up?

VMC177 on a PX150E case
BGM touring 57mm crank
VAPE variable ignition
Polini box exhaust
Pinasco 24.24ER carb
Drilled air filter
With the Autolube hooked up too.

Now not on my phone and can see the big picture. It was a small seize. Cylinder/piston should be ok though. Most certainly an air leak somewhere. Case gasket oil sucker or clutch seal.
Engine out and clutch off. Pressure test. Might even be able to work out where it's leaking.

Are the cases matched? or inlet modified? Guess from the parts you brought you were after solid and reliable, which it will be, next time.

Cases were matched yes. Carb is matched to the case as well.
I'll check the clutch seal soon. Guess I may as well order the Cosa clutch now since I gotta take the original one out anyways.

There were leaks at both ends of the cylinder and bolt thread galling in the pics before last.
The thing about those long nuts is it's impossible to torque them correctly unless the threads are in perfect shape. Try running them through by finger and you'll see what I mean.

From the last pic it looks like you fixed the head leak. Take another look at the base gasket.

BTW I ditched those nuts for regular nuts and M7(aka 1/4") Nord Locks.

Cosa clutch is ideal but needs an upgraded basket. Sip do an ultrastrong one which fits in with minimal effort, so obviously they're always out of stock.
https://www.sip-scootershop.com/en/product/clutch-sip-cosa-2-ultrastrong_93405300?q=Ultrastrong
However, today they have some in.

Read back a bit and noticed two things. That seize happened already. Gear oil was leaking in last time the head was off. Although a bit less.

Sent it back over to MrGick who sussed it all out while upgrading the clutch and primary to re gear it for 8" wheels. Should be back to me on Saturday.
Just gotta get the GeekLion frame welded up then I'm back to reassembly. Hopefully before it gets too cold here so I can ride this year!

Cleaning up the 8" bits these days and was wondering… would you maniacs rock this front drum as is? I'm planning on replacing it eventually but if I can put that off for a little I should be able to ride still for a little bit before it gets too cold here.


Bit pitty in there

Not terrible. But maybe not ideal?

It will work but I think you will want to go with a new Pinasco drum with all that power you are packing.

I agree with MrGick...

Yeah that's the plan. Just need the funds so was hoping to get a little life left outta this one. Should I go Pinasco or BGM? They both make the better drums. Haven't heard anything about the BGM drum though.

Some NAPA autoparts stores have machine shops. Mine in York, turned down a drum like that for $20. Might want to check. $28 for new at scooterworks.

Slight update.
Both drums are warped. So I'll be ordering those. Should I go with Pinasco for front and back? I'm leaning that way anyways.

Frame went to the welder. Got a call today that it's ready to pick up but he had some trouble with the crack running away from him. Said it looks like it's got a big scar now. So that fits in with my personal body having lots of huge scars. I can't pick it up till Monday though.

Hopefully Bear will be rebuilt and ready to go BEFORE it's winter.

Pinasco front and back will be a major improvement in both roundness and braking. The rear will take a different backing plate; M8 instead of M10 lugs. easy enough to remove.