Modern Vespa

there may still be some ham out there somewhere.

there are multiple stops on the train to hamville.

cornichon, baguette, olivo, tall gin, gruyere, frustration

but they all board at beer-thirty

Check the airbox.

Hamville is a state of mind.


(Doing this solo with my gimp back/neck may not have been my best decision.)

That thing is so frickin' gorgeous

your back and neck might be grumpy but imagine how bad it would be if I didn't shame you into getting a lift!

(I'll see myself out)

I absolutely LOVE my lift. It's saved me on so many levels....

TY. She's a looker for sure. Temperamental like a showgirl... but easy on the eyes all day. This is true. I ate Tylenol like pez after doing that yesterday. I'd probably be in traction without that lift. Fact... the lift will allow me to continue tinkering on these machines and without it I would be pretty much done on major engine work. Like Scott said, saved me on so many levels. And while I will miss the days of using a beer cooler as an engine stand...I will also not miss the days of using a beer cooler as an engine stand.

I think I'm about to be forced to join Team Lift. I've somehow managed to jack up my back during the smallie motor build and am now eating Alleve like M&M's just to get through the day.

It's a beauty from every angle, will be even more winsome when it's all buttoned up with that honkin SS/GS airbox on there. You've done a spectacular job Jeff, hang in the ham is in sight.

I think I'm joining team lift this winter. None of my joints can take another year of crouching down. Getting old is dumb.

The only thing it's got going for it is that it's better than the available alternatives.

Well… We have a roller once again. Still have to hook up the carb and the Electrical's, but we're inching along.

Just a quick note on order of operations when cabling up an SS 180…. The stock style exhausts get in the way of everything so either start with the clutch cable, then move to the rear brake then install the exhaust and then the selector cables…. Or, if the exhaust is installed, you really should start with a clutch, and then move to the rear brake, etc . It's just a super tight space and it will make your life a wayyyyy easier. FWIW.


By Christmas? Hoping by Guy Fawkes rally!

so sexy.
you must be dying to get this as a reliable runner.
gonna be hard to ride the others?

It lives... again.

Lotsa bits to button up. Most notably I have no lights. Hmmm? But good luck and dogs willing I should be barking on down the resto road soon.

One bit of housekeeping from reassembly... a couple scooter shops sell the 4mm rear hub washer as a replacement for the SS180. It does not fit... or, it fits, but does not leave you enough threads to get the hub nut torqued and the cotter pin set. So, the little hub nut package you see sold with a new hub nut, 4mm washer and cotter pin... that will not fit a SS180, GS160, VBC. Just a heads up. Order your 2mm washer separately. Part 13879

Onwards.

Will revisit here for lighting help if I can't suss it out.

My son brought me back this wonderful coffee table book from Madrid.

Your resto is "the greatest Piaggio."
(Enrico died in '65)


Front and center

Well… the curse continues…

After a few test engine runs and sorting the timing and electrical (thx Mark with the assist in the electrics), I buttoned it up and while testing for clearance on the fan cover the kick start shit the bed again.

Im pretty sure this is gonna be a moth ball project for now. Been a long 18 months and I need a win.
Maybe pull the Spanish for a quick turn around and circle back to this with fresh perspective in a few months.

Someone pass me the bottle.


Balls.

Damnit!!! That sucks man. Hang in there...

balls, balls, said the queen. if I had two I'd be a king!

man that's a big ol' dookie sandwich.

I whole heartedly support a move to dry dock and a pivot because...

Lolz!!!!!

I am still super stoked to be bringing back the SS , but sometimes you gotta reset. (And find another set of SS cases.) 😁

Could it not be that gaping hole in the case that you discounted before?

I'm sure it's related to the wreck/weld. Just no obvious area to address a fix. Could maybe try and clean/weld//dress the spring mounting hole. But that's just a guess.

In the market for SS cases is anyone is holding.
Wallet ready.

That's a wicked pissah. Maybe Mr Gick. Beautiful build though. If I were in your shoes, I would go for the 2 pronged approach. Have the case fixed and look for another one. Worst case scenario would be having a spare. Always good to have on the shelf. First class work!

Crazed Great minds and all... That's the plan. I may have a line on a clean set of cases, and will investigate and consider trying to dress the old fly side case. Also, it's not all drama and travesty. The KS will still return with a nudge of the foot. Don't know how long that will last, but while it does I have been riding around in the neighborhood and seating the piston rings.

Went ahead and put on the glovebox and the emblem. (Can't find the damn fender crest to save my life though!)

It may be a bit of an albatross, but damn she's a looker!


Tarted up.

junk in the trunk

Are you looking for OG fender crest or repop? I *may* have bought 2.

Either…
Text me and we can work out the details.
Thx!

Aw man...that sucks!

Glad to hear you're getting a little bit of fun out of it regardless. That bike is way too pretty to be a Garage Queen.

Get the Spanish rolling for sure. You need to air it out and get the smell of balls and cheeto's off it.

you have probably looked at this but I just had my kickstart freeze and go nuts after running for a bit on my rally build. so my primary gear shaft was missing the special base plate behind the 17 mm nut, once installed, and gears were shimmed better, all good. Not sure if the SS has that baseplate but if it does.....so easy to forget

Hmmm. Do you mean the spacer washer between the nut and tab washer on the input shaft? Or the tab washer itself? Anyway... Yeah, pretty sure both are there, but will look.

Is the kickstarter STUCK, or the spring isnt pulling it back up?

It isn't pulling the KS back up.

(But… previously, it eventually ended up getting stuck.)

Ok (and you already know this, but to reiterate)

1. Kickstarter gear is getting stuck rubbing against something
2. Spring is popping out of the set hole.

Cant think of anything else it could be.

Smart money is number 2.

Are teeth lined up on the lever?

My old eyes see the teeth facing forward, but the lever facing down.

Yes. Teeth are aligned.

Again, smart money is on the spring hole needing to be welded/dressed.

This one

Different tab washer on the SS… but yes it is there.

The 2 year SS saga continues. I have lost some battles but will not lose the war…

New cases found up north, from Quebec. So, I will work on my French as I work on these cases.


je vais persévérer!

Have them vapor blasted first…

For sure