Modern Vespa

I googled the footrest, hard to believe they rode two up this way!
But if I had this one on my scooter, I'd leave it on!

Hole filling:

Here's one possibility. Epoxy a piece of metal to the inside of the cowl covering up the hole (a patch). A knock out from an electrical box works great. Let it dry. Cover the hole on the outside with JB weld. Sand, primer, paint.

Or fill it with Shoe-goo...

Can I get a bodge rating on this?

If welding them closed is not an option I would fiberglass from the back. JB weld may pop out.

Or, solder them: http://wiki.vintagemachinery.org/Repairing%20Holes%20in%20Sheet%20Metal.ashx

that makes a lot more sense than a battery!

This is the simplest fix. If you're a perfectionist, put a thin layer of glazing putty over the filled holes and sand smooth before priming.

Weld them.

If you don't have access to equipment, shop around body shops. It's very simple welding. Can prob get it done pretty cheaply.

Only proper way for a lady to ride pillion with a dress.

All good suggestions aforementioned for filling the holes.

Just appeared on eBay UK.......early GL150 with the foot rest for a side saddle pillion

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1963-Vespa-GL150-100-italian-Piaggio-with-Nova-ref-date-cert-early-GL150/154301743813?hash=item23ed19c2c5:g:yPgAAOSwONpgCpum

A box of parts arrived today, wheels, shocks, brakes, mudguard, bearings, seals, bushes, clutch rebuild, carb kit, exhaust.
I've been cleaning parts for the past three days. The front hub was a pita! Also got the holes in the cowl welded up. $40.
I'm waiting for the mudguard trim to arrive from India. After I drill the holes for the trim I'll paint the the mudguard, headset, front suspension and wheel hub.
It's a long winter in Chicago, I'm glad I've got something to do!

8)

I installed the swing arm and rear shock mounts yesterday and today. I used PLC Corse mounts. I had trouble with the installation, the swing arm mounts just wouldn't go all the way in. Eventually I found out that I needed to sand down the plastic spacers on the swing arm bushes to decrease the thickness. After I did that they fit fine.
Thanks to PLC Corse for getting back to me right away. And also thanks to Safis for the installation advice!

I got a few parts primed today and finished up the floor rails. I'm not altogether happy with the floor rails, but they look pretty good from a distance!

I did some work on the scooter the past few days, putting primer on front suspension parts, rebuilding a 24.24 carb, and pulling old bearings and seals from the P200 motor. I put the new bearings in the freezer overnight and this morning I heated up the case and started to install the fly side bearing. I used a bearing installer. I saw a very small curled piece of metal on the underside of the bearing as it was about a third of the way in. Uh oh! I pulled the metal curly cue away and finished installing the bearing.
The bearing feels loose and noisy and that small piece of metal definitely came from the bearing.
I ordered another bearing, I don't want to put the motor together and find out the bearing is defective.

Probably a piece from the cases. If the bearing wasn't going in vertically, it can shave the aluminum and create this piece of "hair". I have experienced this before. Does it stick to a magnet??

And these bearings are a bit noisy when dry...

There is side to side movement of the bearing cage inside the outer race. I don't have another bearing to check, but the movement seems excessive. I ordered a new bearing so I'll be able to compare in few days. And SaFis, you are correct, the "piece of hair" did come from the cases. Not magnetic.
But I did find a review of this bearing on the sellers site, it was in German but I translated it.
English

" The needle bearing clearly had too much play in my case, i.e. I could feel the inner ring moving back and forth - which Nadella didn't have. Unfortunately, I did the test after the installation, due to strong noises on the Lima side.
The LüRa could also be moved 1-2mm"

I got the bearings and seals installed in the motor today. Also installed the axle with new cruciform, the gears, input shaft, and the crank! I used a hot plate to heat the cases, and with outside temps just a couple of degrees above zero, I was able to ice the bearings in record time.
The cases are back together now. Also finished painting the front suspension components.
I have the clutch plates soaking in oil and hopefully I'll get that rebuilt and installed tomorrow.
Still have front suspension to rebuild, wiring harness and cables to install. Also the headset, stator, flywheel, brakes, shocks, switches......I guess I have a ways to go!
The Tech tips section on the Scooter Mercato site has helped a lot.

I had to give up my shop space so my wife could park in the back garage. It's bitterly cold here in Chicagoland.
So work stopped until tomorrow.
I do like the new kickstart lever!

I'm waiting for front suspension parts to arrive, so not much to do for the past few days. (Besides shoveling) I did prime the front fender and also did a bit of light sanding on the headset. I don't want to finish painting the fender until I get holes drilled for the crest and the trim, I'm waiting for the trim to get here too.
I had the chance to look at the horn today and I'm not sure if it's original to this scooter. It's a pretty cool looking horn tho, so I'll use it.

Except for someone painting it black the horn looks original for the gl's that came over here.

I'm impressed! Thanks for making the effort and sharing. This looks like first class work all around.
I'm keeping an eye on this.

Thanks V oodoo!
I finished rebuilding the front suspension this week, it was a pain, with needle bearings falling out and an oversized spring that needed to fit. (That was another thread) thanks to everyone for the help.
Also got the new wiring loom installed today. The old one was pristine, it looks new, maybe it is new, either that or this old GL didn't spend much time outside.
I am wondering about "order of operations", should I install cables first? Or wait until I get the front suspension on?
I'll be cleaning up the center stand and installing that and the rear brake pedal and switch tomorrow.

Cables first, gives you more room to work if the fork isn't installed yet and gives you better access to routing the cables around the horn.

Slow day today, my lovely wife took the day off, so we went shopping, ( senior hours at Costco!) and I helped around the house.
I did manage to install the brake switch and the pedal. And I cleaned up the center stand and put that on too. The center stand "legs" look a little different than I'm used too. They are angled at the bottoms, maybe worn down? And the bottoms are filled with cement. Other than that, they look fine.

It's looking good VP - Thanks for the pictures. Keep up the good work!

Your centerstand has simply gone for far too long with no proper rubber booties. Buy a set of these, you cheapskate!



Also available in handsome bespoke custom variations:

I finally received the trim pieces I ordered from eBay in early January. I had waited to paint my new gl mudguard until I had the holes drilled for the trim. The trim came from India and there is one for each side, but they don't even match. The curved end on the brake, throttle side is longer than on the clutch side. I tried test fitting and it looks bad. Very disappointed.
Can I shorten the curved end of this trim?
I did order a new trim set from Mercado, but I'm betting it will be the same problem.

A pic of SoCals gl mudguard. ( nice scooter!) the trim looks better

"They are angled at the bottoms, maybe worn down? And the bottoms are filled with cement. Other than that, they look fine."

The motor is in!

Wooohoooo! Getting closer!

I have the left hand side fender trim if that helps you. I believe it's original. You can have it for shipping.

Hey gmontag, that would be great, I'll message you.

Good man gmontag! If you come across any OG right hand fender trim, give me a holler. Mine's barely hanging on.

I installed the carburetor, the fender crest and the horn. I'm waiting for parts, the headset tubes that came with the gl were wrong, older style, probably from a vbb or such. I didn't realize until I tried to install them. I even painted the shift tube. If anyone needs them, let me know, they're in good nick.

I don't like the play in the new just installed throttle tube, I checked my T5 and there is some play in that one too. It seems like the spring washer inside the headset should take up the slack, but it doesn't. Can I add another washer?

Looking great so far!! If its real loose, add a washer. Or you can add more 'wave' to the wave washer, this is what I did.
Don't forget the 'cruise control' spring, #23.

I'm pretty excited actually, I got the exhaust installed, the rear wheel, the clutch, gear and brake cables, hopefully I got the wiring to the motor right.
The headset tubes that came with the scoot were wrong and the throttle tube I ordered was too long. So I've been on hold for a bit. Now that I have the correct throttle tube, hopefully I can finish the headset wiring and throttle cable done. I think I can install the fuel tank and try to start this scooter next week.

Gas tank is installed, new stator came today and I've got spark.
Still waiting for a speedometer bracket so I can finish the headset. I'm thinking I'll put some fuel in tomorrow and try to start her up.
One or two little things that's bugging me though, the front wheel stays on the floor when the center stand is in use, I'm not sure why, I adjusted the rear shock but that didn't help. I do have an oversized spring in the front,
Also the center stand boot is hard to grab (with my foot) from the kickstart side of the scooter. Probably because of the longer kickstart lever.

Determined to get the motor started today. Began by filling gear oil, then filled fuel tank part way and, oops, gas leak, check the float needle, looked okay, swapped the needle anyway, added a clamp to the fuel line by the carb, leak stopped.
Next I installed the air filter, and pulled the choke and the gl started right up, died again as soon as I pushed choke back in. Darn it
Had lunch went back out to the garage and pulled the idle jet and cleaned, kinda looked plugged up, I had hope. Reinstalled the idle jet and air filter, had to fiddle with the air filter, but got it in.
Tried to restart, one kick and everything locked up, I mean really locked up. What the heck! I'm thinking geez what's going on here?
I called SoCal for some guidance, he suggested trying to turn the back wheel in fourth gear, so I put it in 4th and tried to turn the wheel, no luck there. Pulled the head off the cylinder and piston was at top dead center, but still wouldn't move. I thought maybe something loose in the gears? The cylinder moved easily up and down on the studs. I removed the four studs and lifted the cylinder away from the case as far as it would go, it wouldn't come all the way off because of the stuck piston. I could see inside the top end with a flashlight and there were shiny bits of metal in there, and....part of a spring!
I had stupidly inserted the the idle screw (and spring) into the air filter before installing the filter, the spring disengaged itself from the idle screw and dropped onto (I'm guessing) the throttle slide. When I opened the throttle it must have fallen into the top end.
I sure hope my rotary pad is okay.
Will split the cases tomorrow for sure to see if any real damage was done.

Cases are split this morning, cylinder looks fine, piston has marks, but I think they were there before I bought the motor. Rotary pad looks okay. The crank moves about halfway around but something is still in there.
I'll probably have to completely remove the crank to see what's going on.