Modern Vespa

I keep reading that these things are hard to come by. There is a NOS item on UK eBay at the moment. Nothing to do with me, but worthy of a mention

Expensive + shipping

Got an eBay link? Maybe I'll buy it now, and then sell it ten years from now for ten times what I pay for it now.

Thanks for sharing. May we please see a link?

The issue with the battery door is this. It was primarily, although not exclusively; a US market product. It did show up in other markets, but mostly the US. On every smallie, both doors are known to rattle loose and can fall off while riding. Since the engine door(small & large) is shared by all smallies, it is easier to find an original; and they are available from aftermarket suppliers as well.

The battery door had limited distribution, when comparing to the worldwide market as a whole; and so has not been supported by the aftermarket parts manufacturers. The original doors are falling off more and more as the years go by....and there are less in the market as spares; because they are being bought by the ones who lost their doors on the road!! This is why the left side batter door is hard to find, and value has gone up. it is a vicious cycle! haha.

I thought it was frowned upon to include an eBay link, but here goes:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/vespa-smallframe/313427292346?_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908105057%26meid%3De71b56f4ffec4c9eaf399fd8674da388%26pid%3D100675%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D15%26mehot%3Dnone%26sd%3D274690640862%26itm%3D313427292346%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2380057%26brand%3DVespa&_trksid=p2380057.c100675.m4236&_trkparms=pageci%3Adf98524c-799d-11eb-adc3-a6a11fc6c9b0%7Cparentrq%3Ae7b9db961770a69fe1af7f33fff84e18%7Ciid%3A1

This is not a great example for NOS, But hey, a doors a door. And when you need a door, ya need a door

mannn... i just keep seeing this and thinking: well, that's not outrageous. but what if i bought that and took it over to valley machine and stamp and just had them bang out a bunch. Or, ORRR, i just bucked one and made them in 'glass or fibre?

what's that market like? is there that much of a need?

thoughts?

-g

Used and a bit scruffy, it just sold for 70 pounds or about $97.50.

I have one NOS that I am looking into using to make tooling so these can be cast up in aluminum. I know stamping them out would be more 'authentic', but have assumed the die cost would be too painful for the small quantity to support. Fiberglass is a problem for anybody who wants to use a good expansion pipe because it's not METAL, which I'd prefer anyway. I'd just get it set up then hook things up with probably Mercato or somebody (maybe Greasy!) I hope then I want to just back out of it, assuming a price point of ~ $100 to the user would work? I imagine the small foundry* I'm talking to could knock out five or ten at a time and make a little money and still leave enough for whoever has to sell them on to us for some kind of an affordable price.

But Greasy, if you have a stamping hookup, I'll send you mine, no need to source offshore!

Any encouragement out there? The door I got from Safis, who's father had a Vespa shop and it is mint.


??????
FOR SALE $100
sturdy cast aluminum
SOME FITTING REQUIRED
guaranteed fireroof


*not my old workplace, this job is to dinky for them

I'll throw some shekels into the collective pot for a decent reproduction. My only bitch would be to make sure the hinges are perfect.

If cast, there would be two ways to do it. Either cast lugs that would be notched in a mill or easier, a raised boss to screw a thick steel tab to which could be bent same as stock. There would be a drilled hole where you'd install the latch.

Great idea. While we're at it, let's develop a better latch mechanism. Something with a positive click. The factory latch lets go when it vibrates ... it's what's responsible for thousands of doors flying off.

I third, or Third-thousanth getting a replacement door of some kind in the market. The possiblity, and necessity has been discussed at length; for ages both here and other interwebshangsoutsplaces.

There is definitley a need..... how great, hard to say. It depends on what the actual end product is. There are a few ways it could play out. We've thought about it, we've talked bout it, we've even sketched it out.... now which one of us is going to make this happen. Or is this a Captain Planet situation

A few options to make the repops pop:
fiberglass - crappy flimsy garbage: why bother
--- low investment for materials and time, to make cheap trash

fiberglass - high quality with proper fit, strong hinges, latch etc.
*can also do carbon, kevlar, etc.
--- higher investment in materials, even more so in time.

stamped steel - as original: as close to original as possible
*even if slighly lighter gauge steel, these will still sell
--- high upfront cost, but easily reproducable.
------Where is the break even point?

cast aluminum: I'll buy 5 right now. take my money
--- high upfront cost, strong!! and cool and unique.
------How how big is the market for such a custom product?

Other??

In stamping, biggest upfront is the dies. Problem is, dies start to wear and get sloppy. So you can only knock out so many. But, thinner gauge or even aluminum... little longer life cycle. But then: cost of aluminum v steel, the thinner gauge steel repop? Does it sell at a price point?

The attachment is going to have to be added after the fact. Secondary die or a jig, couple of spot/tack welds or drilled and riveting. There again, more labor invested.

Some type of 'glass or fiber layup would be fine for about 99% of folks, but for those with a pipe? Not so much.

Latch. I was thinking of some type of ball detent. Like pop two tiny holes in the frame attach mechanism, door holds the lever and positive attachment. Or possibly, some type of magnetic connection along with the standard.

I don't know. Just spitballing. And I haven't been drinking yet so those *good* ideas aren't bubbling up yet.

Also I don't have one sitting right here on my rack to ponder over. But my lizard brain was just rolling it all around.

-g

Latch: I'm thinking a Dzus fastener

https://southco.com/en_us_int/fasteners/emdzusemreg-quarter-turn-fasteners?p=4

Or maybe a VW glovebox latch

That was my immediate. But the pearl clutching from traditionalists...

But F (and that's a CAPITAL F) that noise. It's a door, and they don't make them no more. If you don't haves, kajiit house of wares does! You get what you get and you don't get upset.

Yeah, latch can be an option. Better yet, keep the original latch - it'll mean more door sales.

Your honor, out of an abundance of caution we here to fore created these "replicated" pieces in the original style to exacting specific standards.

So... sucks to be you bro when that shit falls off.

The defense rests.

(also HMU if ya need another)

See, thats where the profit lies. You make it the same so that it falls off, where are they going find another?! It's back to knocking on the old doormans door step!!! Who's laughing now doorstop!

I recommend a locking latch, like this one I got from McMastercarr-

I recommend these locks for either door, engine or battery side.

MINIATURE Keyed Cam Lock, Keyed Alike
https://www.mcmaster.com/11125A13/

MINIATURE Circular-keyway Cam Lock, Keyed Alike
https://www.mcmaster.com/13515A64/

Nice find ^

i want one

I'm having repros stamped. See my thread! metal smallframe / elestart "left" / battery door

Voodoo do you want to loan me yours to make the tooling?

Aw HELL yeah! It's about time and casting them looks like would likely be more dough anyway in small lots and minimal tooling.

Pm me your phone number, Ace!

Anyone interested in this?

20190917_211009 by Ben, on Flickr
Screen Shot 2019-09-16 at 4.01.01 PM by Ben, on Flickr

Is that a mold to make fiberglass door?

Yes, I picked it up years ago from someone here who was producing them at some point. I have the mold and the info for making one. I ended up finding a NOS steel door, and I don't foresee myself making these. Ideally it should go to someone who intends to make them for others here who need them.

This fiberglass LH Battery door mold is for the US v90 :

20190917_211009 by Ben, on Flickr

Screen Shot 2019-09-16 at 4.01.01 PM by Ben, on Flickr

IMG_2202 by Ben, on Flickr

Very cool. I remember that original thread for the fiberglass door. This is tempting...

I paid $200 for the mold, never used it. I'm sure there are some folks that could use a door