Modern Vespa

Now I will have to check out the 2 layer thing for my own edification. Possibly an extra layer of metal for where the brake pedal mounts.

That part of the tunnel, from the brake pedal to the fork tube, has a spot welded double sheet for rigidity. It's a typical rust friendly section...

Here's an old repair I did on a PX frame...

Fast etch done

Owatrol done

Will have to do the brace after the center stand is on. Still have to sort my hole yet but owatrol is another rust preventer and you can prime or paint on it. So will sort that sometime after the 4 day dry on owatrol

Before and after pics

So I keep going back and forth on the engine situation. The LML engine is in there now, the PX engine on a shelf. It's not cheap to build them. Is it worth it for me to stick the PX engine back in this thing and keep the LML, or should the LML stay with the bike?

I've settled on the Bajaj Sprint engine going into the VBB, so whichever of the LML/PX is not in this bike will be for a future project.

All things being equal, I'm thinking a Piaggio engine is always worth more than an LML, but maybe I'm wrong? This bike's value probably won't change either way, since it's going to be in the solid running non-showbike category. Once it looks good I'm hoping it would sell in the 2k's, but it's never gonna be a 3k bike. It might struggle to fetch $2k if I botch the cowl painting job. I guess that's what stickers are for, right?

Are both motors rotary valve motors?

Nah. The LML that is in the PX right now is reed valve. I was tempted to take it out later because it might make a better go fast engine. I'm just not sure I care .

The intake area is definitely larger on an LML reed intake. I have mine and just looking at that intake area compared to my p200 it is much larger. I know people open up rotary motors but an LML is already there.

Yeah, that's why my brain is rather insisting that before I can sell that bike I will have to put the PX engine back in. Oh well, no need to decide now.

Vespa engine in the Vespa=greatest value, and preserves the bike as it should be for future generations.. Keep the lml for future custom project, they are good runners; but not as valuable.

OK fine, I will have to build all 3 engines

As if there was every any doubt

Sort of how I look at a whole bike from LML. Maybe even functionally better than a p series if it's potential shortcomings are addressed. But you will get dinged to some extend for the lack of Piaggio cred.

I think that would matter less in a low priced p series runner. I think it would definitely bring down the price of a harder to find older bike.

It also depends on the buyer. What you can get for x bike during y timeframe is hard to predict.

Yeah that was a bit of my thinking too. Piaggio engine in rare / desirable bike = necessity for value. But in this thing? Probably not too much concern. Still, it makes more sense to build the original engine for it most likely. The case ports on the LML are ready for bigger cylinders without dremel work, and the intake is more suitable.

T5 tray works perfect with my color theming. Now how to attach it? Not sure what the best strategy is for fasteners.

More goodies in today's package. You can see what motor is on deck.

I thought I ordered floor rail rubbers but I got the whole thing! These are too nice for the px, will use the Stella rails and these rubbers.

Shoe Goo....

There are 2 posts with holes for the fasteners, not much surface area for shoe goo. I'm not opposed to drilling, just not picturing what fastener type and arrangement are ideal here.

Good point. But shoe goo may just hold it with those two little posts.

Unless you were carrying around bars of gold in the tray... Or some ham.... Or Many cans of Spam...

looks like they use these and some screws, but from the diagram it's not clear to me if you need square holes in the glove box or if these just are the "nut" inside the box after the screw goes through the holes. I'm pretty sure this is some crap I can get from the Home Despot.

Correct, there are square holes on the glovebox and the plastic pegs plug in. I can take some measurements of my T5's glovebox…

Thanks Safis! Now that I've got a visual I can improvise with supplies from the home store. I'm thinking I don't need to special order those from SIP. I'm not very good at drilling square holes.

Cool accessories. I had a rude boy sticker on the legshield of my scooter in the late 80's. Good times.

I have a red Stella that I will put accessories on without feeling bad about it. I'm not a huge fan of red, but the paint is too nice to go through the trouble of a color change.

I found this windscreen and it gave me some ideas. Not really going for a Mod vibe, more Austin Powers as I can't take this stuff too seriously.

Yeah baby, YEAH!

Shoe goo?

looking sharp my dude!

Thanks, once these rails go down and the mat is on it will look pretty good but the cowls will still be an eyesore. Working from front to back!

nice!

I haven't forgotten about your box of parts! let me know if you have an updated list and we can party!

Sweet, that time is coming up, need those bits to build the next engines.

These flat springs , how do they go??

Here's why some people need fender washers. Too shallow replacements. Gonna reuse the old.

Like that, but 180 degrees. You want it to be pressing down on the center stand, essentially to keep the tube from rattling or rubbing against the bottom of the scooter

I just had to do the same thing. Reuse the old hardware cause the new hardware didn't fit properly...

The stand I'm trying to save may be bent. Only one side contacts.

That new bracket has a purpose after all.

The more I think about it, it's far more likely the floor is bent than this beefy stand. My floor pounding skills only go so far, after all.

You might be surprised how much they can torque, at least if you have a beefed up motor. I find that center stands last a few years at most for me, including the "reinforced" stands.

I might still use it as an excuse to buy the center stand I've been wanting since leaning my scooter against a block of wood for the last few weeks. More likely gonna just let that go though, now that this is on and working.

Now on to the bits of the floor that still need work. That cross brace and the rust hole. Then rails!

A bit of sandpaper and steel wool and these no longer look like they came from Kajiit's 3 for 1 sale.

Blood sacrifice has been had

You can twist/straighten that center stand by hand with a vice.