Modern Vespa

Get the bike good and warm if you're gonna to do try this ^^^. I hope it was really good paint & painter, and you might just pull it off. A layer of foam plastic under your wood blocks might help protect the paint, or maybe cover w/ wide masking tape?

Definitely think some padding would be in order.

The paint quality - who knows? It's survived a lot of UV rays in Greasy's yard…

I'm surprised it even looks that good after all it's been through!

Let's not forget I have Andre the Giant stickers and I'm not afraid to use them!

I can send more as needed.

have you thought about incorporating some type of block out scheme? like, painting just a few inches of the edge of the leg shield all the way around a contrasting or complimenting color, then incorporating that into the other areas that may need some help as well?

Yes, good thinking Greasy. I like the ideas, people!

Trying my hand at straightening stuff without trashing paint.

Floorboard before:

After:

A divot in the center of the pic

After

A fold at the legshield top before and after

How'd you do the crease, the last picture. I gotta do that on both of mine.

That one was a 2x4 on the outside that extended from midway across the left side and down to the floor, with another 2x4 on the inside. the inside 2x4 across from the tunnel to outside of the bead edge. clamp at the end of the outside 2x4. slowly winding the deep clamp to push the edge of the legshield forward to its normal position. I wish I'd snapped a pic.

I'm going to have to cut some smaller blocks for areas with bigger curves. Also some blocks that are mid sized, about the width from tunnel to legshield bead. I like making a sandwich with wood, metal, wood and tightening the clamp. My technique is definitely still in development .

On the floorboard I used a long 2x4 on top of the sandwich to lever down on the floorboard. I had to bend the rear corner back up once I got the main bend more flat. There's a couple inches that aren't attached to the brace. If I were a welder I'd fix that. I think there will be some welding to be done here and there. The left legshield upper brace is cracked through on a fold inward. I can straighten the legshield up there but the brace will need a weld.

I'm thinking to play with this for a while to see what can be accomplished. there's not much to lose . I'm definitely leaning to keep the paint, and do spot repairs with as close of a color match as I can find. It will definitely not be mistaken for a fresh paint job but I think I can make it serviceable.

Plus - Andre the giant stickers solve so much!

It's definitely some shade tree mechanic shit going on over here.

I'm wondering if I should use some dolly's from the hammer and dolly set and get a dead blow hammer to work with some of this. That might be in phase 2.

I'm also thinking a front rack would be a great way to distract visually from the imperfections.

Thanks! It came out pretty well for you in the pics so this winter I'm gonna give it a go since I gotta take my fork out and figure out how to set the lower bearing cup in the frame. Currently there's too much play.thinking I may have to job weld it in there but I dunno yet. It may just be the old cup and a new one may work. I have a spare so I'll try that first.

I've been watching some videos thinking if I could braze the things that are needing attention, but it seems you would do better with an oxyacetylene torch to get it hot enough, which seems like more of a pain in the ass then trying to get some dude to drop a few welds on there (since I don't have one of those hanging about). Probably mjrally or socalguy can help me figure out how to get that crap welded.

I'll bet if you asked nicely, CM2 would do it for you.

Good idea!

I straightened out a divot by the gas tank to seat line.

I ordered the legshield vice grip tool from Mercato but I bet they are out of stock since my order has languished for almost 2 weeks.

I decided to do the rest of the legshield smoothing aside from the bead.

Only one bad idea today, which was to rubber mallet out a dent from the back. That one cracked paint. The rest went ok!

Next up fast etch to rust treat and then little paint repairs. But I need those wacky vice grips to work along the edge of the legshield!!!

anyone else sell a vice grip type tool similar to this?

https://www.scootermercato.com/Scooter-Parts/Other-Helpful-Tools/SAINTS-6000_5

maybe I'll ping socalguy, I think he has one

Socalguy loaned his out to a forum member and lost track of it. If you have socalguy's tool send it my way, whoever you are

I may have SoCals tool. I have someone's, anyway, which I'm happy to share forward.

PM me your address and I'll send it your way.

Awesome!!! Will do.

Fast etch day, turning rust to blue spots of original paint. Also marking off some areas for spot painting, sanding off all loose patches.

The floor is bent at the center stand per usual and the cowl mounting hole for the peg is torn.

Easily sorted, will get the reinforcement plate like the px

Close enough?

And for the small stuff:

I like the paint pen match! I'm having them get me in a spray can of this Honda color, instead of what I chose. It's a good fit.

not bad man! a little cut n' buff and you'll be styling!

It's the same color as my minivan, I didn't even notice that it was that Honda color.

I got the legshield crimper from chandlerman. It's really fun. There are a number of ways to use it to create the 2 curves. It will mean paint repair in the area but whatever.

Nice progress there.

I found the floor rail rubber I thought I had but it looks like it's for small frame.

Which one is better? Turns out the Honda I used for touch up paint had a bum nozzle do I tried the Chrysler.

In process….

I am holding my breath for the unmasking, hopefully the color match is reasonable.

Stoked!!! For grabbing a random color off the shelf at o'reilly, this is a good match!

Looks good! You found the sweet spot in the straighten it out but don't wreck the paint dilemma.

One lesson learned - don't reuse plastic drop cloths. If there is paint on there it will want to flake off and get in the fresh stuff. It wasn't obvious until it was. But I managed to avoid anything serious. I mean come on, it's only a couple bucks!!