Modern Vespa

Made some good progress today. Got the cases closed up and started to get the new stator in.

The stator markings were different on the new one, the original had a slot at the bottom while new one has some markings at the top.

Well I managed to make some progress and break some things too. The cylinder hone that I bought was too small and jammed itself in the transfer ports. No damage to cylinder but the hone is trashed.

I don't have time to order another so I am getting the motor ready to store for the next year now.

Have put the engine back together minus the piston and clutch. I am leaving little notes for myself of what I have torqued and what I haven't.

the best hones are this style, instead of the 3 arm jobs.

Great thanks for that. Will look out for one for next time I am back.

I broke a few tools; one was the hone and the other a 16mm SIP crankshaft assembly adaptor which looks like they hadn't left enough material when they cut the thread.

One last question.

I measured the piston ring gap with the original piston rings on the cylinder. The gap is about 0.762 mm for the lower standard ring and 0.711 mm for the l shaped ring. This was about 1/3 down the bore.

Do I get a set of first or second oversize rings? Or do I need a rebore, the bore is not significantly scored.

oversize rings are for when you've bored to the next oversize. if you haven't bored to the next oversize, getting the rings for it will just have the 2 ends touching and no clearance.

if your gap is too big, you are probably ready to go to the next oversize, but then you need a new piston and a machinist.

Thanks, this engine has turned out to be very worn so I suppose it's no surprise that that it needs a rebore.

Will need to arrange for next the next trip out here.

I have returned to Australia again. After I last left I picked up a replacement cylinder kit locally and had it stored until I returned, I may get the original machined at a later date. The cylinder is now on and clutch installed.

This trip I am trying to get the bike back on its wheels which inlcudes rebuilding front hub, installing front fork, putting on the dreaded alumnium legshield beading and installing the floor rails. I have the SIP tool for the rails and one of the cheaper beading tools. Both jobs fill me with dread as I imaging scratching the paint.

Use a center punch to mark where holes go to keep bit from wondering. Also brad point drill bits help stop wondering.

Will do, will use a centre punch and have a smaller diameter drill to start off with.

I have been working up a sweat installing the Legshield trim. A horrible job, I thankfully have a can of paint for repairing the scratches from the Legshield tool. Only a few smallish scratches.

Some parts are a bit lumpy, I have worked out that I can straighten lumpiness by running the roller tool over it to smooth it out a bit. Just have to be careful not to drag tool on the paint.

I have manged to get the bike on its wheels. I am not ready to start it just so that it can be moved round the garage to get it out of the way.

I found that my template for the floor rails was pretty good. Quite a few of the holes were still there, the painter had filled them with filler so I was drilling through filler rather than metal in quite a few of the holes. I think they used a liitle too much filler on this frame particularly on the floor which had alot of repairs. It was painted back in about 2005 so there isn't much I can do about it.

I haven't fully rolled the legshield trim, I am going to try again when I am felling more courageous.

Its been a long time between posts on this bike but it is finally progressing again. Hopefully I can get this ET3 done and running at the same time Birdsnest does too, something about ham..

I got frustrated trying to put the aluminium smallframe legshield trim so got a local restorer to do it properly for me. I have installed the floor rails, even with the SIP proper tool it is still one of my least favourite things to do.

This frame was painted back in 2005, unfortunately they used too much white filler undercoat under the marine blue paint. Using the proper aluminium rivets on the floor rails means the the blue tends to chip off due to the filler so I have to touch up the paint around the rivets. Its a bit of a lesson to make sure the painter know what they are doing.


I sent the engine off to be leak tested at Vespa House here in Melbourne. It holds its pressure so I did OK putting the engine together. The mechanic did find a small casting flaw on the cylinder which did create some bubbles near the exhaust stub. He said he didnt think it was a problem as the amount of leakage was very small.

Well its been a big gap since I last posted on this thread.

A lot of things have got in the way spending time on it, both my elderly parents died in the space of 5 months so have had a few things on my plate. I also now have inherited the 1925 Fiat 501 car that my father never finished so more projects to do.

I had to take the engine and front end off the bike so I could get the engine timed, I also put in a PK 12V stator, and put the legshield trim on. The engine is now timed and ready to go back in and I have put the front end back on the bike.

I have managed to scratch the paint getting the foot brake back in the frame, even with masking tape on the paint I managed to scratch it. This bike was painted ages ago (2004) and they used a very light undercoat that any chips show through. Putting the floor rails on the rivets cause a big white spot around the rivets where the paint crumbled and white shows through. Lucky I got a can of the paint so I can touch up the mistakes I have made.

Any way with any luck will get more of this bike back together in the next month and get it back on the road. The last time I rode it was in Jan 2002 so its been a while.

Looks great dig the color

It looks fantastic, man! Very sorry for your loss. Hopefully finishing up the ET3 Be a positive distraction.

Thanks I think you are right. Got the engine in today with the help of SteelBytes.

I was worried about the dreaded carb bellows being a PTA to install but worked out really easy. We had the frame up on 2 small scissor jacks, installed the front swing arm bolt and then swung the engine up halfway so that the cast aluminium flange was in the bellows and then it pushed it home. Was kind of simple in the end.

Bad ass!

You're inspiring me to get out to the garage today and get back to work on mine.

Get out to the garage!!! I have used up all my garage time this weekend.

Got a bit more done today. I am getting knee deep into the tricky jobs like the headset.

Pulling apart the headset is no big deal but putting it back together is hard work. There is not much space and I have to fit indicator wiring and the bar end tubes for the indicators. It's all a tight squeeze.

One thing that did work out ok was drilling and fitting the indicator switch. I visited Vespa House here in Melbourne and they had a part finished small frame with the stock switch position that I measured up.

I am amazed at how long the last details take to finish off a project.

I have largely built the headset of my et3 now. Adding indicators makes the headset a real squeeze of wires and tubes.

Next steps is to install tank and carb and connect up all the gear, carb and brake cables. After that it's time to get it registered.

Looking fantastic!

I did my cables, carb and tank yesterday only to have my first start foiled by an exhasut that doesnt fit! F%^$ing Sito... quality control is garbage. The bend in the exhuast arm is off. :-/

So close, but so far.

You take steps forward and then a few steps back. Building the headset I managed to bend and snap the clutch cable outer and had to re thread a new cable in.

I am getting a hand from SteelBytes on Thursday to get the last jobs done.

Right on.

BTW, you are a brave man running bar ends. I absolutely love the look but I am certain I'd snap them off with my normal bumbling and stumbling in my tiny garage space.

In Australia I have to put indicators on it to get it registered so kind of have to. Also have to fit a set of small indicators at the rear too. Hopefully I don't knock them too often, otherwise I may have to use some small discrete ones on the mirror mounts.

That's tough... here in TX we can register them as "antique" based on the age of the scoot and do not have indicators on these "antique" registrations.

Had a bit of a disaster as I was putting in the steering lock. I managed to snap the rivets off in the holes. They were new rivets and a touch larger than the original rivets I think.

What is the best way to get the remains of the rivets out? It's kind of hard to get a drill in to drill them out.

Hmmm

Spitball: what I would try…

I think I'd give each rivet a good whack with a center punch to get a good starting point for a tiny drill bit. Then use the small drill bit to start shredding the aluminum rivets.

I've been there before. Drilling is the only way and a PITA…

Birdsnest: They're not aluminum but hardened steel…

Eek… good to know

Thanks both - is suspected as much.

I am going to try and use my Dremel so I can access the area better. I hope that I only have a few millimetre's of rivet to get through. I don't want to butcher the rivet holes too much if I can help it.

Been there before too….try a long drill bit extension, so drill is outside/past the legshield; and mosdef center punch per Birdsnest recommendation. Tiny bit is your friend

The hardened rivets wear out the drill bits in moments and are a true PITA. I managed to snap a bit and scratch some paint. Have bought a multi pack of 2mm drill bits so I can get through them.

In the mean time I am bottoning up the electrics and have got the cables all connected, carb installed and ready to connect up the tank. I managed to put the gear cables in the wrong order so need to flip that before I try and start it.

I feel your pain.
The finish line keeps moving at the end of a build. Good luck with the rivets.

Have finally got the rivets out, gave myself an additional scare by breaking off a drill bit in the rivet hole too. A magnet got that one out!!

The little niggles continue, I found that the petrol tap lever is shorter than the one I need so need to get a new one.

I fitted the small led rear indicators I need to have to get it registered here. Hopefully they are not too obtrusive.

One last step before first start is to refit the gear cables in right order then fuel and start her up.

It lives. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_o66YnPse5/?igsh=MTE1ODVtZW1yMnJrMQ==

I don't seem to be able to post a video directly so here is a link to instagram as proof of life.

It still has some gremlins to sort out, such as a binding Speedo gear, parking lights not working and indicators not really blinking but it's an important step.

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Looks good

I hope you secured the brake drum with a nut cap.

Front hub split pin is off as I am investigating the binding Speedo gears.

What I meant is the rear drum because of the PK driveshaft.

Yea I have. The nut lock cap that goes over the nut is in there.