Modern Vespa

Over the Christmas break, I picked up a p200e and an LML 2t for sale on this forum. It involved a 600 mile round trip to the north coast of rain in my 73 VW Westfalia. It was quite a slog. Freezing rain, loading scooters in the dark and poor visibility. It seemed like a crazy idea, but I decided to go for it. I am in the process of restoring a VBB, but also wanted something heavier and more touring oriented so that I could keep the VBB closer to original.


The bus in warmer times. Restored heating system, added windshield washer, carefully rebuilt engine. Gas heater.

The trip out was a slow grind along the interstate. The windshield washer system I had just installed was a lifesaver. The engine only has 1000 miles on it. Not shaken out enough for my taste. After a careful engine installation, the best way to get it in excellent running condition is to drive until something breaks, then fix it along a sunny riverbank. I never drive this thing in the winter.

I arrived at my destination in the middle of the woods in the dark and freezing rain. Mrs. PO lifted the heavy rear ends of the scooters as I jammed the fronts as far into the bus as I could, frantically removed mirrors and cleared space among the tools, spare bus parts and wilderness survival gear I had rattling around. She is one strong lady!


It all fit! Plus a spare LML engine, numerous bins of parts as Mrs. PO kept bringing them from the garage...spare wheels, a mudguard. Parts and paperwork everywhere.

Love it.

Good on ya.

That night, I got a motel. It was pitch dark and alternating between rain and freezing rain. The gas heater had quit. Sadly, no pics of the storybook Maine town all lit up for the holidays. Hot shower and straight to bed at a motel with a nautical sounding name. The Bosun's bolt hole, the Salty Schooner Motor Inn, I can't remember.

The next morning was sunny and clear. The gas heater just needed a new fuse. Amazing how easy things are in broad daylight after a good night's rest.


All systems Go

Morning coffee. The sun coming up over the Atlantic through a road salt encrusted window.

I drove home straight through central Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont rather than taking the roundabout way on the interstate. The bus hums along nicely at 60 mph. It will easily pull past 80, but at 70+, it's getting to the limits of comfortable handling. Watching out for other traffic as well as road wind and engine noise make interstate driving tedious. Not to mention I was loaded to the gills.


Snowy Lonesome, ME

Clear roads. Clear skies.

One of many small Maine towns I drove through.

Gotham hill road, New Hampshire. My Washington in the clouds.

What a fantastic adventure! I'm excited to see pictures of your haul when you get home!

The rest of the trip home uneventful. Later in the afternoon, it started to get dark and rainy again. My numb feet told me my gas heater had quit again as I arrived at the Vermont Welcome Centre.

At Montpellier, I picked up the interstate again and made a beeline for home. It was getting dark and the weather was getting worse. I love driving my bus, especially when it is running so well with an engine I built myself from the ground up. I also love parking it in the driveway when I get home, getting the hell out of it and jumping in a hot shower.


Warming my feet at the Vermont Welcome Center where I put in my foul weather gear from my sailing days.

It wasn't until the following afternoon that I ventured out to the garage to unload the bus. I had not really looked over anything until then as I was so focused on beating bad weather home. I was surprised how much we had squeezed into that little bus. My younger son helped me unload.


A tight squeeze

Every bus needs a couple of scoots.

Getting crowded in here.

You scored on those scoots, it sounds like. Congratulations! And a great road trip, to boot.

And a spare motor to play with as an added bonus!

When do we get to see the photo inventory of all of it?

The scoots look great! Your last post and mine crossed in the ether.

I haven't taken any photos yet of all the odds and ends, but I'll start with the LML engine. The PO resealed it. Not pictured is the stock reed block, numerous gasket sets, at least 2 150 p and c's, tubeless rims, spare wheels, a new mudguard, a rear bbq rack and a flywheel puller which I didn't have.

I will get some photos of those. I am considering putting the LML engine into the VBB. I am cleaning up both the LML and P200 and getting them running. They were both running bikes that have sat for a few years, so they need some love. The Vespa has some minor tunnel rust, but nothing serious. I will be addressing the rust and spot painting. The LML has no rust, but could use a buff.

More to come.


LML engine

Easiest way to put the LML engine into the VBB will be a 22t or 23t clutch cog in it and the SIP 10->8 conversion hub kit. I have that and put it on an LML motor which was in my VBB for a while, and will be going back in once the rebuild is complete.

Thank you! I know I would have to do something with the gearing and love the idea of only having to change the clutch cog. The VBB is kind of on the back burner for now as I go through the new ones.


P200 engine in the basement for a cleanup

200 getting cleaned up. I pulled the wiring and cables through the brake pedal hole so I could treat the rust in the tunnel.

Frame tunnel after a quick cleanup. Not bad at all.

Repairing the wiring loom.

LML after cleaning the tunnel. A huge Haanta house mouse nest. 2 oil soaked mice...the oil line had been chewed through.

Tunnel is pristine as was the tank. The Vespa tank was quite crusty, but after dissolving a layer of sealer with acetone, the clothes drier treatment and a week filled with Ospho, it's ready to go.

that reminds me of my trip to see Greasy, except your bikes look a lot more together than the pile I picked up

Fantastic, keep up the posting on the adventure. Those stupid foam tunnel liners on the LML are kind of a disaster, soaked with oil and stinky seems to be the norm. Nice, did not see this before. I think I've sourced my bits from Greasy's horde but if something doesn't pan out I know where to look now.

AWESOME post, looks like an adventure of the best kind. Congrats on the new additions. You're building up a versitile collection

epic journey! Maine is beautiful in the winter but man alive is it balls cold. no thanks.

coolest part is that you've got a great story to tell!

amazing how much we could fit into a minivan!

if you'd stayed any longer another bike and few boxes probably would've slipped in there too!

next time, next time!! can't wait to see what other treasures are stuffed in my van-o-plenty

I told you John... I'm slowly filling up your box!

I don't know about everybody else but I'd love some more VW camper pics with the bikes out. Curious what that's like!

Love it! Many of us on here have shared good scooter pick up stories and yours was no exception. Thanks for your post and all the pics. Made my evening!

I second this motion.

pictures or it didn't happen!!

Don't forget my box.
Might need a bigger one…

txt/pm me your wish list and I'll start a shelf for you!

You got it! Been laggin

Yeah! Don't you have a partially-rebuilt GL sitting around getting lonely in your workshop?

Love it.
Addictive.
Know those roads well.
Spent summers about 30 min up Rt 12 from Montpelier.
Roads can get a little hairy there in the winter tho!
Looks like a great adventure.

dude.....I gots multiple partially rebuild (ehem...dismantled...ehem) Vespas sitting around the shop. This winter has been rough on life, and sometimes scooters fall to the bottom of that list

Some bus pics.

I'll have to look around for some good pics of the camping interior. It's still out from making space for the bikes.


Flaming Gorge Wyoming 1996

Lunch break

Camping

More camping

AWESOME Camper. Love these so much. You are enjoying life

that's awesome. great pics! what adventures!

Thank you. I also have a basement parts department. Need to make some room for scooter stuff. I still can't put my hands on a damn thing I'm looking for when I need it no matter how many labeled bins I have.

it never changes. the bigger the shop, the worse it gets. the only things that you'll ever be able to consistently find are:
>the one thing that you vaguely thought about two weeks ago
>the thing you just bought because you couldn't find
>the thing you forgot you had and hadn't thought about in years
>the thing you need, but it's broken or unusable
>the thing you need that looks like the thing you need but is slightly different
>the thing that you gave up looking for and started a new project because of it
>loose change and spiders

There is also the thing that you come across every time you look for a tool or another thing. When you actually need it, it is nowhere to be found...until you buy a new one.

Often I look everywhere for something except the labeled bin where it should go because I couldn't have possibly put it there.

This is how I have stocked about 80% of my spare consumables (seals, gaskets, parts that are small enough to lose despite never having moved since you set them down like brake cams, tabbed washers, and rear shock bolts, etc.)

I also buy extras of everything, usually 3: the one I lose, the one I break and the one that ends up on the vehicle.

200 tank is just about done with its Ospho soak. Coming out better than expected.

More tunnel cleaning on the 200. I get all into getting rid of rust and figuring out why it started in the first place. On the 200; floor slightly tweaked from center stand. The tunnel seam opens just a little. Water collecting on the floor flows backward and settle under the tank. I know how I'm going to fix this. It's cleaning up nicely though.

Good sized order coming in from Mercato tomorrow. Sight glass on the Stella brake cylinder is busted. Cleaning up the 200 engine and rebuilding the carb.

Money well spent. The seals on those MCs tend to perish and leak with disuse anyway. First thing I replaced when I got my Stella.

I have replacement sight glasses and an MC seal kit coming in from Mercato. I plan on taking apart the brakes and cleaning them up.

I thought $75 was pretty reasonable for a brandy new, authentic Grimeca MC, so I just replaced the whole thing.

they've gone up since then, but still under $100 to not have to rebuild a MC? yes and please.