Modern Vespa

Wow that is much shorter than I thought! I was guessing your windshield was around 9" tall. That's what my template is at too. Looks like I'll need to cut the template down from the 9" I have now. BTW my dimensions are taken along the length of the windshield.

Just to clarify, was your measurement taken resting the tape measure along the windshield? Or is your measurement the vertical height difference between the top of the headlight to the top of the windshield?

Measure twice, cut once!

Thanks in advance!

Hec

I wouldn't worry so much about height except to keep the wind buffeting to a minimum, which is just looking over the top of the windscreen. You can always cut it long, and recut it shorter if it doesn't work for you.

I've experimented a fair amount with windscreens. What I've found is the good looking shape and size sucks for actual riding above 30 mph. Catches me right in the chin and makes all kinds of noise/buffeting.

Sure, I can go a hare faster in a tuck, but is it worth it?

As you can see, I go back and forth. Now getting hand protection like WhoDat chrome has on his pink PK - that's cool!

Good luck with it all...

IMHO(based on my five years winter riding experience):
If weather is so cold that you really need that hand guards on the screen then better to have also high as possible screen. In other case hand guards not needed and looks strange esp. with low screen.

Howdy all!

Here is a question for all the Vespa Purists out there. What's the best way to squish the end of the glove box hinge rivet?
I was thinking of using a small C-Clamp. I could grind a small divot in both of the C-Clamp ends to keep the rivet ends from slipping off during the squishification process.
BTW. The OEM rivets that were there upon disassembly were longer and simply bent instead of squished.

Thanks in advance!

Hec

I bend them…

I use two hammers.

Thanks guys!

The new rivets are shorter than the OEM ones. Therefore I didn't want to try bending the little bit of rivet exposed. I was afraid of putting to much force on the hinge and bracket and risk breaking a weld. I also didn't trust myself with two hammers in such a tight space trying to mushroom the rivet end.
So I ended up improvising. Imagine that! I first took the new rivet and chucked up in my Dremel tool. I spun the rivet in the Dremel and lightly touched it with a hack saw blade. This created a nice groove in the rivet. This groove provides an E-clip a place to lock in. The rivets are very secure! I could not break the grip of the E-Clips bite on the rivet by pushing on the rivet end! Taking the glove box door off is easily done by prying the E-Clips off. The glove box is now ready for installation.

Stay Tuned!

Hec

killer solution, pro grade

Nice work Hec!

Very elegant solution!

Absolutely perfect!
If I will not forget I will do same on PX 200 E GS.

That's a cool idea. For some reason, mine mostly stay in place. Every year or so, they work themselves out a bit, but I just push the head back in.

I'd avoid hammering or bending because if you ever need to remove the door, it will be a hassle with a cutter or a grinder in such a small space.

The quickest no effort way would be to use one of these.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/253723925397?hash=item3b131fdb95
With a plain washer on first they Will hold up to the vibration.

Yup,
I considered those and the clips like those'd used to hold on the Cowl emblem. I figured the E-Clip would be the easiest to remove if I ever needed to, by reaching in with needle nose pliers and grabbing the clip and pulling it off. The washer I added moved the clip outward so I can grab it!👍

Hec

That is a good idea. Grinding out the original rivets was touchy as would be peening new ones.

Howdy All!

Slow going on the scoot lately. We had two nice 8" snow storms and a week of subzero temps here. Spent my weekends manning the snow blower!
I got my Ginormous windshield cut down. It went pretty smooth. I used a Dremel with a cut off wheel and zipped the top and hand guards right off. I also drilled new upper mounting holes in the windshield as the old top ones stayed with the top half. I am finishing off the edges now. I also made new windshield mounts out of stainless steel rod. I didn't care for the black painted rods that came with it. I will polish the stainless rods up too! So everything is mocked up and the windshield is very solid now with very little flex.

Hec

Howdy All,

The windshield cut down is done! I polished up the windshield edges and they look better than the Faco finished ones. The new stainless steel mounts got shined up too. Ahhhhhh. much better!

Next up is the fuel tank! I'll be in Cincinnati this week so the fuel tank will be on hold till I get back.

Hec

No progress updates dang it. I have been out of town for work. I'm back now. Just going through my to do list and need the following things to get done. She's getting close!

* Build fuel/Oil tank assembly and install
* Mount carb and hook up fuel line, oil line, choke and throttle cable
* Install shift selector box and adjust shift cables
* Hook up rear brake cable to rear brake actuator
* Hook up clutch cable to clutch arm
* Install glove box
* Mount Seat
* Mount rear passenger foot rest covers
* Mount BBQ Rack and chrome cowl guards
* Install new AGM battery
* Fill gear box with oil
* Torque front axle nut and dimple nut with hammer and punch.
* Torque rear axle nut and INSTALL COTTER PIN!
* Install rear mud flap

With the weather getting nicer I am getting more motivated!

Hec

You'll still wind up adding numerous items to the to-do list before all is said and done. It's still exciting to be able to see the end of the line, though.

You're way ahead of me. Amazing all those little things. You're definitely over the hump.

Howdy All!

Still haven't touched the scoot since the last post. Between a new teen driver, a graduating high school senior, and work travel I just couldn't find time. About a month ago we had a Tornado outbreak! We had tornados dropping all around! I thought I was finally going to be able to post in the Vespa left the house thread! Not under its own power but by the power of Mother Nature! Luckily we did get impacted, a lot of people did though.
It seems member Fatbear will be in my neck of the woods! We are planning to get together and talk Vespas. I hope he brings his tools! I think it's great when you can meet other members! I'm looking forward to it!
I will resume my P125X project as I should have some time now. I even ordered a new helmet!

Hec

You were on a tear there for awhile. I seem to have caught up with you. The last 10% takes the other 90% if the time as the saying goes. I slowed right down too at the 90% mark. All those little do-dads…and life getting in the way.

Scoot looks great.

Howdy All!

Over lunch I worked on removing paint on the fuel tank. Namely where the gas cap rubber seal sits and where oil tank rubber seal fits. According to Vespa Motorsports if you don't remove the paint at these locations, the fuel vapors will cause the paint to lift and crack. Don't want that to happen!
I used a small pneumatic angle grinder with twist on abrasive disks to remove the paint. I used a cardboard box to hold the tank while I was removing the paint. Worked great and took about 40 mins. I am slow! Next up is assembly of the fuel tank.

Hec

Howdy all! I'm Back and back on working on my Restomod. My free time was cut short with my Teen driver getting her student drivers permit and her Jeep KK last spring. Lots of time in the co-Pilot seat and making sure her Jeep was good to go😬! In Nebraska you can get a student drivers permit at 14! You can only drive from home to school and back and can have a sibling onboard if they are at the same school otherwise a licensed driver age 18 or older has to sit shotgun. She has been driving safely for about a year and her Jeep is running good! Whew!

This weekend I assembled the fuel tank and have it fitted it in the frame temporarily till it is removed and passes an overnight leak test full of fuel and oil. I also hooked up the clutch cable at the clutch. This leads me to a dumb question , does little metal puck inside the cable stop rest between the inserted cable and cable tightening bolt? That's how I have it installed now. Or does the metal puck rest in the bottom of the cable stop with the cable tightening bolt directly contacting the inserted cable?
Next is connecting rear brake cable at the rear brake and gear shift selector.

As always thanks in advance!

Hec

Looking good Hec - and you got it right with the pinch bolt

All looks good. I like to go with Ginch's technique and put a 2" section of old outer between the pinch bolt and the clutch arm. Makes it easier to get at when you adjust it.

Chandlerman, that is a great idea! Thank you for sharing! I am definitely going to do that! Access is a PIA with the stock configuration.

Hec

Glad I could help out!

I know it's a resto-mod, but some folks' resto-mods are more purists than others.

I do the same basic thing when I adjust the gear shift cables, too, only I put the spare inner between my third hand tool and the pinch bolt so it gets properly tightened.

Hey if it's a better way of doing something and it improves things I'm all ears.

Reminded me of this video for adjusting shift cables.

https://youtube.com/shorts/D52HvPYX3to?si=KnBWuOevpBOCV2YI

Hec

Yeah, he's doing the exact same thing I do, just with the brass tube rather than an old piece of cable outer.

It definitely makes a big difference for getting the pinch bolts tight into the batwing.

Looking great Hal!

I'm using the same system on other cables too now. I just hate that the cable so often gets kinked at the pinch bolt and starts to fray (which for me is almost every time, no matter what type of pinch bolt/puck is used), so the extra length means I get a few goes at a cable. I'm also trying electrical connectors in place of the pinch bolt now with some measure of success. It's an earth connector that has a thin bit of sheet metal folded inside that acts as the puck in a normal pinch bolt. Bit fiddly to get just right but so far no cable damage. This is on the smallframe.

Here's the article on the old SLUK site - https://archive.scooterlab.uk/?s=scooterist+tip

Almost the same in Vermont except it's 15. Might be a farm kid thing with tractors as well as a long history of field cars and dirt roads.

Done! Done! Thanks for the great tip!

Hec

Howdy All!

So last night I made that little piece of 2" long outer cable to fit between the cable stop and clutch arm. As I was scrounging around my box of parts that were removed during disassembly I found this part. I also have a replacement that came in my new SIP Cable Nipple set. Where in the heck does it go? I can't find it in any of my disassembly pictures.
That's what I get for taking so long to complete this build! I'm sure one of you guys will know where it goes! Clutch? Brake?

As always your help is appreciated!

Hec

I believe it's so that if your cable had a pear-shaped headset side nipple on it, that would allow you to convert it to work with can-shaped levers.

All good and, I expect, unneeded.

Winner winner chicken dinner! Chandlerman is da man! Your right! That part was installed on my clutch cable at the clutch lever. My new SIP cable set has the barrels already installed on the clutch inner vs. the little pear shape end.
Whew! My mind is back at ease.

Hec

Howdy all!

Today I removed the SIP 2.0 Sport exhaust in preparation for minor surgery on it! I'm going to modify it per this Video. This will make changing the rear tire much easier. As it is now, I would have to drop the exhaust to remove the rear wheel. Not ideal especially on the side of the road.

&si=rqqc3TNEy81CXSq-

Hec

Howdy all!

So I have been thinking about the SIP Road 2.0 Sport modification per the video I posted. OCD kicked in again

I have some concerns. How will that setup hold up to vibrations? Will the weight of the chrome tips bouncing up and down loosen the hold down screws or possible deform or crush the 1.6 cm outside diameter pipes on the muffler side? They are not very thick wall pipes. If that were to happen I would think keeping them secure would be difficult. With all that said, I am wondering if screwing the chrome tips on would be more robust.

So, I took a couple of 1/2" schedule 80 pipe couplings, 1/2" pipe plugs, and 1/2"x3/8" pipe bushings. I drilled out the bushings to 5/8" which is very close to the1.6 cm of the pipe outside diameters. I also cut and drilled the pipe plugs 5/8". I can weld the two couplings together too. As luck would have it the center to center distance between the two touching couplings is the same as the two chrome tips! I can weld the chrome side pipes to the bushings and the coupling to the muffler side pipes. I even have enough space for wrench access to each bushing. The chrome tips may protrude rearward 1/4" further than they do now.

Here are some pics of the hardware.

Hec

We had one of those exhausts on a raffle bike I built last year. I don't hold hate in my heart for many inanimate objects, but that exhaust is one of them. It was a freakin' nightmare to get on and off.

Hi Hec

I've had trouble with a pinch bolt slipping sometimes so now I install a second pinch bolt next to the first. It's probably overkill but it's cheap insurance