Modern Vespa

Just don't go to the liquor store.

… Or tacos…

Keep talking like that and neither of you will be welcome in my workshop!

Honest question…

Does the quattrini cases fit in the frame without mods? Is it the same size as a stock engine?

So what situation do you have to modify the door to the engine (go without or get a bigger one)??

It fits into the frame without any modification. The only difference I've found in outer dimensions is that the rear shock mount is thicker diameter (same width) than stock. I only noticed because I had to expand the hole for the shock bolt in my stand so I could bolt it in.

Cool to know…

Then I wonder if the lack of smallframe doors on performance builds on the interwebs isn't because of space, but because of missing doors??

I'll go with showing off the presence of go-fast parts; because you're in there so much; and airflow/cooling.

In ascending order of stated reason, descending order of actual reason.

Yeah good point. doesn't look quite so cool when you do it on a largeframe.

Just looks like you've dropped something…

The space of the wider crank webs has to show up someplace.

Machining magic?

Great point, especially when they seem to have added meat all around.

The crank may only add a couple millimeters, but that transfer intrudes more like 5-6mm into the plane of the stator. The entire case seems to be a couple millimeters thicker, too, which adds up in subtle and appreciated (but still annoying) ways.

Ah, the Doctors involved…

Explains a lot…

Very quick update...motor is back in the bike. Took about an hour and a half to get it in and cables all set up. Would have been probably 20 minutes less time if I hadn't been playing a constant game of "where the @#$#*( did I put that #@&*)U)in' tool?"

First attempt at clutch setup was super-slippy. Second attempt was muuuuch better, though. No slip and definitely at least as fast as Smallstate 1.0. Hard to really say, because there's no backlight on the tach/CHT that's on there at the moment. Temps when I got back into the light were 203 on a screwed in sensor, though, so couldn't have been too bad.

More top end rev's, I think, but can't actually say that for sure. Definitely still lifts the front wheel before you can get off the power in first and second. I didn't try third in the dark on Nashville roads.

One annoying thing is that I forgot to richen the needle a clip before I put the carb back in, so I get to deal with that now.

But the good news is that

Truly a labor of love

I just finished putting together a manual 4spd for a client. originally equipped with bronze bushings and some junky ball bearings it had seen the common race upgrades of needle bearings and bigger/better rollers.

dude dropped it off with a box full of ceramic bearings and all kinds of other stuff. I was skeptical until I installed the counter shaft and spun it to check for binding and it just went: ZZZZZzzzzzZZZZZzzzzzz and kept spinning for what seemed like eternity.

my eyes went all swirly with the possibilities for scooter applications...

Friend of mine uses them in his TZ and land speed, and everything else...

oooh....



Something that I didn't quite realize until after I'd already posted was that part of why I couldn't estimate RPM's while riding was that the motor was just so smooth. It's all noise and power, but very little vibration. And that's just C4 bearings.

Anyone have an idea how much those puppies cost? Or how their service life compares to steel bearings?

"last 4 times longer" don't know about cost. I'll ask

Gracias!

Also, if you're going to ask awkward questions, find out what grade bearing it's 4x the lifespan of? Is that compared to the C4's I'm now running, or some no-name ball of semi-soft cheese?

Isn't the C4 just a larger radial clearance than the C3?

SKF Explorer C3 is my normal go to, so that will be my point of comparison.

Okay...you've sent me down a seriously deep rathole here...

I knew that C 1/2/3/4 refered to the clearance, so they can expand more when they heat up.

I knew about ABEC ratings, but those are mostly focused on max RPM's and vibration tolerances.

Tonight I've been learning more than I ever need to know about the tradeoff's of different materials for hardness and environmental tolerance.

I think I'm going to bed now.

oh man, don't dig too deep or you have a hard time coming back out!

I went down the rabbit hole on seals 15 years ago... and now, would you lookatthat! malossi makes all the hot shit now....

*grumbles to self*

but same with bearings. the guy at the bearing shop I used could talk the ears off a dead horse about bearing specs, and then he'd have a whinge about me wanting to order somethings specific: you don't need that, it's just a scooter! (real reason is he didn't make as much money on the ones I wanted).

it's preliminary, but I think that's where the car for this is going to wind up at some point. which is kind of cool.

Larger radial clearance would give more axial movement too right?

C4 spins more freely because of the play, I assume?

I've recently found SKF explorer c3 bearings from Italy, China and Korea… wonder if there's any difference besides a sniff of discrimination…?

Well done. Some race bikes don't get rebuilt as quickly.
On your first start videos the pilot jet is too lean. Clip needs to be spluttering slightly at 1/4 for the running in period.
Jetting correctly will make it even faster. Worth some time.

Since I stayed up until midnight learning about ball bearings, I'll get back out and sort the carb this afternoon.

My wife gets back in town tomorrow, which means that progress will slow significantly again. I can only pull the marathon workshop sessions when I have no other demands on my time, so getting this project across the starting line for fun-having before her return was my real goal.

I knew the pilot was too lean. I also have the idle upped to 1300 RPM's because the LED headlight flickers at idle if it's lower than that. I guess I'll figure out how to add a small battery, which I'd hoped to avoid for many reasons, starting with "nowhere to put it."

I wonder the main is now too lean, too. Previously, going a clip richer on the needle made it splutter, so I'm curious to see if that's still the case.

And naturally they spent all night tearing up the street two houses down for a gas leak or water main break, so now I'm tired and there's a terrible bit of hot patch I'll have to ride over when I leave the house. Plus I got no sleep from the constant backup beepers and other heavy equipment noise.

It will still be right where you left it 2 or 3 days from now. Take a break, man. You been going at it full bore for weeks on end. Not that I haven't been enjoying the thread.....

No workshop time today, and it's raining, so no riding time, either. But I did edit together a video I shot looking at the Smallstate 2.0 parts if anyone wants to watch me babble and drool over go-fast goodies.

Wow, top drawer stuff. Should be one strong motor.

That's the plan, anyways

I need to do some cable adjustment to the downshifter cable and the rear brake, but I still made it to the liquor store and back without any issues.

Now, I'm contemplating a flip-down base for the MRP racks that will allow me to carry even more on each side.

I guess that blanking plate for the speedo hole will have to wait another day.

Other than needing a different bungee cord, a bottle of Motul fits perfectly next to the gas can if I turn them both sideways.

On the way home, I had a guy sitting next to me at a traffic light ask how much I'd sell it to him for, too!

That's when you tell them they can't afford it.

Boy have you got that right!

Haw!

I wasn't trying to be a smart @ss, but even someone acquainted with these beautiful old machines would have no idea the amount of money, blood, sweat and tears that went into this build. Some present company excluded of course.

Great photo!
Fuel x2.

Love the legshield arrangement. All the essentials at hand.

I often get offers for my bus at traffic lights. It's rust free as all the metal work has been done, but the paint looks like crap. What can't be seen is the engine which is a meticulously built stock+ engine that was 2 years of parts hunting and measuring. I just say it's not for sale. I have given many tours of the interior to people who approach me in parking lots (if they are not scary).

I think you need a GoPro. Your riding videos would be epic. Thanks for sharing your project.

Last night, I built a cardboard prototype of a fold-down shelf that could be easily slipped onto the racks to add carrying capacity. I'm going to try to fab a proper sheet metal prototype this weekend. My biggest problem is that I need a real metal folding brake and just don't have anything like that, so I'll have to weld things for the angles I need. I have a workaround in my mind, but need to visit the hardware store for materials to execute on it. Yeah, he was probably thinking it was a $500 bike based on the paint. I left him in the dust coming off the light, though. I know!

I bought an Akaso Brave7Elite a while back. They're a lower-cost competitor to GoPro and had pretty good video quality, but TERRIBLE sound quality.

I ultimately returned it because it kept crashing, including losing video, while recording.

My wallet is still recovering a little from Smallstate 2.0 right now, but I'm pretty sure I'll have a reason to pick one up in the next couple of months...

And speaking of Smallstate 2.0, the new stator plate arrived from Deutschland yesterday, even if I'm going to stick with my Frankenplate for as long as it holds up. Lucky for me, it beat my wife's flight here, so she's none the wiser.


New stator plate. Who dis?

Tingling senses tells me you should swap out the stator plate at your next convenience…

If not, your vape won't be thanking you when the plate snaps and has a go at your stator and magnets and does an impression of a food blender…

Don't want to jinx you, but you have the coveted award already

Here's where you don't want to be Daniel day Lewis and the Oscar's…