Modern Vespa

The circlip is the same on the LF engines, you don't have any?? Double is even better.

Bad news was that Home Depot didn't have circlips, only e-clips. Good news was that my three-arm pulled, combined with very gently tapping with a hammer around the edges of the flywheel popped it off.

Now, the work can begin in earnest.

John, unless I still have my VBB's OG ignition around somewhere, I don't have any. Last time I worked on the VBB, I dropped in a large cone 60mm crank so I could run a CDI.


No flywheels were harmed in the making of this teardown.

Sometimes. Seems it's about a 50/50 shot. If they get worn they fail pretty easily. Old trick is to add a second circlip if the OG fails to do the trick.

Yeah. The groove on this flywheel is really in pretty good shape. Probably because it was covered in a protective layer of oily dirt until earlier this morning.

Don't even try with a three leg puller. Just find a suitable circlip and save yourself a big headache. As a bonus you will get non-broken original parts to hoard.

E: jumped to another page so saw you already did it before writing the text above

The edge of this flywheel is a lot thicker than on a largeframe, and I was putting minimal pressure on it, tapping around the edges, then tightening maybe a 16th of a turn, then tapping again. It popped off on about the third or fourth round of tightening. I was about to add heat to the mix, but it proved unnecessary.

Sounds like yours were nowhere near as tight as on my -68 engine. I was afraid of which part gives in first: circlip, threads or the groove. Impact driver finally knocked it loose and according to the looks of the circlip it took the ordeal pretty rough.

I had no shortage of challenges getting to split cases. First off, I had to clean all the caked on oil, mud, and something that was about like dried concrete off the cases. Then, I started tearing it down.

I realized that I have a smallie clutch extractor, so I was able to go to town, but screwed up and confused it with the clutch compressor, so then I had a mess when I pried the circlip out and plates tried to go flying, but wound up just stuck on the extractor.

Once I got the plates out of the way, I was able to get the clutch basket off and life was good.

and one of the stator plate screws absolutely would not break loose, but since they weren't through the plate, I was able to slide the stator out of the way and then the last screw finally broke loose.

There's still a case bolt stuck in the fly side, but I'll get to that.

Mostly, I'm just happy to have the cases split and be making solid progress. And the inside of those cases are nasty, but I was expecting nothing less.

And I have another list of bits n' small parts to order. Of course. Nothing I can't get locally, though, I hope.


cleaner than it was

Progress!

Nice work!
(Please set up multiple cameras for recording the first shift dog/release of the BBs experience!) Shit, maybe set up a PPV and live stream that stuff! 🍿

It'll be on my OnlyFans.

Tip: Do not uprate the spring of the gear selector. Made my cables cry and in the end I had to split the engine again to swap in a regular strenght one.

When I had my motor for the 64 built with the Malossi 136 I had Gickspeed install this Crimaz link
https://www.10pollici.com/en/homepage/classic-vespa/engine/gear-cogs/smallframe/link-crimaz-gear-selector-vespa-smallframe.2.1.111.gp.10579.uw
Made an enormous difference in shifting. Absolutely no slop in the action between gears.

I had every intention of leaving that spring stock.

And I *will* record the disassembly. Of course, I cheated and am both studying up and ordered extra ball bearings in case of a premature ejection. You can never have too much knowledge or too many balls, after all.

Same here… I have 4 spares on the side.

Thank goodness I didn't use any yet

The gearbox on this thing is super-tight. Looking at the clutch plates and seals, I think someone (PO) rebuilt it and then just never rode it. When I rode it around, I was amazed at how smooth it was other than a mucky tank causing fuel issues.

I also cheated and read instructions for replacing it so I'll be ready.

as a counter story to the leave it stock on the selector spring:

my Primavera was skipping out of gears when I got it, it's the reason I tore it down. I put it all back together with the DR130 and it still would pop out on hills under load. the selector was new, etc. I tried to use the uprated spring but couldn't make it go together , I think the spring I was sold wasn't correct either. I took that pile of parts down to Motorsports and Steve told me - "dude, put 3 balls in there, it will NOT jump out of gear after that". 3 balls and a stock spring later, it stayed in gear. still 3 balls in the bike for greasy if he ever takes it apart.

Alrighty, then! I like the sound of that plan, John. I'm going to join Team Three Balls when I put this thing back together.

Ah dammit! Buttoned up the engine already. That's a great tip

It's nuts trying to get that 3rd ball in there but it was effective.

Got a few bits n' bobs from the Go-fast Fairy today, so I guess I should do something with 'em...

Sweet Jeebus, that scoot is gonna fly without wings

Cases are fully torn down and pretty much clean.

I swapped in the new cruciform. I even shot video, but it's not nearly as entertaining as y'all were hoping. I'll clean it up and post it at some point anyways, just because.

Also, the blind bearing puller is worth its weight in gold. Both the fly side bearings came out in the time it took me to screw in the puller and hit it twice with the slide hammer. Definitely money well spent.

I expect that tomorrow I'll finish up the last of the case prep and begin reassembly.

Clauss mounts are in the mail and due by the end of the week, along with another round of SIP goodies like rims and a Vape Sport.

Now I just have to make it all work.


Almost ready to start building

The extra-special Quattrini Black. See if you can figure out what's special about it.

nice! this is going to be an awesome build!

btw, what blind puller is that? I have a really nice one but it's absolute hot garbage for small scooter bearings.

It's whichever one Scooter-Center sells.

I somehow screwed up and bought two of them, so if you want a set of your own, we could probably work something out. Decent, but not great steel. I'd have to go have a closer look to see whose steel it is. I don't think it's Indian, though, because it lasted through the first use.

I've been accused of having a lot of balls for awhile. now it's finally confirmed.

all kidding aside, I've been keen on that tip from way back. it's a real goldilocks situation: the "uprated" spring with two balls is almost untenable, and prone to short life on the shifter cables; two is a little soft for anything but stock, 3 is jussstttt right.

btw, that motor is not coming apart for nothing! I'm going to upgrade the clutch this winter for easier pull due to Dr. The Mrs. tiny hands, and I might change the pipe down the line and that's about it on the short list! you did good putting that thing together!

I'll let you know how the egig one-finger clutch turns out. I'll have my wife or daughter do the Official Tiny Hand Friendly review and report back.

And I realized that in the four orders I've already placed, I never did order spare bearings, so I just basically spent $20 for a ball bearing (actually, two bearings and a spring, but still...) so this project can keep rolling.

I realized I had my first real screw-up today.

I ordered the wrong clutch by accident. Got the Poligon input shaft rather than standard. And can't get just the basket, so I it's time for another clutch.

New clutch. Plus shipping, but for an extra $10, I might get it by Saturday. We'll see. Plus a few other bits n' bobs in my cart.

That would also let me throw the stock clutch back in the motor until the new one arrives, then swap 'em out next week.

For this mistake, I award myself:


Doh.

be glad you don't have a mill.

Get the polygon primary…

I could if I can figure out how to cancel an order on SIP.

The clutch with regular cone mount is actually cheaper than the shaft with poligon mount

Would get you short 3rd and 4th in the process though and one less shiny part to hoard.

So I got an email this morning that my SIP order for the correct clutch from *yesterday* is out for delivery today!

As of right now, the only parts I should be missing for the motor rebuild after today will be the motor mounts, and they're in the mail from Clauss and supposed to arrive Saturday.

Cm, did you check the egig plates fit into your existing clutch basket??

I think the polygon Christmas tree also doesn't fit my model of smallframe…

I did contemplate on the polygon… but had a sneaky feeling it'd be modifying something…

I did. It was a definite no-go. 68mm vs 73mm.

The Poligon tree fits my motor, but I'd have had to commit to a short 4th or 3rd and 4th yet, which were the only tooth counts they had. Plus I couldn't change the order after it was submitted, so it wasn't really an option anyway.

I love the idea of the poligon rather than a cone and a woodruff key, but that won't happen unless I decide want that short 4th.

I'm still just amazed at how quickly UPS has gotten everything to me. I'd gotten so used to the FedEx Backpacker's Tour of Germany that I'd forgotten it wasn't normal.

Also the regular shaft gives you possibility to swap your clutch later if you get fed up with the thin clutch discs getting beat up and decide to go full mental with Hartz etc. I've never had any problems with the cone fit. Just remember to fit the parts together with valve lapping paste and you will be just fine.

Yeah, it's a funny one the size… just sucks there's lots of parts which need swapping out which are about the same.

The wonders of modern logistics… pay a little more and the stuff arrives super fast. Like around the clock fast…

Hey Chandler, I don't think the engine's going to be lacking any RPM with the Quattrini and that beast of a pipe, but you obviously want to make it usable RPM. I would 100% recommend at least a short 4th. The 3-4 gap on smallies is notoriously huge. Play with the gearing calculator. You may want to close up all the ratios to avoid ending up with one of those neck snappers that has no pull at low RPM then blasts off when it hits the pipe.

even the stock primavera top end benefits from a short 4th. the 4th gear they provide stock just plain sucks.