Modern Vespa

The scoot came to me looking kind of sad in spring of 2015. No paperwork and non-runner. Looks like it was painted with a brush. Partly disassembled but fortunately had the parts with it.












The tank has likely been swapped at some point.


The scoot sat in the shed until I got info on the paperwork in 2021. After that it was time to fix some electrical gremlins.




Put some bearing balls back to where they belong.


And get the engine running again.


Patch the hole








Off to the inspection and back with a plate. Had to take the EU plate first since they do not have black ones in stock for some weird reason...
Black plates were standard in Finland before switching to white ones in 1970's. If a motorbike is -74 or older it could have been sold with a black plate. Thus ordering an old style black plate is just a matter of filling a form and payment of 8eur.


Much better


Decided to fix just some little things...


... but got completely carried away and disassembled the whole thing to patch up some extra holes.


Some hot snot on the edge of the legshield






And grinded to a level




Small parts after bead blasting


Local powdercoaters doing their magic






Time to assemble!


On goes the beading


Runners were a pain in the butt to fit. They requried bending, cutting and drilling to get the holes lined up.


Gray rubber-liners look great with the new color


In go the runner-rubbers along some soapy water




Time to pull the wires, cables and to whip out the gray parts




Assembling the fork was a nightmare, but worked out in the end.


Headset on along the handlebars


Standing on her own again (on one paw though)


Moved to a safer location to fit the engine and oil up the cables.


I kind of dislike the look of the engine with the color-matched cowls.


Looks like a scoot again


Getting there


Learned how to rivet aluminum just because of this thing. Turned out nice.


Speedo "glass" had seen better days


Disassembly was a pain but the result is definitely worth the trouble.


Out goes the finished scoot in to the Finnish winter




The scooter was working as a prop during the winter in a local grocery store during Italy theme month.


Fetched her from the winter storage. Getting along nicely with younger smallie cousins, but is bit jealous of having only about one fourth of the HP of the white one.


There was pretty bad leak between the cylinder and head.


No wonder, since the recess on the cylinder was around 2mm deep while the lip on the head was only about 1mm high. Sheet of 1mm alu plate trimmed to right size and shape to seal it up.




Cleaning of the mating surfaces, dab of sealant on both sides of the ring and it's fixed.


I have a hunch that this scoot does not have to be jealous of the white smallie's power in the future.

Fantastic write-up and, wow what a nice ride you have there! Great job, you should be proud.

And the Summer of Citrus continues! I love it!

What the hell kind of crazy Finnish mice are y'all raising up there chewed through that tunnel, though?

WOW, just WOW

Looking forward to seeing the Malossi cases…!

Haven't seen those in action yet, all end up being half finished projects

Excellent.

Nice work! love the color. Summer of Citrus is on

So awesome!
Thanks so much for this.

Can I ask what type of body filler if any you used under the powder coat?

No body filler at all.

I believe dents and dings belong to these things at some level since these scoots are definitely not new.

Where is the GL?

Yeah, nice work but this isn't a GL

love it! great color looks so different depending on the light!

God this makes me want an orange scoot so bad - doesn't need to be a "GL"

If this is not a GL, then what is it

VIN: VGLA1T044xx

I could be wrong but I don't think these were badged or marketed as "GL's". The cowls are different from the later models and it has a round headlight instead of a trap.

Not sure what Piaggio called these early 10" scoots. "Vespa 150 - Touring model"?

There was an earlier GL sold in northern Europe that looks different than the later GL that was sold ... mostly in the midwest USA.

Says GL 150

https://www.scooterhelp.com/scooters/VGLA1T.gl.html

https://www.vespa.name/vespa-model/vespa-150-gl

I bought a restoration kit for GL 150 and it came with mostly correct parts. It had a trap headlight chrome ring and black "Vespa GL" badge. Since it's a finnish scoot, this seems to be the case. These are the exact links I based my identification on when registering the scoot You got it! I've humoured myself about contacting Permatex and asking if they were willing to chip in on the engine and have their logos taped on the scoot. Could go something like this: "Now the scooter is orange, would you help me make it Fast Orange?"

Back in January 1955 Piaggio Vespa were also assembled in Bruxel , Belgium by local company "Motor Industry S.A. These model of Vespa VGLA were made in 1959 by M.I.S.A . Was marketed only in northern Europe, mainly Scandinavia. This is not a Vespa GL

The question still lingers: what is it then

This scooter is older than my parents so I don't have much first hand info on the subject. This is why I'm basing my research on the Internet and of course that info can be false.

This one looks to be same. My scooter also had those side cover trims but they were broken and I did not install them. Mine has a 4 speed gearbox and selector on the headset though.
[Piteå, Sweden] VESPA VGLA 150 cc 1959

For what I've read, this is basically an Italian made, Scandinavian import version of VBA. Equipped with front fender and 10" wheels from a 150 GS. These are known as GL's over here since we are kind of pagans of the Vespa world

"The idea for a mid-line scooter had been around for quite awhile before Piaggio decided to make a separately styled model. Early versions were manufactured for specific European markets, and were basically a standard Vespa 150 with larger 10" wheels. They did not have any model specific styling or badging. One notable example of this early "G.L." would be the German market "Vespa Touring," of which many were made."

http://www.scooterlounge.com/vespa/buyers-guide/vespa-gl.shtml

According to that, it is a GL after all. Just an early variant which later shaped into a more produced and widerly known GL.

No, those early models weren't marketed as GLs. They didn't have a trap headset, didn't have the distinctive GL paint scheme, didn't have the GL tail light, didn't have GL cowls and most importantly didn't have a badge that said "GL".

Not to say it isn't a beautiful scoot. Like the scooter lounge article says, they were basically a standard Vespa 150 with 10" wheels and no specific model styling.

I suppose you could call them "proto GLs".

Thanks for the feedback on all sides. I've now edited the title to better represent the model of the scooter.

One thing I've learned over the years, especially living in Japan for 4 years. What is a model in one country may not exist in another. Even if it rolls off same assembly line. Don't get hung up on a model and enjoy your scooter. I have a Saturn Sky made in Wilmington Delaware, only plant to make Kappa chassis. It's also on Opal GT, G2X Roadster, Pontiac Solstice same frame different body and interior, parts mix and match. Oh and the headlights are different among a few of them.

Yep! What ever it is, it's my favorite scoot this far. Love the thicc booty and round curves on the front

I have sent you a note on a different post, Your bike a 1959 Vespa MISA made in Belgium

What I've read the scoots made by M.I.SA in Belgium should have a specific type-badge in addition to frame number which these scandinavian ones do not have.

Found this picture which shows the "Popolino". Text in swedish says it is a special series made in Italy for swedish regulations for under 16 year olds to ride. Weight under 75kg. Also mentions the model Touring.


Here is stated that Popolino is technically identical to Elit with 125cc engine and 5hp


Then for the most interesting one which really tells what this really is. Could not find any Finnish ads so this might be as close as I can get.

The MISA did not have a specific badge, just different color than the usual Vespa. I use to sell them When I use to leave in Italy. Vespa GL prefix is VLA1T.
VGLA1T is different and is related to the Vespa Misa.

Orange got some attention in form of a new seat to replace the old PX saddle with torn cover. It's an original Piaggio seat from 98 model and was relatively cheap at ~100eur. Literally was, since now the price has gone up to 159eur

Wanted to take the orange one for a ride but could not get it running for some reason. Finally started up after giving a squirt of brake cleaner to the carb and ran happily after that. In the summer I had hard time starting when the engine was warm.


Original 150 engine has to be overhauled anyway so I decided to replace it with budget big block motor. It will eventually find it's way to Bajaj after the VR-One engine is built.


It's such a breeze to swap the engine on a largeframe.


I like the black look a lot better than the frame colored cylinder hood and fan cover.

Some wiring, color coded of course to take out the guesswork


Engine in and cabled up


Exhaust was hanging about 3cm too low and would have been impossible to get the retaining bolt through the engine mount. Took the good ol' method of angle grinder and welder. Cut the exhaust in two pieces right next to the cylinder end clamp, mountend all up and tacked the parts together. Finished off on the table and fixed couple cracks from the pipe and box joint.


Went off to take couple pictures in the beautiful colors of the fall

I think it sounds reasonably happy with the jetting that was already in the carb. I haven't even touched the mix screw yet, just dialed in the idle screw so it runs without stalling.

Currently the carb setup is 160 AC, BE3, 116 MJ, 50/160 idle.

The India gearbox looks great!

And yes… largeframes are way easier… there's actually space to put your hands to work on them… lol

Took the scoot inside the shed because of the rain outside for finishing touches. Swapped bulbs out to 12V ones, checked the function of refulator, adjusted the wiring and replaced the god-knows-how-old front tire with a fresh Michelin S83.

Now there are two torque-monsters side by side

citrus to the max

+1!

Shot a clip of launching this thing. Pretty underwhelming with the stock exhaust, but a new polini box is already on it's way