Modern Vespa

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Welcome and looks like a fine old Vespa in fairly good shape. What is its history? I think you're on the right track to loosen up the motor, but I'd remove the cylinder cover and pull the head so I could get a better idea of how bad it is stuck, as well as better access to loosen the piston & pull the cylinder if necessary, assuming it's not rusted too bad.

You can also pull the carb to get a look at the crank and see if water got into the crankcase.

could be nothing, but.... the "gasket" around the fuel tank, and the gas cap along with the seats and speedo have my spidey senses tingling.

pull that side panel and lets see some engine shots and a motor #

I'm confused though, it looks like it's still on 8's which is ordinarily a good sign. but that looks like a ton of bondo....

It doesn't have patination consistent with its age, is it south East Asian as my gut feeling it is . Where's it come from and how much paid ? I shall sit with a tea and biscuit like an awaiting father outside a maternity ward waiting for the big reveal and see if greasy's spidy senses are right.

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Mostly ppl are trying to determine if the bike came here directly from Italy or possibly via SouthEast Asia which usually makes a considerable difference regarding its history. What DO you know of its history? The flaking bondo is typical of SEA bikes, but it's also been used to fix domestic bikes. Same with the popup replacement speedo, the original flush style are nearly impossible to find. There are so many OTHER tells on most bodge bikes that this bike does not have. Look here if you don't know what that means: Bodgespotting

I can't say for sure which it is, but it is still on eights and the motor number jibes so it could easily just be a budget domestic 'restoration' body & paint job that was abandoned to the weather for a while... please post up more pics and tell us what you know of its past?

my concern is that they have the tell tale look of bikes that are poorly restored in south east Asia.

pictures would tell a bigger, more whole story. just because it's stamped "VBB2TXXX" doesn't mean it's wasn't re-stamped, and if the body and motor numbers match, then it's a sure fire way to know chicanery is afoot.

again, could be nothing. but also, could be the difference between a viable project and junk.

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Look here: https://www.scooterhelp.com/serial/vespa.serial.locator.html For your bike it would be VBB2T *#######* which is its legal VIN as well, the other is just the engine serial number and your VBB2M ... is right for this year 150 but will NOT match the VIN.

start here:

http://scooterhelp.com/serial/ves.serial.numbers.html

run your numbers first.

then proceed to alllll of this:

Things to Consider before Buying a Vintage Vespa

http://scooterlounge.com/vespa/buyers-guide/asian-restoration.shtml

https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/vepsa-guys-show-us-the-bad-asia-imports.657487/

http://vespaguide.com/?p=895

https://baritaliaclassics.com/___tech_08.html

http://scooterlounge.com/vespa/buyers-guide/index.shtml

Lets see more detailed pics, including engine & close up of the floorboard from underneath. You'll get an informed opinion.

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vespa.name

VBB2M is the prefix of engine number. Chassis must be VBB2T.

You had me at "RUN".... RUN away appears to be a good idea... With it's rather ERECT front cowl,complete with special vertical fork(ed) front end, rusty headlight surround and general Bodge traits... well...

Anyway, i re-read that you already own it, so at least get that bent front end checked before riding.

Search for the measurement between front of seat area to top of cowl.
Found it..
VBB measurement help

Easy to fix

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1964 mk.II

You could have a bent fork. The front fender looks very close to the legshield to me. The side stand makes it harder to evaluate in pictures, though.

I agree with the consensus on here that something seems off with this bike, starting with that rather heavy coat of bondo on the glovebox. Post up some good close-up's of the motor and maybe pull the gas tank and let's see what the inside of the cavity look like, too, if you're feeling saucy.

Bondo on the cowls doesn't concern me much. Look for filler around the frame tunnel especially seams and metal joins. If they are crisp and original, that's a good sign. If muddy and vague, that's another thing.

A cheap cell phone boroscope tunnel is a good investment. You can snake it through the inside of the tunnel and see if there is any evidence of welding and patching.

If you know the frame is safe, that's a good start.

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The fender is close to the leg shield. Maybe the photos I posted show it better?
The bondo on the glovebox is minor, thin coat in that one spot that was obviously dented and repaired.

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I still have less idea, but hopefully someone can identify the logo on the Speedo (I have no idea on that, don't recall ever seeing it before), & headlight.
Fork looks much better from side angle.
Taillight lense doesn't fit the housing, but I'm sure someonw here will identify which bit that is odd.
There's what looks like some pretty deep surface rust on seat frame (& headlight plus speedo shrouds), plus having travelled 9km - which all add to the Bodge suspicions, by any chance was it stored somewhere moist?
Nice to see its still on 8"
Remember to refit engine shroud before riding, or it will overheat.

It's always hard to know what's up with a bike once it's been resprayed if it doesn't have clear provenance, and sadly many repsprays are done to cover up more significant issues.

I see a few good signs, though, and some interesting clues.

First off, the cowl pin holes aren't ovalled and the center seams, along with the joint from the cavity halves to the tunnel is there and looks right, which are all good signs that the frame isn't a rusted, pitted mess.

It looks like someone also put an FA Italia shift quadrant on it, which is a respectable aftermarket brand.

I'll be interested to see if that top end is a Pinasco 177, as they came painted black and a stock cylinder wouldn't have. I think that it'll have Pinasco stamped down on the cylinder base if that's the case.

If so, assuming it's not destroyed, you have the basics of a solid build. It also gives me a lot more confidence in what you'll find if you eventually split the cases.

Any chance you can pull the head and have a look inside, plus measure the bore?

It seems, though, that whatever happened to the bike, it happened early in its life given that the exhaust looks like it's basically new, so it either it has no spark or was seized and left for dead. Only time will tell about that, though.

HAS to be an Indonesian restoration, judging by the filler, headlamp, rim and GSM speedo.
Someone here (or in Vietnam) using those parts would be super unlikely.

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I would wait for a US market vespa to come up for sale. pass on this Asian market bike. this bike would just be an endless amount of repair and parts you need to purchase.

Buying an Asian market bike should never pass the sniff test.

So we've decided that it is definitely Asian? Could likely be I'll admit... But you are late to the party, OP has already got it and we are now just trying to see what's there, the good, the bad and the ugly. What do you see that concerns you so much?

Well, guess that leaves more original US market bikes for the rest of us.

The backend looks good. the seams, inside the body. even the underside of the floor boards look good, but the front end is a mess. the geometry is off, that headlight rim and the speedo....

Engine is weird as well. do we think the Veit bikes had waffle kicks?

it's not the metal work that's the concern, it's that the frame is the body, and that is the part that could be compromised.

as you well know, it's all about what lurks beneath.

it appears as though there was a repair forward of the front brace on the bottom there where it meets the shield. I'd be taking that down to bare metal immediately before spending anything on it.

that front end is a sight. I can't tell if it's the fork or the frame or the fender or all three that are out of whack. the headset looks all chonked out on the accelerator side, wonder what's cooking there.

motor just looks bobo. the shifter cover is clearly homemade and reeks of some back alley bullshittery. the waffle kickstarter is probably Bajaj.

I'm gonna guess this has curry flavors over lemon grass, but it almost certainly has SEA origins.

It's almost like they put a 10" fork in this. . . but i don't think so. I'm not sure what is going on there but it ain't right.