Modern Vespa

OK, starting a dedicated thread to the plastic little bits and bobs that adorn and break on these scooters… Specifically turn signal plastics, tail-light covers, reflectors, bezels, etc…

I posted in the Bollocks thread about a US market 74 Primavera with some busted turn signal issues. But not the usual broken post bullshittery… When I got the bike it had black electrical tape around the front to turn signals. After removing the tape, it became apparent that the screws had broken off in the mounts, inside the turn signals themselves. Eeek! …looking for suggestions for a fix.

Also… coming soon: repairing a CEV taillight cover that broke in half.

Spitball 1 - if …and it's a BIG "if" I can get the screws out… maybe epoxy the posts back together and then see if I can get the screws to go in without over-torquing and breaking the epoxy weld?

I think I did the same thing. I super-glue'ed the pieces back in place, then sleeved them with epoxy for strength.

At least the hole where the stalk attaches aren't split by over-tightening the set screw (yet).

Does it matter if they're black??

https://www.ebay.it/itm/304383041278?hash=item46dea49efe:g:RtUAAOSwzZFeDhMa&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAAwLiR0qMJAtOpZ%2BmZ%2FNrXJxsRecjpm%2BdXOyhM8nd4bmnJVjx16Opn0M4MSvh2B5U%2FMPvBCAZHUNhrrC0%2FrwBXI0NaFvNIiSJXIms9mvIA7QdpkXMiywyAnNG3owx6xT35aP8ZS4%2B%2BSRlsMQC8vyi5T13MEpB040F6bge1bmRokyI8uSuqLS7dLDhz0QXm40cN1WuCJX8I3F3xi8IX9AZ6Q%2BTvkJdFoRC%2FLHnI1LJYSjaGU5%2Buc%2BTChVShebUef8s1jg%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR-Cw9IGDYw

And these, says they have more than 10 in stock…

https://www.ebay.it/itm/304482869490?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20200818143230%26meid%3D2909996b6f894827bcd4ee398c76dfa5%26pid%3D101224%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D304383041278%26itm%3D304482869490%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D4429486%26algv%3DDefaultOrganicWebV9BertRefreshRanker&_trksid=p4429486.c101224.m-1

Would order 4 of the latter if I could afford the shipping to the US!

I siliconed it, figuring if I need to replace the bulb I'll pry it off.

Some things:
CEV 173 lenses are not all the same color tone.

The black signals are much easier to source, as they were used on several other bikes as well.

The brackets proved to be too much $ for the 100 Sport after a few month search. I could fabricate those out of steel but it would be obvious.

The Claus Studio gaskets are xlnt.
BUT you have to remove the tubes to replace the two front guys.

https://www.claussstudios.com/store/p546/Vespa_Turn_Signal_Gasket_Set_74_-_78_Rally_Super_Sprint.html

Let's be honest. The turn signals are pretty ridiculous. They're flimsy, badly designed, barely work, vibrate, stick out, and bend or break if you even look at them wrong.

The best thing to do is take them off, plug the holes, and keep them in a box for posterity.

^^^^

Boooooo

Every time I see Jeff's avatar - I feel the pull of finding a glass of wine somewhere.

That break is tough.
The stems are likely brittle - and will crack when you try to unscrew them.
If not - CM has a good repair.

If yes:
- grease back of light and wires
- take backs (that stems broke out of) off and set on bench face up
- use copious amount of epoxy to fill generously to create new stems and support structure for back of light to help
- Insert lights WITH screws (lightly coating screws with oil)
- Use tape to seal tightly in x fashion over tense
- Just as epoxy sets but before full hardness - back screws out

I think that's what I would try.
Thinking being - I want them serviceable, and with enough epoxy I can make good stems for them to screw in to.

Nubs extracted with knipex and patience….

Yeah I know, but I'm telling ya, glue all you want, they're gonna find a way to wiggle loose and break again. In a couple of months one of them is going to be dangling.

I'm only saying this because I've been there.

The prior owner of my other PV stuck these stalk turn signals on. They actually work pretty well. Way more rigid than the originals. Nice aesthetic. What were Piaggio's engineers thinking?

There's an alternative to epoxy. I found a superglue in the shops that comes with a bottle of granulated plastic. It's like very fine sand. Once it touches the superglue, it instantly hardens up (with a bit of heat created).

You can either use the superglue and then pour the granulate over it, drying the glue in a split second. Or you make line out of the granulate and drip the glue into it.

If you remove all the chrome around the stems and use this glue + granulate combo, I'm sure your posts will be stronger than new.

This worked on my NC50.

Ditto. Funny thing, though, is that as ugly as they are, they also kind've grew on me over time. Hence my reproduction and improvement project, which I'm now seriously noodling on again and looking at pressure vessels on Amazon.

You know what they say: "Ugly" *is* the new "Hot."

As much as I like keeping it real, I agree with Mike. I have a tight garage space and it took very little pressure from me squeezing between my scoot and the my truck to break one loose. I removed them and put them in a box on the self for the next owner.

<<<<< "Next Owner"

Well... I just like them in all their weird, sad, poorly designed glory.

Sometimes the funky, lame, stupidly engineered is just the ticket. I Love the BajaJJJJ huge glovebox, the MotoVespa cut down legshield, etc...

But I gotta say - I'm with SCG & Tierny - If it was mine...


EDIT: Then again, they are funky enough to be cool, and if it was mine, who knows what I'd do...

This is where I've wound up with my Sprint, superglue'd, taped, and repro'ed lenses, zip-tied set screws and all.

When they haven't fallen off the stem and lost their ground, they are really effective as turn signals.

Yeah, Italians have crazy postage for unexplained reasons. Here's the total to Greece...

That was part of why I quit running Pinasco Flytech ignitions. The only place on the planet that had the CDI as a single part was an Italian dealer, and the shipping was like $75 every time they failed, which was way too often.

I should just paypal you to buy them for me.

What's on the other side of the broken posts, under the lens? What I'm getting at is this: can you replace the plastic posts with binding barrels or similar?

edit: oops, got it backwards. but same principle applies. can you attach binding barrels to the weak case instead of gluing the old plastic together?

For that matter, you could drill clean through the case, countersink it, and even put in a wee gasket if that's your thing.

I bet you could get the voodoo delivery system depending on patience and timing...

First pass on repair.

Bottoms of the broken posts had flared to I used toothpicks to center them and made an alignment mark with a blue sharpie.

I used gel superglue and baking soda on the first go to get them oriented correctly. Then pulled the tooth pics, and used liquid super glue and baking soda to fill in the gaps.

Will epoxy the outers for strength this evening and post up results after it cures. Friday-ish.

Looking good! That should fix it just fine.

OK since you're doing it … maybe reinforce with a blob extending around both sides. Be sure to scuff for adhesion.

Yep yep.

That's the plan for the epoxy.

Maybe Lube screw with something super slick when you re install?
🙂

are we still talking about turn signals?

Looks like a good repair plan. Another area of weakness is the mounting area seems they like to separate at the seam when tensioning. I've resorted to wrapping a wire to keep it together.

I like zip ties, myself. (or are we back to turn signals?)

It's a TERRIBLE design, and they could have done it right with a full metal ring instead of just the sleeve nut if they'd so desired.

Ok…a break in the rain allowed for a turn signal to be epoxied, (I didn't take pics.) …and the tail light to be epoxied. (Pics below).

Used a resin dye as suggested by Ned and others on the taillight. Hoping the epoxy will end up enduring the vibrations of the engine!

Will report back.

Epoxy will turn yellow. Orange, I suppose, with the red tint applied.

You might consider a UV glue like the kind used to adhere rear view mirrors to windshields. It sets in seconds when exposed to sunlight, it's strong, and it'll probably still be clear when you die.

I've never found an epoxy that really adheres well to any kind of plastic. I tried repairing these with JB Weld one time, it was much too brittle and shattered when I tried to put the lens screws into it. I eventually got some old ones in good condition from a friend. I looked for NOS ones on eBay for years and never found any, after getting two of the last ones that Scooterwest had. I might bite the bullet and pay for a couple from Italy. Then I would have four new ones.

If you use the right pointy screw to fix them to the posts, they stay on OK. A flat 8mm bolt won't do it. I converted mine to LEDs years ago and they work great.

First - I feel responsible. Don't you know I just watch it on YouTube?
Thirdly - Chandler can crack these like a French sous chef does 3 eggs at a time, one handed (wearing doc martins). Trust me. Perhaps he would like to weigh in.

Stems for screws looked good.
What could possibly go wrong?

Could you sleeve screw post with a piece of brass tube? Use a slow curing plastic epoxy so you have time to get every in place.

https://www.hobbylobby.com/Crafts-Hobbies/Hobbies-Collecting/Tools-Blades/Assorted-Brass-Soft-Bendable-Metal-Tubes/p/59087

Could you sleeve inside of turn signal stalk?

Epoxy worked a treat. Small bit of soldering on one frayed wire… and we have it all squared….

Nice touch - by which of course I mean the music.

The epoxy super glue recovery also impressive.
Nice win!

May you avoid stripping them off the side of scoot while shifting positions in garage - in attempt to reach back up libation mixers over the Holliday.

Peace out. ✌️