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Hooked
'81 Vespa P200e, '85 Vespa PX125e, 1985 T5
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Hooked
'81 Vespa P200e, '85 Vespa PX125e, 1985 T5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 369
Location: St. Catharines, Ontario
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Hey everyone,

So I picked up a Sprint basket case yesterday.

I bought it off an old mod who had the engine rebuilt and the bike painted. With good intentions, he planned to re-assemble it, but instead it had sat on his shelf for years.

He and I became friends overtime since he is a member on my club's facebook page. (Niagara Region Vespa Club). We chatted a few times and finally he offered me to buy the bike. After some negotiations, I bought it....knowing that it will be a complete nut and bolt chassis restoration.

The story is: he bought it off a guy who imported scooters from Italy, got them running and registered and then sold them off.

The bike is registered as a '71 sprint. I ran the vin in the Vespa vin decoder on line and it states it is a '65. There is no vin on the chassis itself (must have gotten lost during the paint job)

I ran the vin on the engine cases and the vin decoder states its a '77 Veloce.

The bike itself came with Veloce grips, badging, rear tail light, and 20mm carb.

My question is this: how do I proceed with restoration:

restore it to a 60s sprint, or a 70s veloce? or put it back together as it was supposed to?

Any suggestions? I know it's "my bike, do as I want" but would love to hear how you would tackle this.


For me, gut instincts are to either restore it as a 70s Veloce (black grips, silver levers, grey cowl trim chrome legshield trim and the emblems that came with the scooter) or restore it as it came (black trim. black levers. black horn. black grips).


Open to discussion if you are so inclined.

Cheers.

N
@garncarz avatar
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Molto Verboso
1964 Allstate Cruisaire, 2022 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, 1972 Suzuki T500J
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Molto Verboso
@garncarz avatar
1964 Allstate Cruisaire, 2022 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, 1972 Suzuki T500J
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Location: York, PA (the intellectual center of the universe)
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Pictures?
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Hooked
'81 Vespa P200e, '85 Vespa PX125e, 1985 T5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 369
Location: St. Catharines, Ontario
 
Hooked
'81 Vespa P200e, '85 Vespa PX125e, 1985 T5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 369
Location: St. Catharines, Ontario
UTC quote
I don't have anything pre paint job.

This is the only one I took.
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
OP
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Hooked
'81 Vespa P200e, '85 Vespa PX125e, 1985 T5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 369
Location: St. Catharines, Ontario
 
Hooked
'81 Vespa P200e, '85 Vespa PX125e, 1985 T5
Joined: UTC
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Location: St. Catharines, Ontario
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Actually here is another.

They messed up the hole placement for the legshield badge and didn't plug up the holes for the front rack (to display the mod mirrors)
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
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That is the later Vespa badge. Don't sweat the leg shield holes, the rest looks pretty good. Are you sure you are looking in the right place for the VIN? It may be just covered up good with paint. Put up more pics when you can.
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Hooked
'81 Vespa P200e, '85 Vespa PX125e, 1985 T5
Joined: UTC
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Hooked
'81 Vespa P200e, '85 Vespa PX125e, 1985 T5
Joined: UTC
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Location: St. Catharines, Ontario
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Tierney wrote:
That is the later Vespa badge. Don't sweat the leg shield holes, the rest looks pretty good. Are you sure you are looking in the right place for the VIN? It may be just covered up good with paint. Put up more pics when you can.
Later as in still appropriate for a sprint. Just later in Year, correct?
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
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Veni, Vidi, Posti
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Around 1970 they went to the block letters instead of the script. It may have started with the Veloce change.
@greasy125 avatar
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Sergeant at Arms
Weird 80's Vespas & Cool Vintage Lambrettas
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@greasy125 avatar
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since it's bitza, I'd put it together as generic 70's sprint with whatever mods/upgrades I saw fit.

it's nicely painted, and I could see how a 60's bike could get a 70's engine so that's not a terrible way to go either.

I'd say what headset it's got would weigh heavily on the direction I'd take.
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Hooked
'81 Vespa P200e, '85 Vespa PX125e, 1985 T5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 369
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Hooked
'81 Vespa P200e, '85 Vespa PX125e, 1985 T5
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Euro-bodge. Hahaha.

It has a round headset. I found the vin but it's well covered in paint. So I'm going to have to figure out how to delicately remove the paint to expose the vin.
@v_oodoo avatar
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Style Maven
'74 50s x3 '87 PK125XL '92 PK50XLS Plurimatic - & - '58 AllState '68 Sprint '66(?) Super125 '72 DanMotor Super150 and '04 Bajaj LML hybrid
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Nelluch125 wrote:
...
I found the vin but it's well covered in paint. So I'm going to have to figure out how to delicately remove the paint to expose the vin.
I've done masking tape in a neat rectangle around it, then paint remover carefully applied w/ small artist brush. Lightly wire brush/sand for good legibility if needed, then a light coat of anti-rust primer or clear coat, done!

External inline image provided by member with no explanatory text

External inline image provided by member with no explanatory text
@qascooter avatar
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Ossessionato
79 P200E (Ruby), 62 Allstate (B-62)
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Ossessionato
@qascooter avatar
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I'd follow greasy's advice. Black trim and rubber would look great with that paint. Good find!

Following Popcorn emoticon
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Hooked
'81 Vespa P200e, '85 Vespa PX125e, 1985 T5
Joined: UTC
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Hooked
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Location: St. Catharines, Ontario
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qascooter wrote:
I'd follow greasy's advice. Black trim and rubber would look great with that paint. Good find!

Following Popcorn emoticon
Yes. That's what came with the bike. I'm a bit partial to the grey trim as I look at pictures for
Examples.

Might do grey trim, 70s black grips and 70s silver levers.

I have a restored p2 and it's red with black trim so I wouldn't mind having something different.

Decisions decisions.

Keep the veloce badging.
@v_oodoo avatar
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Style Maven
'74 50s x3 '87 PK125XL '92 PK50XLS Plurimatic - & - '58 AllState '68 Sprint '66(?) Super125 '72 DanMotor Super150 and '04 Bajaj LML hybrid
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UTC quote
Nelluch125 wrote:
...

For me, gut instincts are to either restore it as a 70s Veloce (black grips, silver levers, grey cowl trim chrome legshield trim and the emblems that came with the scooter) or restore it as it came (black trim. black levers. black horn. black grips).


My '68 Sprint came w/ the usual one piece crimped on polished aluminum trim. SS180s & Rallys came w/ 2 piece SS trim held on by slotted set screws, but did any Vespas come w/ chrome? I suggest using the aluminum trim even though it is a PIA.



External inline image provided by member with no explanatory text

1974 Italian Veloce
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FWIW, re: trim.... There were some very early sprints with sport trim. I don't know the specifics, but maybe the 65/66 era? I have seen two examples over the years and it was also noted elsewhere on the Legshield trim thread. But, by the 70's it was for sure crimped aluminum.
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bodgemaster
63 GL, 76 Super (x2), 74 Primavera (x2), 79 P200, 06 Fly 150
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bodgemaster
@socalguy avatar
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Quote:
I ran the vin on the engine cases and the vin decoder states its a '77 Veloce.
If it's got a Veloce engine, it deserves a Veloce badge
@greasy125 avatar
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Sergeant at Arms
Weird 80's Vespas & Cool Vintage Lambrettas
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@greasy125 avatar
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UTC quote
Nelluch125 wrote:
Might do grey trim, 70s black grips and 70s silver levers.
that's like brown shoes with a black belt, man. don't be that guy.

I vote for grey on grey, and if it's got the euro headset keep it 70's veloce. small headset, go script badge.
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greasy125 wrote:
that's like brown shoes with a black belt, man. don't be that guy.

Hahaha. This.
OP
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Hooked
'81 Vespa P200e, '85 Vespa PX125e, 1985 T5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 369
Location: St. Catharines, Ontario
 
Hooked
'81 Vespa P200e, '85 Vespa PX125e, 1985 T5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 369
Location: St. Catharines, Ontario
UTC quote
greasy125 wrote:
that's like brown shoes with a black belt, man. don't be that guy.

I vote for grey on grey, and if it's got the euro headset keep it 70's veloce. small headset, go script badge.
Wow!!! Hahahaha. Classic!!

Small headset? Are they different sizes as opposed to shapes?

I thought they just came in round or square?
OP
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Hooked
'81 Vespa P200e, '85 Vespa PX125e, 1985 T5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 369
Location: St. Catharines, Ontario
 
Hooked
'81 Vespa P200e, '85 Vespa PX125e, 1985 T5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 369
Location: St. Catharines, Ontario
UTC quote
Alright. Scrubbed the paint off the vin.

Confirmed 1965. Round head light.

Should I restore it to a 1965 (with a secret veloce engine?

Or restore to veloce specs?

Input?

Hahahaha
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
@greasy125 avatar
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Sergeant at Arms
Weird 80's Vespas & Cool Vintage Lambrettas
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Sergeant at Arms
@greasy125 avatar
Weird 80's Vespas & Cool Vintage Lambrettas
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Location: The state of insanity, SoCal
UTC quote
yuss. euro headset.

so, I'd veer into 70's veloce land.

yeah... it's a 60's frame but....

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/eCbe9cB-sjo
OP
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Hooked
'81 Vespa P200e, '85 Vespa PX125e, 1985 T5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 369
Location: St. Catharines, Ontario
 
Hooked
'81 Vespa P200e, '85 Vespa PX125e, 1985 T5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 369
Location: St. Catharines, Ontario
UTC quote
greasy125 wrote:
yuss. euro headset.

so, I'd veer into 70's veloce land.

yeah... it's a 60's frame but....

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/eCbe9cB-sjo
70s veloce land----so you vote for grey cowl rubber, grey grips, silver levers, block veloce badges, and silver legshield trim?
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Ossessionato
1958 Allstate 177VMC, 1962 Allstate, Yamaha Vino 70cc
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Ossessionato
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UTC quote
Nelluch125 wrote:
Wow!!! Hahahaha. Classic!!

Small headset? Are they different sizes as opposed to shapes?

I thought they just came in round or square?
They've grown in size over the years. For example the VNA headlight is 105mm and the VBB is 110, P series is 130.
OP
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Hooked
'81 Vespa P200e, '85 Vespa PX125e, 1985 T5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 369
Location: St. Catharines, Ontario
 
Hooked
'81 Vespa P200e, '85 Vespa PX125e, 1985 T5
Joined: UTC
Posts: 369
Location: St. Catharines, Ontario
UTC quote
V oodoo wrote:
My '68 Sprint came w/ the usual one piece crimped on polished aluminum trim. SS180s & Rallys came w/ 2 piece SS trim held on by slotted set screws, but did any Vespas come w/ chrome? I suggest using the aluminum trim even though it is a PIA.



External inline image provided by member with no explanatory text

1974 Italian Veloce
my bad.

i would install the aluminum enforced plastic trim as legshield trim.

yes, such a pain in the ass.
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