Modern Vespa

Just thought I'd show how I repaired a couple of the plastic panels on my 2008 MP3 500. The fragile mounting tabs that slot into an adjacent panel to lock them in place had broken off so I designed and 3D printed replacement tabs using a material called PBT Pro (Polybutylene Terephthalate). This material is stronger than the original ABS plastic with a little flexibility. It is UV resistant, can withstand fairly high temperatures, and is very durable. The paint where they were to be installed was sanded off and I used JB Weld plastic epoxy to fasten them. So far I'm happy with the results and won't have to worry about the panels rattling around.

Apparently, some of the ABS panels are getting brittle due to age so the tabs are snapping off fairly easily. I'll be creating replacement tabs as needed to repair those panels.