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@caoscape avatar
UTC

Hooked
SS 180
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Posts: 118
Location: St. Louis, MO
 
Hooked
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SS 180
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Location: St. Louis, MO
UTC quote
Okay...had a little incident with my SS180 the other Saturday. (Haven't really wanted to mention it but...) Wasn't too bad, but I notice I lost one of my Mickey mouse taillight reflectors and, sniff, the original Siem taillight is cracked in the corner. The relector must have popped off because the former owner, in his resto, seems to have glued on anything that really should have been riveted (Vespa SS badge, SuperSport badge, Reflectors, etc). Guess he didn't know how to rivet, or was only doing the restore to have it sit on a platform and look pretty. Well...it doesn't look as pretty any more but it RUNS.

Okay, so what else got damaged you ask? Front mudguard got squished and has a crack and one of the decorative side pieces pulled a hole in it, front brake lever cracked in half at the pivot point, engine cowl fins are buggered up and got shaved a bit, and a dent in the very side of the front legshield. Other than that it looks pretty good, and does run. I'm a bit worried that the rear tire looks the tiniest bit more pitched to the left (it went down on the right, heavy engine side). I evidently flew but other than being bruised and sore was fine. I did everything wrong but it coulda been a lot worse. I'm chalking it up to a learning experience. WON'T MAKE THOSE MISTAKES AGAIN...

Anyway, I've ordered a replacement mudguard (engine cowl isn't available...so I'll have to eventually fix the fins), and brake lever from SIP but didn't notice the taillight until yesterday. Anybody know where I can find original replacements? Or good repros?

Thanks!
@rover_eric avatar
UTC

Moderator
1965 Vespa SS180, 1963 Lambretta LI150
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6980
Location: Detroit, Michigan
 
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@rover_eric avatar
1965 Vespa SS180, 1963 Lambretta LI150
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6980
Location: Detroit, Michigan
UTC quote
eesh. You picked a bad bike to mess up... those parts aren't easy to find.

i'm surprised you were able to find a front fender so readily.

Call bulletproof scooters or ASC for this stuff... i say bulletproof because i seem to remember the dude who's there was sort of a GS / SS stockpiler, and had some NOS louvers and stuff like that. I could be completely wrong, though...i've never used him for anything.

The reflectors might be hard to find. You might have to start ebaying for "siem reflector" and look for one with the proper diameter and with that aluminum rim around it.

man...that really blows.
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nothing at all
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Location: westla
 
nothing at all
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UTC quote
try bar italia scooters in los angeles

speak to cristian or gary

t-s 11am-6pm
@jedi_stefan avatar
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UTC quote
is that the same reflector as the blue badge tail light? if so, i may have a line on one for you.
@rover_eric avatar
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1965 Vespa SS180, 1963 Lambretta LI150
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6980
Location: Detroit, Michigan
 
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@rover_eric avatar
1965 Vespa SS180, 1963 Lambretta LI150
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Location: Detroit, Michigan
UTC quote
yes, it is.
@jedi_stefan avatar
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cao, i pm'd you the contact info for the reflector.
OP
@caoscape avatar
UTC

Hooked
SS 180
Joined: UTC
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Location: St. Louis, MO
 
Hooked
@caoscape avatar
SS 180
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Posts: 118
Location: St. Louis, MO
UTC quote
Thanks Guys!!!

Yeah, It really sucks about the incident. When the bike refused to start, and I didn't have time or patience to work with it, I shoulda just put it back in the garage. Then, because I didn't have/want to take time I shortcut my self-imposed safety proceedures which was an expensive mistake. Lessons Learned? PUT THE BIKE BACK IN THE GARAGE WHEN YOU AREN'T PREPARED TO GIVE IT THE FINESSE AN OLD BIKE SEEMS TO REQUIRE. If throttle sticks full open...CLUTCH AND ENGINE KILL!!!!

Irony is that if the D%$* bike would start consistently I would have had more experience and would hopefully have reacted Correctly and not damaged it! Crying or Very sad emoticon
Quote:
i'm surprised you were able to find a front fender so readily.
Yes, I was really pleasantly surprised to find the mudgaurd and lever, they were the worst hit. I will probably fix the old mudgaurd and ride it that way for a while, till I'm ready to repaint (when I think danger of damage is past...) I'll try to add some pics...gotta get a new adapter for my laptop to download them, can't find the old one.
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@caoscape avatar
UTC

Hooked
SS 180
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Posts: 118
Location: St. Louis, MO
 
Hooked
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SS 180
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Posts: 118
Location: St. Louis, MO
UTC quote
I put the damage pics in my Leaning or Listing query, but here is a pic of Mickey's lost ear and the louver damage.

Jedi Stefan, haven't contacted your friend yet...been waiting for my neighbor, whose yard it happened in, to come back from vacation to see if he by any chance came across the reflector in his lawn.
Forum member supplied image with no explanatory text
@rover_eric avatar
UTC

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1965 Vespa SS180, 1963 Lambretta LI150
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6980
Location: Detroit, Michigan
 
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@rover_eric avatar
1965 Vespa SS180, 1963 Lambretta LI150
Joined: UTC
Posts: 6980
Location: Detroit, Michigan
UTC quote
oh MAN does that louver damage suck.

My body and paint guy straightens them out, then cuts a few mm out of them and re-welds them. Whenever you bend metal it expands...so you'll never be able to bend them STRAIGHT again without removing a small section and reattaching.
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yea, sorry to see that cowl

hope you can sort that out

really nice old smoothy Nerd emoticon
@brett_k avatar
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Hooked
2005 Vespa PX150, 1976 serveta jet 200
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@brett_k avatar
2005 Vespa PX150, 1976 serveta jet 200
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Posts: 301
Location: District of Criminals
UTC quote
damn! such a pretty bike too,
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Hooked
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UTC quote
Rover Eric wrote:
oh MAN does that louver damage suck.

My body and paint guy straightens them out, then cuts a few mm out of them and re-welds them. Whenever you bend metal it expands...so you'll never be able to bend them STRAIGHT again without removing a small section and reattaching.
+1
@the_deacon avatar
UTC

Enthusiast
'76 Rally
Joined: UTC
Posts: 94
Location: Chicago
 
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@the_deacon avatar
'76 Rally
Joined: UTC
Posts: 94
Location: Chicago
UTC quote
Rover Eric wrote:
oh MAN does that louver damage suck.

My body and paint guy straightens them out, then cuts a few mm out of them and re-welds them. Whenever you bend metal it expands...so you'll never be able to bend them STRAIGHT again without removing a small section and reattaching.
Man I know just where you're at with that damage. sucks.
Although you can heat shrink sheet metal, stud welders work well for that. Gas torch also with a light touch. But all are difficult.
As an aside. Although Bulletproof (that Eric mentioned) doesn't have the louvers at this time, Mark is getting a jig machined that can produce them. Give them a call when the time comes. I was looking for louvers for my rally and was hard pressed to find them.

Sorry to see the damage, good luck on the repairs
@andrea avatar
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DL200, TV2, Vega, Lui, GTS
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Location: Orange, NJ
 
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@andrea avatar
DL200, TV2, Vega, Lui, GTS
Joined: UTC
Posts: 750
Location: Orange, NJ
UTC quote
Re: Mickey lost an Ear - Replacements?
CAOscape wrote:
Okay...had a little incident with my SS180 the other Saturday. (Haven't really wanted to mention it but...) Wasn't too bad, but I notice I lost one of my Mickey mouse taillight reflectors and, sniff, the original Siem taillight is cracked in the corner. The relector must have popped off because the former owner, in his resto, seems to have glued on anything that really should have been riveted (Vespa SS badge, SuperSport badge, Reflectors, etc). Guess he didn't know how to rivet, or was only doing the restore to have it sit on a platform and look pretty. Well...it doesn't look as pretty any more but it RUNS.

Okay, so what else got damaged you ask? Front mudguard got squished and has a crack and one of the decorative side pieces pulled a hole in it, front brake lever cracked in half at the pivot point, engine cowl fins are buggered up and got shaved a bit, and a dent in the very side of the front legshield. Other than that it looks pretty good, and does run. I'm a bit worried that the rear tire looks the tiniest bit more pitched to the left (it went down on the right, heavy engine side). I evidently flew but other than being bruised and sore was fine. I did everything wrong but it coulda been a lot worse. I'm chalking it up to a learning experience. WON'T MAKE THOSE MISTAKES AGAIN...

Anyway, I've ordered a replacement mudguard (engine cowl isn't available...so I'll have to eventually fix the fins), and brake lever from SIP but didn't notice the taillight until yesterday. Anybody know where I can find original replacements? Or good repros?

Thanks!
Something that will make do, until you can find an original, is the reflective nuts that a lot of motorcycle stores give out for people to fasten their license plates with.

You have to pop the reflector part off the nut and plastic, but they work as a temp thing. Or just use the nut to fix it to the little arm.

We give them free to our in store customers, but they are usually only a few cents each.

Andrea
OP
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UTC

Hooked
SS 180
Joined: UTC
Posts: 118
Location: St. Louis, MO
 
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@caoscape avatar
SS 180
Joined: UTC
Posts: 118
Location: St. Louis, MO
UTC quote
Thanks Andrea, that is a great suggestion!
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