Modern Vespa

As far as I know all Cushman scooters used Briggs and Stratton engines.

That's pretty impressive. It looks like it might actually work. I especially like the hydraulic disc brake.

That's no bodge. That's an Indo-inspired improvisation for industrial application only.

Squeeze hard enough and they'll produce blinker fluid.

my brain hurts

$6,800 is a steal for this gem restored with all original parts.

https://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/mcy/d/fairfax-station-vespa-scooter/7492057573.html

Says "Classic 1963" on plate so it's definitely legit...

not even titled in the US, not trying to hide anything eh?

That scooter just screams, Me love you long time.

Looks more like a Pakistani or Indian restoration rather than Vietnamese…

For the experts to examine...

https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/1963-piaggio-vespa-150

What I want to know, is who carries a big ole key chain that blows around and beats up paint?

What I want to know is why are they always 1963? "Mostly original". Except not.

What I want to know is why they bothered to put up 158 photos of this colourful POS. Did somebody get a new camera/phone?


Lots of detail anyway, you'll see that somebody's already installed a more modern brake pedal for you, as well as a glovebox and some kinda deluxe floor trim!

It's a Mullet Bike: Modern up front, classic in the rear.

I think the left side cowl trim is original.

Another one of these videos.

These are so wild.

Bondo bike.

Looks clean, will probably last a few months before cracking.

total junk. P style brake pedal is the jumping off point.
the leg shield glovebox, add in the absolutely shitty tail light, seats, rear rack situation. PX floor mat, disgusting "polished" floor runners, poorly converted front brake to 10"-- jeebus you see those cables? yeesh. shit trim. PX kick lever. gross ass trim.

barf. this is just a pile of parts.

it appears to have a PX motor, so I'm thinking like, 800~1G if it's got up to date tags and a title. other wise this lump is maybe 500 if you within a half days drive.

good lord.

just no.

I mean, I respect the craft... but that is junk. it's gonna look okay for like 10 min

I watch these and think about all the time I have wasted on my projects.

These welding on these is so wild.

Like, they salvaged this fender, which is missing the whole back part.

Then they do this super rough stick welding, where they don't even try to get the metal smooth. They'll weld sheets on top of each other, then sculpt a whole exterior on top of it.

And the result really does look nice. At least initially.

nope

Might be worth a close inspection.

I would assume so.

Spent a bit of time across the street from a Balibodge shop during their heyday.
They'd fill a 20ft container every week.

125? 150? 3 speed? 4?

But the listing does say "Caveat Emptor".

https://www.ebay.com/itm/325259596503?hash=item4bbafb92d7:g:0SgAAOSwm4ximoMJ

Comes with a vape.

But why invest if you can't get it on the road? Or can you?

These have been piling up in my local Facebook listings

$4000
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1341495953011568/

$3500 - needs electrical work
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/827074062029461/

$4500
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/439504474727915/

With respective pics:

^^^These sellers are smoking crack.

Those should be piling up in the trash heap !!!!

As the chrome has rusted and the bondo cracked, I think more and more of them are.

One or two too-honest dudes have mentioned "professionally restored in Vietnam" in their descriptions on CL.

Starting to think there may be a bright side to these bikes. Keeps the prices down on real ones, that have the same description but don't look so shiny.

Sadly after some "professional restoring" they are no longer usable for their intended purpose

I'm quite glad there are really little to no bodges around here.

Oh boy, check out this beauty.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/793882271637546/

" needs a paint job "
Already has one.

It's one of those rare prototype handlebar models with both the legshield glovebox AND the P rear brake.

And it needs a paint job because not even the paint wants to be seen on it.

I know it can't be a 1960 because they didn't start adding all those features and upgrades until many years later.

People are still buying them, so they must not see what we see. I still don't spot many of the things that are just wrong for a given year/model. Still, shiny paint on anything would be suspect for me. They are sure good with paint, at least from what I can see from photos. I bet up close you would spot missing seems and obvious places where lots of filler was used.

Yes, they can lay on the paint. It's what they are laying it on that's so disturbing. I happen to have a prime example in my shop at the moment and it is kind of fun finding all the features we have heard about. Every one who has seen it has been smitten by the shiny paint and all the flash.

To the uninformed they look great. When I started on my quest to find a old bike I found all the sites that sell the "restored" bikes. It wasn't until I found this site that I learned what they were all about. Glad I did, however I like the beat up bikes so I'd never have bought one. Looking at them and not knowing what's up though. They look okay. I'm anti two tone paint jobs too so that turned me off them pretty quickly.