Modern Vespa

In the bid history, it says "Auction Extended", then Mr Gonzalez won for $8,800. Insane.

part of the problem is that people that do the good work are booked, sometimes several years out, or they are very selective about the work-- both the job AND the client (I am particularly guilty in this regard) and people want it right now. they've got money burning a hole in their pocket and they are going to buy something.

the other angle is the actual work involved. when a client expresses interest in a restoration whether they've got a bike or starting from scratch you have to sit down and have a long drawn out conversation and lay bare the actual long and arduous process. people don't want to hear that shit, and they especially don't want to hear that their shit, is... well, shit.

then you've got the whole: oh, these are cute little toys, they don't cost anything. how pretty and shiny. I want that one! I don't care if it's correct it looks enough like what I want.

finally you have the high rollers that are all: that would look good in the lobby of my office, window of my Italian restaurant, man cave, what have you. there's also the aspect of hey significant partner! look at what I bought for you while I was at the auction!
(don't mind the Ferrari *cough* *cough*)

but agreed, hemmings is doing themselves a great disservice allowing listing such as these. the sleazy independent dealers are just as much to blame, and I'd say even more so because you KNOW that they have to done at least 30 seconds of interwebz searching.

I wonder how often this happens with other vehicles. I know the VW split window Samba bus (the one with the little windows along the top) has been faked and sold by reputable auction houses. Fake vin numbers, "birth certificate" from VW. Any enthusiast of those models could spot the things that shouldn't be there and any enthusiast crawling underneath could have spotted the shoddy welding and shortcuts.

When I found my VBB, I was lucky, because it was too obviously neglected and battered to have been bodged, but I tend to distrust shiny paint on anything. If I see it, I assume it covers bondo and an armature made of chicken wire and newspaper.

I feel like I have posted this before.

edited

Stop me, stop me, stop me. Stop me if you think that you have heard this one before.

I worked in the auto body industry for a number of years in my youth but stopped after realizing I would probably die from all the dust and vapors rather soon if I continued. The Vespa bodge industry is small potatoes in comparison to the underhanded business going on in many big chain auto body shops in the US.

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1970-vespa-sprint-2/?utm_source=dm&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2022-01-31

That must have been when they installed the PX floormat, legshield glovebox, cowl protectors that don't, and yellow boots (along with too many other things to list).

Check out the back side of the front box lid. And what's under the tape on the tunnel ?
At least BAT allows constructive comments.

"Total mileage is unknown." Note the towels over his mailbox in the video. Doesn't want anyone tracking him down, post sale.

Gotta luv the: rusty chrome (both sides) front rim; low temp paint on exhaust; 11yr old whitewall

Always fascinated by these.

I can't believe I missed that P series rear brake pedal. I feel like I should have to clip a corner off my Bodgespotting Card!

I think I was too busy marveling at the pop rivets on the floor rails.

Sounds like when I was a Boy Scout and you mishandled your hatchet and a corner would be torn off your Token Chip card (I believe that is what it was called)

Exactly the same principle. Google gave me the proper spelling. It's a "totin'-chip," but, yeah, it was literally the licence to tote (carry) knives, axes, hatches, and saws in scouts.

CLOSE. 4 corners, no more ax.

Chit- Ok, I am wrong. Its chit for fireman and chip for ax. Learn something new every day.

Current bid $200. About what it's actually worth.

https://themarket.bonhams.com/us/listings/vespa/150-sprint/c484d588-77b3-425f-87ec-efc7c5f85daa?status=live&fbclid=IwAR2GUKLY98r8d93ABHSxEGjQ5cU9PfxpVTHUProaQdRNi_Qgl1RneaV4iws

The yellow oil fill screw is a nice touch.

what a gargantuan piece of dog shit.

total and utter little shit bird fuckery of "owned by the Peterson" and "original miles" and "contact the seller" conflicting information and malarky.

auction houses will continue to peddle these hunks of junk because they have no liability on the sale of them. they just collect the auction fees and could care less.

for better or worse, it drives prices up. but then when you try and sell something decent, they're all: the paint's not shiny and there's no chrome that's not worth shit!

Good eye. Didn't even notice that. Even more bodgy than yellow booties. 💛 who TF paints the oil screw???

I spy Prima rear and Shinko front whitewalls. Someone's going to loose a front tooth riding that scooter down the road.

Guys, you're clueless. That's a racing oil screw made from unobtainium. It turns yellow cause of the special treatment they put it through…

Yeah; that's dope, dawg.

The oil drain was probably stripped out, to they just painted the screw yellow to act as loc-tite so it would hold oil long enough to sell.

That's one of those highly coveted Super Takumar Thorium coated oil screws. The radiation provides extra oompff, and drives up the aftermarket price!

https://camerapedia.fandom.com/wiki/Radioactive_lenses

Well, this is a bit of a dilemma...I've always wanted a nuclear-powered* scooter, but do I still want it if it's a bodge...?

* I was thinking I could slap a used Mr. Fusion on one of my bikes, but you take what you can get, I guess.

The pic looks 'shopped to me and probably not the real deal. The flats of the head are the wrong color.

I like this one. They forgot to cover up the old brake switch holes, so a piece of tape will do.

From that yellow Sprint ad: How do you type something like that with a straight face?

That's probably the truest statement in the ad. I believe they didn't examine the underside, and I also believe it's just the same as the rest of the bike.

Don't sugar coat it G. Tell us how you really feel.

As hjo pointed out : PX floorboard, with PX pedal/brace. There are four pieces of tape on the tunnel. Maybe they're covering spots where the paint wore off from rider's shoes.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/460351204001276/permalink/4878001188902900/?sale_post_id=4878001188902900

Here we go with the "own a piece of history" drivel.

"Immaculately restored" with only 325km since.

There must be a rosetta stone for bodge language they all consult before listing their turds for sale.

You misspelled "immacualte," which is obviously a totally different kind of restoration.

Try this.

Obviously the bodge rosetta stone does not include a spell check.

Dude either pulled down his post or blocked me because of my comments.

"Will sell fast"... but once you own it, it will never go fast

or fell off in sheets due to shitty body work and bondo.

That's pretty cool. I need some of that.

Bodge kryptonite.

$70, 0.00001" accuracy, no guessing.

https://www.amazon.com/Coating-Thickness-Reddragon-Digital-Resolution/dp/B08971BN5R

That's the correct word for restoring things while dlunk