Modern Vespa

Hello,

Is there any progress or is the P2 just gathering dust?

Ok, I just signed up (finally) to reply to this thread as it is totally deserving. Great job! I've enjoyed reading every single page and looking forward to more follow-up. I've tinkered with Vespas since a kid, performing mods similar to the ones posted here. I have though, never done the correct calculations like you have, so that has been very interesting to read and would have saved me a lot of time and money in trial and error botching a parts left and right!

Did you end up getting new/different kit or were you able to recover the damaged Pinasco kit?

The bike is up and running right now. I pulled off the Vortex, Pinasco and the 226 pipe. I put a stock top end on it, the 24mm crab and a Sito+ and reset the timing back to 23deg.

I got a new piston kit for the Pinasco from SIP and had Al recut the extra windows in it. The only thing left to do is send the new piston and cylinder out to be repaired. When I put it back together I was going to go to fixed jetting in the carb and either raise the cylinder using a thicker base gasket or add a head gasket to drop the compression a bit. No sense risking a repeat performance.

Problem is I am running out of time. I'm moving to Colorado and have way too much stuff on my plate right now. I am thinking about selling the bike and all the extra parts. If anyone is interested, send me a PM. I'll probably let it go cheap.

Chuck

Too bad I just bought mine, otherwise I'd hit you up!

Good luck with whatever you decide to do, but if you do keep it all and add the gasket to the base of the cylinder, you'll be changing your port opening timing... and that's not always a bad thing I had a small frame with a Malossi kit a looooonng time ago, and raising the cylinder was the magic bullet it needed to finally perform the best.

how completely unfortunate.

Wow.... Really enjoyed the project... and the description writting you have... good stuff ... to bad you have to sell ... Good luck

The project will continue. My Vespas are getting loaded on the moving truck today for the trip to Colorado. Once I get settled in I'll get the cylinder and piston sent out for repair and start the process of setting it up again. This time for high altitude...

Chuck

Have a good trip my friend! Happy that you get to take them


call me if you need help.... I'm moving next week to Tamarac

Finally shipped the damaged cylinder and a new piston off to Millenium Technologies this weekend. They are going to weld the top of the cylinder where I broke out the small piece next to the O-ring groove and replate the cylinder. I hate to guess the cost of this is going to be...

Chuck

Got my cylinder back from Millenium Technologies. They stripped the old plating and welded the chunk that was missing out of the top of the cylinder. Then they recut the O-ring groove and decked the top of the cylinder. The new plating is very nice. They chamfered the port edges and cleaned up all the excess plating. Overall, a super job.





If you have a damaged Pinasco or Malossi cylinder I'd check them out. Repairs aren't cheap but neither is a new cylinder. Contact them directly or you can go through Hotrod Al.

Chuck

Last edited by chuckactor on Fri, 19 Aug 2016 18:15:15 +0000; edited 1 time

how long until the reinstall?!

Chuck that looks VERY nice! so you're saying that's while not cheap, it was less expensive than a new cylinder? (quite a bit? or just a littttttle?)
really nice looking though!

The new cylinder kit is about $450. I would guess all the repairs and a new piston and rings cost me about $100 less. But I also had to take into consideration the hundreds of dollars in cylinder porting, piston and head machining etc... I figure the top end costs about $700 to replace so it was half price. If I had a bone stock top end it might have been a tougher call.

Not sure when I'll get it all together. I have a bazillion things to do with the new house and I got another toy out here... a 96 Land Cruiser

Aaaahhh Dig the L.C. nice... I'm a Rover man myself.. but those are really nice.

Thanks for the info on the repair.. I get it!

Cheers Chuck.

Any Progress I was looking forward to an update.

This is such an excellent thread! What's going on with the scooter now?

Any updates?

Great thread. Will definitely consult the next time I have to crack open my P200!

Hey Chuck, this is Carlos(I sold you the 226 hotwing). That SUV is sweet, my ex-wife and I had the Lexus LX450(same vehicle) and is very durable and comfortable. Good luck!

greetings, I just bought a 79 p200e. It has a hard time kicking over. I'm getting fuel, and have new spark plug and wire. Checked and cleaned out carb,jets and reset mixture screw to 1 1/2 turns out. Did some repair work to wiring to cdi ( some of the wire casing is worn and cracked) so I shrink tubed it. Fixed broken ground wire. Will turn over for a moment but won't maintain idle. I think I might need a new cdi.

Any imput would be greatly appreciated-cheers!

Welcome and try posting on the "Not So Modern" section. That's where the shifties guys like to hang out. Lots of help over there.

Not sure about your problem, but it could be your top end doesn't have enough compression. Many causes of that ranging from "I have to do what!? to re-tightening some things.

Your scoot needs four things to run:
Spark
Fuel/air
Correct Timing
Compression

Or a Moderator can move this post?

Good luck.

[quote="chuckactor"]Yes.. there is a certain grieving process we must follow. As respect for my heritage, I will be sitting Shiva this week. Please feel free to come by with some bagels and a deli platter.
/quote

jai Shiva Shankar

I feel for you bro...

Wow... I guess it's time to get off my ass and continue where I left off. I did a quick inventory of parts and I have pretty much everything I need to get things back together. I did panic a bit when I couldn't find the new piston that I had Al modify for me. Luckily, I found it as well as a whole bunch of other minor tidbits I didn't know I had.

I do have some parts to order to de-Vortex my Vortex carb a bit. Sorry Al.... I'm still planning to use the carb but I'm going to try some stock type jetting. The big thing will be the removal of the adjustable air corrector and going to a stock idle mixture screw. While I'm at it, I'm going to ditch the modified airbox lid with the foam filter. The filter part kept falling out. I am going to use one of the new tall Pinasco airbox lids and a Uni filter over the airbox intake.

The filter is on order and I need to order the lid from SIP. Who knows, might even try an AddOnV while I'm at it. Anyway, reassembly will start this weekend.

Chuck

Glad you are back mate.

I personally love the uni filter option. Mod your own lid, It's the only way to go

Cheers

This has been the best thread I have read so far I hope it continues!

Just read through this whole thing, amazing info in here!
Also way psyched to see that your in Fort Collins because I'm in Aurora. Maybe I can see this thing run in real life eventually!

Lovely writing and pictures.
Keep up the good work

Running now? I'm on the edge of my seat again!

Chuck,

Just spent the morning reading (three cups of coffee, 2 NPR news cycles...). Edge of my seat kinda stuff. Any progress? I'm interested to hear how that Millennial work changes things (and waiting to see what speeds you're gonna get with a tight clutch...)

--Chandler

edit: Oh yeah, also wondering about the speed wobble, and if the Claus mounts help. That's what brought me here originally.

Wow with all these comments, you'd think I knew what I was doing. Ok, looks like I have been using placing a SIP order to stall things. I actually dragged out my PX150 and started it for the first time in 6+ months. I guess the P200 needs to get unburied. I'll see if I can start going back through it this weekend.

Chuck

Chuck did you ever get this back together?

It's been back together with the stock carb, sito+ and stock top end on it for years. I just can't seem to get time to put all the go-fast (go-boom) parts back on it. I'm sitting on the freshly replated top-end, new HRS piston, 226 pipe, vortex carb etc. I'm tempted to just sell the whole lot if I don't mess with it this summer. Other than riding it around the neighborhood once, I haven't touched it in 2 years.

Chuck

Chuck

great project, it's making me want to try a engine build. I love the idea of a rapid motor in a old looking scoot. Come on put the thing back together we want to know how it turns out.

Ricky

I just spent an hour and several cups of joe reading your thread. I have 2 (Call me insane) Hotrod Al bikes in pieces. I'm thinking I need to hide my guns or buy a lottery ticket. You can't leave us hanging here, I've got to know the conclusion as I have found myself at your juncture several times recently. I realize it's easy to get frustrated with these type projects and god knows I've done a few what was I thinking sessions with myself, but in the end I'm finally trudging forward. I liken the experience to a woman having an unexpected pregnancy. Not something planned but hopefully something fruitful and positive develops from something so unexpected? I appreciate your contributions regarding the vortex and hope mine doesn't wind up being as problematic. Al has become family through the process and I'm adding him to my will as he has become near and dear to me, like my children. Hang in there and let's get this thing buttoned up, just think of the feeling of self accomplishment that will come from doing so. Lastly, I appreciate you sharing your adventure and the hour of therapy, I can't believe I've blown off my work this morning to read your entire thread but admit I feel refreshed and anew from doing so. Thanks

I am at a quandary....Is that the correct word? The scooters have literally been sitting for 2+ years. I can hardly count the 2-3 rides I have taken around the neighborhood to see if they run. The Vespas kinda remind me of my old minitrail 50. They are like roaches. Give them a couple kicks and they spring to life.

I was literally looking for this thread because I wanted to write a post asking the forum what they thought was the best way to sell the P200. As-is with boxes of parts and the stock top end and carb on it or rebuilt with the 226, Pinasco and the Vortex. In a way it's kinda cool to open the box of Vespa stuff and see all the parts I forgot I had.

If I do anything I have to move on it. I was told that summer is ending here in Colorado. I seriously can not deal with this season crap. My planning is not good enough. Heck I barely got the Nautique out this year and had grand plans of getting the kids to ski or wakeboard. Perhaps it's time to get selfish and do projects for myself?

I guess I need to call my insurance guy and see what it costs to insure a scooter in Colorado.... It did do nice wheelies when it was all built up.

Great thread, will use as a guide when I am tuning my new hra motor/ vortex I am expecting soon!

Alright... it's time to resurrect the rusty Vespa P200. Basically I'm out of cheap projects to entertain me. I think I have every part I need sitting in boxes ready to go. It's either this or redo the interior in my Ski Nautique. Guess the boat can wait till winter. Besides, do I really have to wait four years to do 3-4 hours of work? Wonder if I lost anything.....

Chuck

Just read the enitre post.

Damn Chuck, you really have amazing knowledge and skill.
I think what you are doing is awesome! everything is done right down till the last detail.

I just bought a P200E from '83. Wanted to upgrade a bit also, but not as much as you Just thinking of a Cosa clutch, front disc-brake and a new exhaust. Basically just making the ride "nicer", not faster

I hope you will keep posting pictures and tell about your work

I remember reading this thread in one 2 hour session about 2 years back. I have been patiently waiting for the thread to be resurrected by the Chuckarator, hopefully this is it.

.. hey, how chuck now ?

Wow... I'm lazy!!!

Ok, so it's still sitting around. That's it in the back behind the unused PX and a couple (17) bicycles. It's Colorado, my 11 y/o has 5 kinds of bike.



Although it appears to be bleeding to death.



Anyway, I dragged it out into the sunlight. I GUNK'd off the floorboards because it appears the oil tank might be leaking again... go figure.



This will give you an idea how long its been since its been on the road.



It had some oil left in it and almost a full tank of gas. Luckily the gas actually smelled OK. I must have at least remembered to throw some Stabil in it. Of course the battery was long dead. Either way, 5-6 kicks and it fired up. This thing reminds me of my old Mini Trail 50. They're like cockroaches. Very hard to kill.

I took it around the block and out for a short ride. It ran pretty good. Actually carburating cleaner than my PX150. The front brake must have got some Gunk on it because it was non existent for the first few stops.

Surprisingly, the CHT works after all these years. Although it appears intermittently.



So I decided to leave it in the middle of the garage and go scrounge the parts. Looks like I have everything and I'm running out of excuses. My 12 y/o is going to help with the rebuild. He's a few pages back assembling the tranny in an earlier post. Like when he was 8 I think.



Chuck