Modern Vespa

Late to this thread, but I gotta comment that this is possibly the coolest thing I've ever seen. Please don't tire of posting updates.

Ugh. I've been fiddling with a clutch issue for about a week now, and I've pretty much had it. The clutch lever won't spring shut anymore, and I'm pretty positive I've found the culprit.



Is there anything I can do to get that thing back in place myself? The scooter won't drive without the clutch, so I'd have to borrow a truck, load it, transport it, etc, and I'd really hate to do all of that if there is a DIY solution...

From the looks of it, the clutch return spring either needs to be replaced due to breaking or just needs refitting on the clutch arm and/or on the clutch cover tabs. The tab on the clutch cover looks fine and I'm pretty sure the clutch arm tab is Ok too but it is possible a tab broke. You will need to inspect and verify integrity.

Here's a tutorial on ScooterMercato's website: http://www.scootermercato.com/Garage/Tech-Tips/Clutch-Cover-Rebuild

Your rear brake cable is also barely hanging in there, I'd slide a new cable in. Since you'll be down there clean up things and looks for any leaks: rear hub seal, clutch arm o-ring or engine cases.

Good luck.

You are amazing, thank you!!

Hey man, big FLCL fan here, this is just beautiful. I'd actually love to do this myself sometime. But I have a few questions.

All together, how much would you estimate this cost? (Also how much the paint job was too)

How difficult is it to find replacement parts for this model?

For the P! did you order some sticker off amazon or ebay, or dud you have it made custom somewhere?

Feel free to add any more info if you can. I don't really have any money right now, but I'd really like to start saving up to do this as well.

Anyway, phenomenal job on the scooter, it fits Haruko's to a tee.

I actually saw your scooter when I stopped by Sportique Scooters to talk to them about disassembling my scooter for a custom paint job.

I gotta say, it looks even better in person!

Bike looks so nice I wasn't gonna say anything at all, but looks like you want to know about any detail that might not be 100% 'proper'.


My only suggestion would be to spend some time adjusting/reworking your rear mounting pin and/or hole for the engine side cowl.
Bring the back edge down where the other one is. Careful though, don't bend the cowl itself.

Killer paint job BTW, and with the dang motor 'n headset/fork still in there too

You know.. I thought about this too, but I had remembered seeing a beautiful, freshly reatored SS180, and the engine side cowl fit similarly.. and there was an overhead pic and the same cowl actually looked to be eversobarely shorter in the back... I DON'T know.. but could the SS180 have this design? it seems strange but I have seen a coupe that just don't look all together equal/symetrical at the rear. just slightly off.. I can't fins the direct oberhead shot, but the difference is more apparent... not saying it's really how SS180 are... but I've noticed it in several... Hmmmmm.. Inquiring minds...

Boomer.. no matter what the outcome of this investigation ... I still love your bike!

found a couple more.. is it me.. or do all the engine side cowls look eversobarely shorter?

You may be right, I may be wrong. I've see it too on other bikes, and even tried to 'correct' it.
I do like the look when they match up a little bit better, like these.




It is hard to tell & who knows if any 'correcting' was done... more pics for evaluation. Maybe BI will enlighten us.





well Duh! In the meantime I just noticed this, which may explain the whole thing! I say ADJUST!

Haha, I never seem to notice the offset unless I'm laying on the ground taking pictures! I've fiddled with the cowl here and there, but I haven't been nearly as thorough as I could be. The engine IS a P200, so there might be something to that, fit-wise, but I'll definitely take a look in the near future.

I also managed to get the proper legshield beading not too long ago, but I haven't installed it yet... lazy!

I also need to get around to getting the spare tire cover up under there, even though I don't actually have a spare. The flare of the cowl stands out to my eye without it.

The yellow paint job isn't NEARLY as impressive as the pics posted above, which are positively ASTONISHING!

I have to chime in and comment about the bar end turn signals.

Never know about them.

They look great!

ouch those pics of the rear, all those fat chick make me drooll all the time

Finally got around to replacing the leg shield beading, MUCH better look! Also, found a great place for a photo that I can't believe hadn't occurred to me until now!

Went on a 60-mile ride last night in search of the massive sunflower fields out near Denver International Airport. Lesson learned: If you're going to take a Vespa thirty miles out of town for a picture with something, might be a good idea to take a regular car out there first to see if that thing you want to take a picture with is even out there. I guess they plant the sunflowers every other year or something. Too bad, all that yellow would have been AMAZING!

Not wanting to leave empty-handed, I took a few back roads up to the airport to get another set of pictures I've been waiting years to get!

CLICK FOR HI-RES, WALLPAPER SIZE!

Very cool! Thanks for posting...

Some more prettiness.

Managed to get out and about for some Fall colors photos.





Also, my boy Abbott came out from Kansas a few weeks ago with his CJ, which started out like this:



and ended up like this:



Which, in case you are wondering what or why, he's modified it into the German motorcycle from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.


The thing is pretty goddamn amazing.

Omg i love what your doing. If im ever in the area id love to see your work in person.

I love it! Great repro of the Indiana Jones side car! Just curious, what is that knob on the top of the sidecar in the "original"? That's the only difference I see, and I'm just wondering what that knob might be for...

Beautiful work!

-Dan

I still love the SS!... I keep waiting for it to wear off, but I keep liking it! IJ bike is cool too!

Happened upon a pretty cool piece of fan art recently.



Amazingly detailed, top-notch work.

The vespa caught my eye in particular, especially the extra-thin chrome trim around the legshield. Then I realized the angle was straight from one of my photos.


It always feels extra gratifying when someone uses your fan-made amateur replica as a reference for their piece of art.

framed and in the garage I'd say.


Brilliant!

I am in awe how awesome your Vespa is, it is what got me into Vespas in the first place.

Great Work!!!!

Thanks guys!

Also, finally got around to hitting another detail.


I do not have high hopes for its ability to withstand engine temperatures, so lets just call this a test, shall we?

Last edited by Boomerjinks on Thu, 23 Jan 2014 21:11:37 +0000; edited 1 time

Beautiful! Great attention to detail.

How did I miss the pictures of your scooter with Blucifer? That's just outstanding.

It's a heck of a pretty ride, everyone should do it once!

Also...
It begins.

Very nice! Im diggin the colour combined with the handlebar flashers and P! Decal!!

Not sure about the huge guard on the front wheel spindle linkage though. Does it serve a purpose?

That's the only thing I'd change if I was lucky enough to own it. Where abouts in Brum are you?

im from bromsgrove m8 but I always fing it easyer to say brum haha

Just down the road from me. Our kids have swimming lessons at the Dolphin centre

That pull-start electric guitar is the perfect companion accessory for the bike... it's the details.

[quote="slideaway"
Not sure about the huge guard on the front wheel spindle linkage though. Does it serve a purpose?[/quote]

This is an FCLC replica scoot. Without that guard it wouldn't be accurate now would it

Nice scooter! I'm loving all the comments about not understanding the fork panel. Did you buy your wife a fuckin Rickenbacker too!?

Speaking of Colorado Movie Cars, I often see a DeLorean and a Jurassic Park Jeep cruising around Durango. I wonder if they ever go up to Denver with em...

MELT BANANA!

The Rickenbacker aspect is currently in-progress. It likely won't be a real one, as I do want to drill a hole for the "gun barrel" as well as the put the ripcord on the back, and doing that to a $2k guitar is.... well I don't have that kind of money lol

As for the Durango cars, I believe the JP Jeep was sold a little over a year ago to a guy in Arizona, have you seen it lately? I don't know the DeLorean owner, is it a stock car or is it converted into a Time Machine?

There IS, however, an awesome gentleman in Durango who drives this beauty around and is a member of Colorado Movie Cars!

Got something neat in the mail today!



It's missing a few pieces, but I'm already working on getting those made and I am totally ready for some guilt-free drilling!

Wow I've been super lazy.

Modeled this a year ago, just ordered it. One step closer.

Are you really going to cut into a 4001 ?

What's this? Finally doing something we promised to do like three years ago?

Yep.



Yeah, she's had the costume for about a year now, but either the bike hasn't been running or she was working on other costumes, we just never got the two together until last night. Slackers!



The license plate is such a small detail that no one really notices it, but I carefully researched all of the scooter registration markings and r/Japan helped me get the kanji on the insurance tag juuuuust right. It's probably the detail I'm most proud of, but people just assume it's real so they rarely ever comment.



Yes, the guitar is on our to-do list. I'm about a month away from having it done. My wife made this costume from scratch, including the gloves. I think the only pieces that are in their original state are the pants and the undershirt. Her cuff is made of foam, but since we're doing the actual scooter, the actual guitar, the actual everything, I'm looking into having one milled out of aluminum. Mostly I just want to *hear* that "clink" as she moves her wrist, ha!



These photos were taken out near Denver International Airport, where blooming sunflower fields stretch for miles every August, and late afternoon thunderstorms make for unbelievable sunsets.

See more at http://www.coloradomoviecars.com

Visit her cosplay page at http://www.facebook.com/ifria[/list]

you should stick one of those shots up in the Daily Scooter Girl thread - it'll be a hit! Glad to see this scooter is still around