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Post by pinkscoot on May 18, 2018 19:41:08 GMT -5
About a month ago Oldgeek and I met up at Scootopia to ride scoots and deliver a Kymco ZX50 that he wanted parts from and I wad behind my garage. It would have been a great project but I had it over a year and other shiny objects had gotten ahead of it. He wanted it and I didn't. While we were in the shop he kept trying to get me to take something but I already had to many projects. Besides like him I had moved to platform specific projects. Though different models they seem to be Piaggio. Finally he said vespa and I asked what year and he said '77. I had gotten interested in the idea of a vintage Vespa a few months earlier. I asked what he wanted for it and he said nothing he was never going to get to it. So we drove to his house and there it was. It was in good shape for a '77 but the PO had dropped an idle jet into the crankcase and it didn't have full spin on it. It had been rattle can painted and had rust spots. I had the room in the van with my S50 and thanked him profusely and drove off with it.
Here are some more shots:
I did some research and put pictures out on Modervespa where if it was a bodge they would have flamed me for 3 pages. All I got back was nice scoot don't f-it-up. That meant it was legit. They aren't a rare scoot there were 144,00 made worldwide. The significant thing is they were the first 3 port engine made and were much faster. Some say they were the best motor Piaggio made but those are all owners. Enough about the history.
I got this up on the lift and pulled the cylinder. You can do this with the engine in the frame but you need to pull the cylinder studs to do it. I looked around the crank case and there was the jet:
That was the first thing on the list for parts. The engine was run with no cylinder cover and the piston was toast but the cylinder would hone out:
Once I had that out the crank spun freely. The carb was missing screws and the cylinder cover was gone and the shifter was frozen. The whole thing moved to the back as a later project.
I couldn't get it off my mind so I started looking for parts only to discover there are more parts for Vintage Vespas than most of my other weird scoots. While trying to find a piston I found a 150 cc cylinder from Italy for $57 plus shipping. It was made in India but it will work. I read all of Niz's shifty project and a lot of DRC's threads. Watched Vespamotorsports videos and felt like I had a clue. I ordered some basic parts and a few tools I would need and got started. I decided to listen to what everyone here preaches "do one thing at a time. I decided that all it might need at the moment is a new piston and cylinder. I would get it running and decide where to go. I was warned by the guy at Scootermercato that I would quickly find it needed new seals. He warned me it would be sooner than I thought.
Last Saturday I started by draining the transmission oil. I pulled the fill plug and out bame about 700 cc's of this varnishey smelling oil. I guess I do need new seals, gas was getting into the transmission. That's when I knew I had a rebuild ahead and that a stand would make it easy. Two years ago I bought a 120v cheap HF flux core welder. I had some angle iron from another project. So I knocked out a stand. My first bunch of welds sucked then I remembered what my teacher used to say and they have improved. Here is the stand:
I then saw HF had a 750 lb. stand that rolled and spun so I added that:
I'm now ready to open it up and see what I find before I order more parts. I still plan to get it running and ride it before taking the plunge on the body. But we'll see what I find as I go along.
I really want to give Oldgeek a big shout out and thank you for giving me this new project. He really is a great guy and a fine engine builder we can all learn a lot from him.
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Post by pitobread on May 18, 2018 20:37:50 GMT -5
If you do anything with it where you take the motor out and moderately apart, do all the engine seals, do the crank bearings and do the shift cruciform and the kickstart gear.
- a guy who has had to do things twice before.
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Post by oldgeek on May 18, 2018 23:05:19 GMT -5
I am just glad it has a decent home now pinkscoot ! 3 years on my porch in the sun were not very good for that piggy, it deserved better. I knew it was risky when I bought it, but it seemed like a solid scoot. I am glad it turned out to be good to go. I can't wait to see what it evolves into. You gotta bring it down to Dirty Myrtle one day when you get it going good. |
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Post by pinkscoot on May 19, 2018 7:32:18 GMT -5
If you do anything with it where you take the motor out and moderately apart, do all the engine seals, do the crank bearings and do the shift cruciform and the kickstart gear. - a guy who has had to do things twice before. Thats my plan on the rebuild while I'm in there. It will eventually get a bigger cylinder and piston, possibly a crank. But for now just getting it running. |
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Post by pinkscoot on May 19, 2018 7:33:13 GMT -5
I am just glad it has a decent home now pinkscoot ! 3 years on my porch in the sun were not very good for that piggy, it deserved better. I knew it was risky when I bought it, but it seemed like a solid scoot. I am glad it turned out to be good to go. I can't wait to see what it evolves into. You gotta bring it down to Dirty Myrtle one day when you get it going good. I will definitely bring it down for you too ride it. |
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Post by collinsd84 on May 19, 2018 11:52:20 GMT -5
Wait! I wont the first ride. I think it is a great project for pinkscoot.
He is going to love his vintage, and enjoy every minute of it.
I'm trying to encourage him to take it slow, but he is diving into it.
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Post by drc174 on May 20, 2018 12:35:43 GMT -5
Lemmebuildyousomethingfast
Lemmebuildyousomethingfast
Lemmebuildyousomethingfast
Lemmebuildyousomethingfast
Lemmebuildyousomethingfast
Lemmebuildyousomethingfast
Lemmebuildyousomethingfast
Lemmebuildyousomethingfast
Lemmebuildyousomethingfast
Jones aside:
While you have it open think about switching to electronic ignition
You will hate the points
And check the clutch and primary
And
And
And
Oh Boy
I love this shit!
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Post by pinkscoot on May 20, 2018 13:03:42 GMT -5
I doubt this will be my last time opening it up. I'm staying stock the first go round.
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Post by drc174 on May 20, 2018 13:25:05 GMT -5
Few things I would do:
20/20 carb and a better exhaust, like a sito plus, they are suuuper cheap.
The bajaj I build recently runs this setup with sprint gearing and that thing is a champ! Wot all day and a good 55mph
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Post by pinkscoot on May 21, 2018 9:38:16 GMT -5
It has the 20/20 Spaco carb and Old geek had a Leo Vince exhaust for it. Not sure what flavor leo vince but I figured its a starting point. This is a picture of it:  |
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Post by drc174 on May 21, 2018 10:39:04 GMT -5
Ah Sweet, Thats a Start. That pipe is... not good hah. But it will do
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Post by oldgeek on May 21, 2018 17:46:59 GMT -5
Ah Sweet, Thats a Start. That pipe is... not good hah. But it will do But the pipe says Leo Vince on it!  |
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Post by drc174 on May 21, 2018 17:57:48 GMT -5
It will give you a dope sound i think from a curve i saw it gives a little higher peak power but at the high cost of low end, which, as you will find out, is a Bitch if you got none. That said, the Sprint has short gearing, may make up for it. |
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Post by bluegoatwoods on May 22, 2018 1:07:46 GMT -5
It's looking like you've got a fine project on your hands there, pinkscoot.
I envy you. It's a nice scooter.
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Post by pinkscoot on May 22, 2018 8:57:30 GMT -5
Thank you all for your input. Yesterday I finally managed to get the shifter tube unstuck and out but not without trashing it. Like other parts for these they are readily available and not that expensive. I should be opening up the engine today or tomorrow morning.
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