Vintage - Digest

Is a Malossi 166 kit all its cracked up to be?

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 21:16:35 GMT

Vintage : Is a Malossi 166 kit all its cracked up to be?

You could also call Robert Carver at 314-766-6291. He has ported 2 of my engines. My rally 200 with the Pinasco kit and a 226 vintage pipe made a world of difference.

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Stats : 15 Replies

Would you buy a Stella w/ a front drum?

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:26:56 GMT

Vintage : Would you buy a Stella w/ a front drum?

@ Lammy:
Actually, from what I understand, the PX plastic headset top fits on the old style P headset bottom. I've got a Stella speedo, a Stella/PX plastic top, and a Stella headlight ready to go on the P headset. The electric start switch is easy to rig up. In this case, I retain all of the Stella features.

I'm also seriously considering using an LML T5 heasdet on this scooter. I've got one laying around that I don't think I'm ever gonna use. I can't use that headset with a handlebar-mounted master cylinder since there's no mount, so it needs a drum fork anyway. If the buyer wants to put a semi-hydraulic kit on later, they can. That'll hopefully make up for some of the cool points lost with the drum brake. It's got a fuel gauge in the speedo too.

@ Brian:
Yeah, I see what you're saying. I do need the $$, but I would like to see another good running bike on the road and this is complete, albeit in pieces. Heck, the Stella frame even still has the complete harness run through it. I'm not gonna have time to actually put this thing together for a couple weeks, so in the meantime I think I'll gauge the market. I mean heck, it's already in pieces, right? I've got enough random pieces in my garage that I could almost build someone a bike to their specs. (pipes, fancy painted cowl, seats, indicator lens colors, taillights, etc.)

Hey thanks everyone for responding. I've asked this question on other boards, but I value your opinions a bit more.

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Stats : 7 Replies

Matty's VBB project

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:04:41 GMT

Vintage : Matty's VBB project

I think it depends on the fork used in most cases. I think I used a Sprint fork on my conversion and it allowed me to keep the VBB front fender, thus preserving the original look of the bike, just with the larger tire size.

Having any different style front fender would look odd to me. The cowels/glove box are rounded on a VBB and any sort of squared off front fender style would look out of place.

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Stats : 10 Replies

VN2T (handlebar) Ignition Questions

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:48:44 GMT

Vintage : VN2T (handlebar) Ignition Questions

Yeah, my Allstate 125 has the internally mounted HT coil on the stator plate. You can move it to outside the case but that's, you know, work.

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Stats : 3 Replies

Just in time for Easter.

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 13:12:13 GMT

Vintage : Just in time for Easter.

italia-racer wrote:

That color combo looks good together. Is that your sprint on the left side of the pic?

Thanks guys.
Mike, no on the left is what is remaining of my old PX. Sprint is the same color blue as the Stella frame I'm using, and a little less mangled than the grey one, lol.

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Stats : 11 Replies

Scooter Mercato Tech Tips

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 16:28:45 GMT

Vintage : Scooter Mercato Tech Tips

Scooter Mercato is my favorite online shop for scooter parts. I always have good experiences, and Dave is real friendly. On the Scooter Mercato website are some very detailed, step-by-step how-to's, complete with bright, clear pictures. Check 'em out:
http://www.scootermercato.com/Garage/Tech-Tips

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Stats : 1 Post

1965/6 Allstate

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 03:27:40 GMT

Vintage : 1965/6 Allstate

If you want to let it go send me a pm.

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Stats : 2 Replies

1968 Vespa Srint 150 - "barn find"

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:32:33 GMT

Vintage : 1968 Vespa Srint 150 - "barn find"

The engine is not too bad. Needs to be freshened up. It fired when it was still in the bike. There is a small score in the cylinder but i think it can be bored out enough to clear it. Engine seems like the easy part of the fix.....and choosing a color to paint it when its done. I'm thinking metallic brown/copper or metallic white.

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Stats : 7 Replies

??

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 17:20:01 GMT

Vintage : ??

If you look at the frame under the seat you see the little platform of the sprint/rally that is missing on the P. I'd say it's a sprint with a P horncast? Best guess is what Jeff said: a combination of two bike welded together in Vietnam. It has P taillight, as well.

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Stats : 4 Replies

Places to ONLY buy Vespa parts from

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:15:29 GMT

Vintage : Places to ONLY buy Vespa parts from

First point, and the most important - always support your local scooter shop, for me it is Scoot Over in Tucson, and MotoCity in Phoenix, and when they tell me they have to order, then I look at other independant scooter shops around the country, I always try them first. Next, if you do not see what you want/need on-line, please CALL them, you have a better chance of letting them know live - person to person - what exactly it is that you are looking for, and thus prepare them for the possible next time. I have ordered well over $15,000 in Vespa/Stella parts over the past 5 years for myself and members in our club, (I also help them to work on their scooters for free, everthing but paint, that I leave to my good friend Eric at 2nd Avenue Scooter Painting & Restoration. I started out with Scooterworks, ran into all the issues already touched on, and a few more, and moved on to people who first, know something about scooters, second, actually work on scooters, and third, are courteous, polite and patient with me on the phone, and have a no-nonsense return policy.
If any I deal with screw up, and do not make it right on their dime, then off the list they go. Now with all of this said, maybe it will lend some credence to this post.

Here are my 'go to' sites - some here in the US, some in GB.
If someone is not on the list, it is for a valid reason.
I have tried all places that you could possibly think of.

http://www.firstkick.com (USA)
http://www.garnersclassicscooters.com - call him, very helpful, the website is out of date
http://www.scootermercato.com -top notch guy (USA)
http://www.scootersoriginali.com - great people (USA)
http://www.scootershop.com (USA)
scootrs.com (Vietnam?) Solid products, great prices, despite what you may have heard)
scootersauce.com Birtoni Scooters (GB)
http://www.allstyles-scooters.com (GB)
http://www.myscooterparts.co.uk (GB)
http://www.minimoddesigns.co.uk (GB)
http://www.rivierascooterspares.co.uk (GB)

I use GB sites because they are crazy about quality - best chrome accesories on the planet, many have their own manuacturing and plating facilities in GB.

I did NOT list many of the popular (Big) sites due to problems with their customer service or bad attitude, or those well known for taking the low road on how to deal with customers as human beings.

Others I have listed are much better, and work harder to deserve your business. As I said earlier, not on my list, stay away.

Scooterworks is also ok, but big and impersonal. Plus they are owned by Genuine Scooter Company, so huge dealer favoritism exists. They may have the part you need, but will not sell it to you because they want you to go to the Genuine dealer and pay double for it. Also, they do not list all the parts they do have to sell, even to the dealers. Lots of issues. Plus the person you are get on the phone does not know the difference between a VBB and a PX200. Biggest is not always the best.

S.I.P. Scooters - ok, but have huge minimum dollar amounts required to get reasonable shipping. Get a group order together, double check to make sure what you have ordered is what you really want. Not good for the one at a time scooter tinkerer.

And lastly, simply check Scoot.net used parts, I have been very surprised at what comes up for sale here, and post a wanted ad for the more difficult parts not available on-line or from the local shop, the best resource of all.

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Stats : 1 Post

Mod Horncast badge for P/PX

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 01:58:54 GMT

Vintage : Mod Horncast badge for P/PX

This is pretty rad!

http://cgi.ebay.com/VESPA-PX-T.....2773wt_971
$30 is a bit steep, but hey it's neat. They've got Union Jack, Northern Soul, and Malossi ones too.

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Stats : 1 Post

New dampeners for old-skool Vespa forks

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 17:27:31 GMT

Vintage : New dampeners for old-skool Vespa forks

None available for the SS as usual..

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Stats : 3 Replies

Rally 180 / Rally 200 Engine Differences

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:04:23 GMT

Vintage : Rally 180 / Rally 200 Engine Differences

Might as well swap everything while your in the case. Bearings, seals, shift cross.

Oh, and it is a great opportunity to upgrade the crank and transmission.

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Stats : 9 Replies

All forked up.

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 18:52:49 GMT

Vintage : All forked up.

jgr wrote:

I guess it is debatable if the fork was bent prior, they could never get the fender to line up correctly, which lead to the bent theory, I'm not sure doing a stoppy would bend a fork unless it was bent to begin with. As I recall they had a hard time getting a magnet to stick in a few areas. It's been a long time but that is what I recall...

jgr

Yeah, that's what I was told too. I took a weak refridgerator magnet over the entire thing, and the only place it didn't stick was where the frame curved so much that there just wasn't enough surface for the magnet to stick to. (a tangnet? lol) Stronger magnets did stick there, however.
Fork coulda been slightly bent back, I suppose. It certainly did look wonky when I first saw it, but that turned out to just be misaligned handlebars. And yeah, I totally agree that stoppies shouldn't normally bend the fork, but I went straight vertical, suddenly putting all the inertia of 230lbs of me and 260lbs of scooter weight moving at speed, on the front wheel. I dunno man, I'm not an engineer. I did want to change the fork out before I rode it, but I took the chance b/c I saw the exact same fork for sale on SIP's website. There's always consequences to our choices.

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Stats : 8 Replies

Does anyone have a tutorial on clutch cable replacement?

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:25:22 GMT

Vintage : Does anyone have a tutorial on clutch cable replacement?

MY clutch caable broke at the cable clamp on Saturday. I rode it home clutchless after I found the clamp with 4 inches of cable still on it.
I watched that same video...... & called Myke..
He gave me a new 'inner & his 4th hand tool.
An hour later, DONE!!... Thanks Myke & Thanks matthew for posting that vid.
All good now.

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Stats : 9 Replies

Drilling holes in a P air filter?

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:20:05 GMT

Vintage : Drilling holes in a P air filter?

When I first got my Stella there were guys calling for this mod on stellaspeed. I did drill a hole in my air filter in the little "heartshaped indentation" over the jet stack. Can't really say for sure how much good it did, as the bike was bone stock at the time (with the stock cat exhaust).

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Stats : 5 Replies

Jimmbomb's Stella Front Brake Line Replacement

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 04:29:32 GMT

Vintage : Jimmbomb's Stella Front Brake Line Replacement

I too did not mean to high-jack your thread either scooterchick. I'm sure if you bring it to a ride, or swing by Vespa STl someone would see if another set of eyes come up with an idea ...

Jim, there are a couple different ways I have seen Bobby do it. Of course guys like him make it look easy...

jgr

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Stats : 5 Replies

Rewiring P200 Stator

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 22:48:54 GMT

Vintage : Rewiring P200 Stator

I can do it. Just have to ship it here.

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Stats : 3 Replies

Were vintage Vespas sold w/ Titles?

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 13:53:47 GMT

Vintage : Were vintage Vespas sold w/ Titles?

italia-racer wrote:

A follow up question. What if you buy a vintage scooter, no title, but a bill of sale. You go to the dmv and tell them its under 50 cc (but it really isnt) but you still want to get it titled. Will that work? how do you prove the engine size? Not that i will try,....unless, but i was just wondering. I still don't understand the state laws

Don't do it. That's fraud, and they'll get you. You might be able to get away w/ it, but if it's "49cc" very few DMV folks will want to even touch it. Plus, if it's "49cc" but needs a title and plates, then it's a motorcycle and you need an old title to get a new title. To get a new title in MO, you HAVE to present the old title. Period.

Just use International Title Services. $150, and you get proof from a state government you own it, and also a plate good for a year. Totally worth it to not hassle w/ the catch-22 DMV shit.

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Stats : 20 Replies

'06 Chetak - CDI Swap For Troubleshooting

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:46:21 GMT

Vintage : '06 Chetak - CDI Swap For Troubleshooting

Oh, Robert has worked on my bike. He has done great work for me; I appreciate it too.

I kinda have my hands in on this one, so I would like to solve it myself, if possible. I probably will end up calling him though for a question. I try not to be a pest though.

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Stats : 9 Replies

paint question (& rims)

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:03:07 GMT

Vintage : paint question (& rims)

As far as buying paint, I told another poster this too. Southwest Auto Parts on southwest ave. (which is by you since your in the city) has the best paint available. They have catalogs of colors or they can match it for you. If you plan to use a spray bomb, they can put any color you want into a can or they have tons of automotive paint ready to spray. Good luck

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Stats : 27 Replies

Red Stella touch up paint

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:00:31 GMT

Vintage : Red Stella touch up paint

Sweet thanks man!

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Stats : 4 Replies

The things you learn...(P vs PX differences)

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 14:27:48 GMT

Vintage : The things you learn...(P vs PX differences)

Always something???
jgr

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Stats : 2 Replies

Vespa "X" Model

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 16:20:37 GMT

Vintage : Vespa "X" Model

Yeah, that's similar to the bike I'm building, except mine's a 200. I'm sure they're not all-that rare in Europe.

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Stats : 3 Replies

Matthew LML

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 21:58:36 GMT

Vintage : Matthew LML

I'll look for him. I'm not sure what I'm gonna do with that engine, it's never a bad idea to have an engine in reserve.

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Stats : 2 Replies