The Vespa & Lambretta Wizard » admin

58 VNA

admin — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:01:46 +0000

This beautiful 1958 VNA is absolutely authentic in every part as every component is from Italy.After a period of over 30 years in a shed (According to the seller) I took it home and, after changing the fuel in the tank, the spark plug and a quick rub on the point surface with fine sand paper, it started at the third kick.

Over the next few months I intend to restore this gem to its former glory and, once registered, it will be for sale.

I will be posting updated pictures of progress of this restoration.

I completely dismantled the old girl and took the frame and body parts to the sandblaster.

The engine and most alloy parts were hydroblasted and returned to their original splendor.

Here we can see the body ready to be taken to the panel shop and the alloy parts after Hydroblasting

Engine assembly.Here is a composite picture showing the progression of the engine assembly.

Most of the parts, all original, were still in very good working order, indicating the possibility that the engine had been re-built shortly before the Vespa was stored for the past 35 years.

New parts include: The cruciform, the kick starter gear, all oil seals and gaskets, points, condenser and the transmission primary shaft’s bearing.

In this photo the red wire going from the points to the condenser is in poor condition. Unfortunately I did not take a picture of the stator showing the new wire and condenser

And here is the very first kick! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78HsutHPOFs

After a bit of petrol down the carby and a thumb over the hole to give a bit of choke, here she comes to life…..what a feeling!

Here are some pictures of the front end and body’s reassembly process

And here is the final result..

This little beauty was sold within a week to a customer who visited me for another job and fell in love with it

78 Spanish Serveta LI150

admin — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 12:43:38 +0000

Well…Just because I love Vespas it doesn’t mean I don’t like Lambrettas.

I learned to drive a scooter on a 125 LI and, after all these years, I still have that burning passion consuming me.

I therefore decided to buy the closest available thing to a Lambretta and, after a long search I found this ’78 Spanish Serveta LI150 which, over the next few months, I intend restore to its original condition but using a different colour scheme.

Here are the pictures of the scooter as it arrived at my workshop… it looks like it is going to take a lot of tender loving care.

I certainly felt better after seeing the engine casing coming back to life after sandblasting. Here is a sequence showing the progression of the engine rebuilding process. New parts include: Kick-starter plunger, Cruciform, Clutch disks, Transmission chain, Crankshaft (from Mec-Eur), Bearings and seals, Piston and…. much more

AND FINALLY THE END RESULT!!!!!
I know that it is infact a mix between a Serveta and a Lambretta and some purists may not like it but…
I LOVE IT !!!!!

And there she is…. the new look Lambretta

Well… I knew I could not live her alone so, after a few months I started fiddling with my beloved Lambretta and I fitted a set of front shockers that improved the handling quite considerably. I also decided to replace the single seat with a set of twin classic ones. I personally chose the vinyl to match the beige of the trimmings and I had a specialist upholster to line the seats. Very expensive but a stunning result.I also fitted a rear carry rack with the spare wheel and a passenger rest pad.The engine also received a bit of a lift. It now has a 175cc piston, head and barrel kit fed by a lightweight brand new Dell’Orto 24mm carburattor.

The story of the black VBB

admin — Mon, 20 Jul 2015 05:54:13 +0000

The story of the Black VBB

This beautiful ’64 VBB was imported to Australia from Vietnam and sold in Melbourne to a person who thought he was getting a good deal for his money.

Unfortunately the vehicle, despite its appearance, proved to be in very poor condition.

The engine was very worn out and, as shown below, it had been hastily assembled out of many different used parts with the sole intent to sell it quickly.

The Vespa scooters coming from Asian countries have had a very hard life. They were often repaired without the appropriate tools and some parts had to be hand built and manufactured with whatever was available at the time.

In these two pictures it is possible to see the damage caused by the crankshaft making contact with the crankcase at the level of the intake valve (left). This damage was caused by worn crank bearings that allow the shaft to wobble and hit the side of the case. The shaft itself was worn at the bearings mounting collars and it had been indented with a pointy instrument to increase the contact surface to take up the play developed after years of operation. The picture also shows damage to the case all around the bearing caused by the unstable shaft moving irregularly.

The only sensible thing to do was to start from scratch and rebuild a new motor using the crankcase of a PX model. In these pictures we can see the progression in the assembly of the engine. New cases, crankshaft and bearings, spring gear, output gear shaft, cruciform and cruciform shaft…….

complete clutch, rear brake and seal………

…piston, rebored cylinder, electronic PX ignition…….

…….to finally THIS……..Video of the new engine’s first start up

Well….this was a very expensive exercise but the Vespa has now got a PX engine and many more years of happy motoring aheadStop the press!!!!!!

Something new has happened…..Read on

After a couple of weeks the owner decided to have the Vespa re-sprayed in new colours to suit his business. The scooter was completely dismantled and the frame was taken to the Motorcycle Paint Clinic for a complete restoration of the whole body.

When the frame came back from the sandblasters we discovered that the body had been built by welding together pieces from 5 different Vespas. Here are the pictures of our new discovery

After

These images speak for themselves…. the shape and curves of the Vespa were sculptured in the filler that was covering the whole body.

After seeing this frame the owner refused to go on with the work. Luckily a 150 Sprint frame was available and we could still end up with a Vespa.

I will publish the pictures of the end result as soon as it is ready.

Well! It is now finished! It is no longer a VBB because the frame is from a Sprint. The handlebars are from a ET3 Primavera but, finally, we have a very good looking and very safe to ride Vespa propelled by a new PX200 engine.

Here are some pictures of the reassembly process.

At the end, this Vespa cost over $9.500 but, although it may appear to be very highprice to pay, we need to consider that over 80% of this bike is brand new and the remaining 20%is in perfect condition. This Vespa will bring a lot of joy to its owner for the next 20 years.