Vespa T5 restoration thread

[cphilip]

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Refinishing this T5 Scooter... Pictures will flow on and off of the progress... Gonna be nice. Black with small silver metal flake in it and then some chrome and black accessories...

[cphilip]

"Before pictures"

(note as of end of today these are stripped to bare shinney metal and body work was done and now these are primed and awaiting wet sanding tomorrow. those pictures not uploaded yet...)

I expect to have wet sanded an perhaps color coat on tomorrow. If not by Sunday and then Clear coat by end of day Sunday.

[cphilip]

I guess a couple of it before it was torn down would be in order. Now... image this Black with Chrome wheels and nose piece... And a few bits of Chrome trim like around the legshields...

[Tunaman]

How fast do they go Phil? I want one.

[cphilip]

This one will hit 65 mph.... and indeed I have been clocked at that on it... with ony 125 cc's! If I was to kit it up it can do 80 - 85... both pretty scary on 10" wheels.

I am beefing up the motor mounts and shocks on this one during its rebuild. Oil dampened front and adjustable rear with Neopreme motor mounts and shock mounts. Gonna be a real racer.

[cphilip]

ok... struggling with some issues now but...

Friday I applied sandable filler primer. Well turns out the primer was old and did not do right. So... I find this out Saturday morning when I start to water sand it out. So the paint store (automotive paint supply) is closed.

So I spend all day Saturday sanding it out (should have taken a couple hours) and getting the dam bad primer stripped down smooth. I lose Sunday cause there is no fresh primer till Monday. So I have to wait till today to get more primer. So I get Black epoxy primer and go over it this morning. Finish around noon. Well it blisters in a few spots. Nothing major but yet I still have to let it cure on out another hour or so and then resand those blisters out and feather them in. And then go back with a thin coat of Epoxy primer to recover those places. So that finaly gets done around 3pm today. No way to cure it enough to get color on today. So now I am ready to apply base coat color and clear coat tomorrow. I hope. Barring that I do not find any problems in the morning.... Dam Italians!

Parts with Black Epoxy Primed and all the take off parts orgainized waiting for clean up and reinstall:

[cphilip]

Ok finished clear coat today.

Note the one picture shows me up close with the flash illuminating the tiny metal flake in there. Pretty cool eh?

[cphilip]

Update

You can sort of get an idea of the look I am going for here?

Black and Chrome....

[cphilip]

[fire1811]

ahh man you have a hoist

you rock

[v_3Sterns]

scooters seem sweet, ive been looking into getting one since i live around campus, and a reserved parking spot here costs 700, yes 700 dollars a semester. But motorcycles/scooters only pay 100 a year and are allowed to park in front of every damn building, im envious.

I assume its easier to learn than a motorcycle? I did okay the few times I rode by myself on my friend's honda rebel, which i think was like 300cc (and im guessing weighed more).


how much do scooters run anyway? LoL whats good for the newb and what should I be looking for?

[dj89]

Well sence were talking restorations
1944 John Deere B




Just got it

Already stared taking it apart.

[cphilip]

scooters seem sweet, ive been looking into getting one since i live around campus, and a reserved parking spot here costs 700, yes 700 dollars a semester. But motorcycles/scooters only pay 100 a year and are allowed to park in front of every damn building, im envious.

I assume its easier to learn than a motorcycle? I did okay the few times I rode by myself on my friend's honda rebel, which i think was like 300cc (and im guessing weighed more).


how much do scooters run anyway? LoL whats good for the newb and what should I be looking for?

These are actualy Motorcycle class Scooters. Just a style of Motorcycle. They shift (most 4 speed some older ones 3 speed) and hand clutch. The shift is on the left handgrip. Rather than the foot gear shifting. They can be a tad trickier than normal motorcycle but not too bad. There are indeed automatic Scooters too. But these mostly are manual.

This particual one was never imported into the USA. I got this one from Italy. I paid 1700 for it shipped here. I will have another 500 or so into it when I am done. Parts are hard to find. Have to get them from Europe as they were not imported here. So I do not recomend this one for your purpose. But there are plenty of models that are available and were imported in mass and that parts are readily available for. I recommend you look for a late 70's early 80's "P series". They are dependable, not expensive as they are not as collectable yet, and they have electronic ignition and parts are cheap.


A Honda Rebel weighs about the same as these. And its 250cc.... Both weigh around 250 pounds. So its similar in wieght.

Expect to pay between 1000 on up to 3500 for one of these type Scooters. Depends on what shape and all and how rare and old they are. They can be found for 1000 -1200 running but rough. And rare ones up to 10 grand or more. A good daily runner not restored but presentable and mechanicaly good can be found for 1500 if you keep your eye out. One needing some work much less.

[v_3Sterns]

Thanks!

[BradAGD]

Nice looking Phil!!!

You ever shop at Pirate Imports? I was looking some bike parts and found them.

laters