Sunday, July 5, 2009
amerivespa 2009
Note: the red, white, & blue SS180s. I will post pictures of them solo later. So sad the VSC was not with us.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Thank you readers
Thx to the near 40,000 visitors (see your country's flags to the right) who have visited this site starting January 1, 2007 (the day it went truly live). I am starting to come across more scooter restorer bloggers and it's an awesome and powerful resource when we share with one another.
I look forward to the unveiling of the VSC with you!
I look forward to the unveiling of the VSC with you!
Vespa bearings
The bearing market in the United States is shifting and I am hearing about some SKF bearings going bad, especially in Vespas. I posted what I have learned here.
If you are in a restore project or an engine rebuild. Educate yourself and ask your bearing supplier some pointed questions.
On a side note . . . the Lambretta TV175 restoration has begun. I have 95% of the engine broken down and ready for either bead or soda blast and parts to a part washer.
If you are in a restore project or an engine rebuild. Educate yourself and ask your bearing supplier some pointed questions.
On a side note . . . the Lambretta TV175 restoration has begun. I have 95% of the engine broken down and ready for either bead or soda blast and parts to a part washer.
Electrical issues
Tomorrow I load up the Bajaj Chetaks to take AmeriVespa. Lisa (my wife) and I are sad not to be unveiling the SS180 there. What a finale that would have been.
But as you know there a few problems with the VSC left: electrical, clutch, and grinding sound.
The bike is over at Paul S.'s house. He just wrote me this email the other day:
"I did some work on your SS last night. I think I solved the poor running problem, and perhaps some of the lighting issues.
You need to buy a new switch. The switch that was on there is cracked in half. It was grounding out the kill switch, and likely the lighting circuit. I can do some more work on it with a new switch." -- Paul.
I just ordered the switch today from Dañell of Scooter Parts Direct. Part #92041 is the listed part number for the Rally 180 (headset) and costs $34 for the repro. Hard to find NOS on this since the majority of the 60s Vespas all used this specific switch. On a side note, I recommend working with Dañell, because she take her time to work through problems with you. Once she didn't have the part I needed and she even helped me find it elsewhere. She's got integrity and knows a bit about the SS180 as well.
Dañell tells me this specific reproduction switch is of good quality in comparison to what is out there. I hope to use the original cover on it.
But as you know there a few problems with the VSC left: electrical, clutch, and grinding sound.
The bike is over at Paul S.'s house. He just wrote me this email the other day:
"I did some work on your SS last night. I think I solved the poor running problem, and perhaps some of the lighting issues.
You need to buy a new switch. The switch that was on there is cracked in half. It was grounding out the kill switch, and likely the lighting circuit. I can do some more work on it with a new switch." -- Paul.
I just ordered the switch today from Dañell of Scooter Parts Direct. Part #92041 is the listed part number for the Rally 180 (headset) and costs $34 for the repro. Hard to find NOS on this since the majority of the 60s Vespas all used this specific switch. On a side note, I recommend working with Dañell, because she take her time to work through problems with you. Once she didn't have the part I needed and she even helped me find it elsewhere. She's got integrity and knows a bit about the SS180 as well.
Dañell tells me this specific reproduction switch is of good quality in comparison to what is out there. I hope to use the original cover on it.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Install the brake light switch
Before I delivered the bike to Paul S. to check the electrical I installed the rear brake switch. Remember I have a non-batt Rally 180 style brake switch, which is stock for my wife's bike.
I am not sure why, but it was a major pain the butt to find this exact switch with a grey gasket. Thx to Max at ScooterWest I have it.
The first thing you want to do is cut off the soldered tips of the wires. Those are there to preserve and protect the wires. If the wires can be crimped into place or if they connectors do not bend to pliers you can solder like I did.
Soldering in and of itself is an art. I am not great, but decent. Another hobby of mine is electric remote control airplanes so I have gotten to fluent when it comes to soldering. Before you tackle it yourself for the first time Google how to. It's a quick and easy read.
A few hints:
- you want the solder to look like a Hershey Kiss in shape.
- the less you can use the better.
- after you are done always cover the entire tip of the solder gun in solder and use a wet rag to wipe excess. Then put away.
Note: after I dropped the bike off at Paul S.'s I realized that I wired the tail light electrical wrong. I put the blue/black together and left the yellow alone. See past post. The black should have been left solo and the blue/yellow belong together. Furthermore I need to tighten the rear brake cable so the brake applies pressure to the brake switch.
P.S. - Sad news . . . Lisa and I are disappointed that the Vespa most likely will not be unveiled at AmeriVespa next weekend. We'll be on our Bajaj Chetaks, which bothers Lisa a bit. I should have started working on it sooner, I just did not have time.
I am not sure why, but it was a major pain the butt to find this exact switch with a grey gasket. Thx to Max at ScooterWest I have it.
The first thing you want to do is cut off the soldered tips of the wires. Those are there to preserve and protect the wires. If the wires can be crimped into place or if they connectors do not bend to pliers you can solder like I did.
Soldering in and of itself is an art. I am not great, but decent. Another hobby of mine is electric remote control airplanes so I have gotten to fluent when it comes to soldering. Before you tackle it yourself for the first time Google how to. It's a quick and easy read.
A few hints:
- you want the solder to look like a Hershey Kiss in shape.
- the less you can use the better.
- after you are done always cover the entire tip of the solder gun in solder and use a wet rag to wipe excess. Then put away.
Note: after I dropped the bike off at Paul S.'s I realized that I wired the tail light electrical wrong. I put the blue/black together and left the yellow alone. See past post. The black should have been left solo and the blue/yellow belong together. Furthermore I need to tighten the rear brake cable so the brake applies pressure to the brake switch.
P.S. - Sad news . . . Lisa and I are disappointed that the Vespa most likely will not be unveiled at AmeriVespa next weekend. We'll be on our Bajaj Chetaks, which bothers Lisa a bit. I should have started working on it sooner, I just did not have time.
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