Electric ignition Smallframe V50

[squidge1825]

Hi there, 

After farting around with my smallframe for the last 10 or so years I have decided to upgrade to an electronic ignition. I was wondering if anyone has some advice they could give me with regards to the process and how easy it is and what kit to choose. 

I dont have a HUGE budget but understand that the kits can cost quite a bit so im not looking for a top of the range model. Just something that is nice and reliable. 

And then the installation. Is there anything that I would need to consider or is it a case of simply replacing the standard parts with the normal parts and hooking it all up. 

I presume ill need a battery of some sort so is there a specific one out there to get

Any help would be fantastic

Thanks in advance
CHeers

Matt

[jbcollier]

Can you tell us more about the scoot? Still stock 50cc? Rocking a Quatrini 200 kit? Somewhere in between?

[squidge1825]

hi there, thanks for the reply, and yes of course.

Its a 1967 Vespa 50n. So its bottom of the range I guess. I had upgraded it to a DR-85. But it never really ran perfect.

My plan is to take it ALL back to stock, so back to 50cc and then change one part at a time up to the 85cc again. Ths way I can tell where things went wrong before. The clutch has been changed to accmomodate the 85cc and I also have a polini Banana exhaust.

Right now it is completely in pieces, literally! So basically the world is my oyeter. Or at least as the world will allow me with a Vespa 50n. Im not looking to vamp it up completely, my happy place would be the nicely running 85cc with an elecrtic ignition.

Hope thats a little clearer.

Thanks

matt

[jbcollier]

That's a pretty straight forward set up. I would suspect the issues were either air leaks or carburation.

The easiest, simplest, and most reliable way forward is to just keep the points. Really, they work very well. Not much to go wrong and the only maintenance is a dab of grease on the points cam and check the points gap every 5K -- if even that. I have 50+ year old Vespas that start first or second kick that are still on their original set of points. The wiring is simple, there's no regulator and everything just works.

I have also run three or four of the electronic systems from stock Piaggio to Vape and Casatronic. All of them have had failures and issues within 5K to 10K. If you're going big with high revs, you have to fit an electronic system for the high-rpm capability and advance curves. For your application, basically a stock Vespa 90, you don't need the complication and bother.

Just my 2 cents.

If you really want electronic because the other kids are making fun of you, and you can't get any action from the girls, no problem, we can recommend a basic kit :-)

[squidge1825]

hi there, thanks for the advice. You could be right about the air leaks. I actually just sent away one half o the engine casing to be welded due to one of the bolt loops that secure the casings together had snapped off.

As this is a total rebuild from the bottom up I guess i Have the time and opportunity to go over everything and change the stuff for new parts, new points etc. Like you say, might be to much hassle to fit the electric.

The only kids making fun of me are my two sons for not getting this scoot going years ago. My missus is simply just not impressed ha ha.

I think that also I was jetting too low as well, like you say, with the DR85 its pretty much a V90 so ill start off with jetting for that.

But thanks once again for the great advice. Ill stick with the original points for now and see how it goes.

One other thing you might have some advice about. This is basically gonna be a little run around, im not looking to break any records with it, but I was thinking of pumping up the tyres a little, something a little more chunky, do you kjnow what size tyres I can push to for a smallframe without having to do any extreme changes? Bigger wheels, wider tyres? Somehting. alittle more chunky and aggressive.

Cheers again, really appreciate the help

[jbcollier]

The stock size, 3.00- 10", is the largest you can go due to interference at the rear. Even on my 80+mph scoots, I run stock sizes. You can fit tires with different tread designs and compounds. Michelin S83 tires look period but their S1 semi-slicks look quite racy and are still a good all round tire.

[squidge1825]

ah ha, I run the 9" at the moment: 2.75-9" so thats a little upgrade

Thanks for all the help.

Ill start to post my project up in the forum once I get going

All the best

Matt

[jbcollier]

If you are running 9s then upgrading to 10s makes sense as 10" tires are much more commonly available and in a wider variety of designs. I'm not up to speed on what is involved in the conversion. Perhaps as simple as different rims. Or, changing the front hub and rear drum and brake set-up. Hopefully others will chime in.

[jbcollier]

just a quick search found these:

www.maskesvespaparts.com/Rim-9-to-10-conversion-rim-V50/Special-V5A2T-V5A3T

I'm sure there are other suppliers as well.

[squidge1825]

Yes, im basically after a bit of a more chunky aggressive look. Bit more attitude. I also saw the conversion rim kit so thats certainly a possibility. Put together with a nice set of 3.00-10 michelin tyres or something.

Thanks for the help.