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Post by maranellohouse on Jun 3, 2014 19:14:15 GMT
Hi all. My back ground is 30 years car restoration (mostly Italian) and only a couple of light restoration on a Ducati and Turbo Suzuki. This is my first scooter let alone a Vespa. It was literally dumped out of the back of a van onto my drive about 10 years ago and looked like this. Until late last year it has lay at the back of the garage as I forgot about it. It was when I had to move it that I decided to at least find out what it was, as I said I know nothing about them. After a bit of research its turned out to be a 71 50 Special., I came within a hairs wisker of dumping it! A plan was hatched and its restoration started with handing it over to my Father to strip it and give him something to do. He had a unique way of stripping it. Once stripped it was sent off to be blasted to see just how bad things are. I was more concerned at how badly dented the front was as the holes are easily sorted. After a lot of gentle persuasion with heat and panel hammers it came into some sort of shape that is close to were it should be,,,, I hope. The red is a guide coat to help identify any low areas. Its taken about 3 weeks to get it looking presentable again. And thats as far as I've got apart from my father stripping the engine to see what it was like. i've a long way to go. And the plan for it is to paint it the same colour as my Fiat 500 complete with bumper bars front and rear, whitewall tires, wine coloured seat same as the 500 and a basket on the rear. Oh and make a trailer to tow it behind the 500. It will never be a show winner but the combination should look interesting.
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Post by Juan on Jun 3, 2014 21:32:49 GMT
Welcome to the forum, the 50 Special is a cracking little machine with much potential and quite a few of the lads on here have one. I'm not personally sold on your colour choices but I can see where you're going with it and I'd agree that would hold some charm and look fairly cool at a local carshow and the like.
Do you know if it's a UK bike from new? I can't remember when they started coming over here but if an import you could have a few issues with it.
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Post by maranellohouse on Jun 3, 2014 22:20:02 GMT
Hi Thanks for the comments. I believe it is a UK bike but out of curiosity what issues am I looking at if it wasn't?
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Post by Juan on Jun 3, 2014 23:08:57 GMT
The main problem with the Special is that they had at least 4 , and maybe 5 or more, wiring systems over the various markets. Nothing to stop you using it legally given the age but personally I'd never be happy riding anything without a rear brakelight at least.
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Post by tzsteve on Jun 4, 2014 16:30:21 GMT
good panel beating i`m impressed
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Post by triffid on Jun 5, 2014 18:28:43 GMT
It may just be the way the picture looks but I would say that that is not a 50cc piston. As it seems to have had an aftermarket exhaust fitted as well I think your scoot may have been kitted at some point. Worth checking out if you are looking to keep it original or if you need new piston or barrel.
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Post by maranellohouse on Jun 10, 2014 20:55:15 GMT
I would have no idea if its been tuned or changed I'm afraid, I'm just going to do the best I can with it to at least have it looking presentable and running. Originality to is out the window I'm afraid as having no idea what even the original colour was. I'm not even sure it will ever get registered. I'll see how it turns out and then decide what to do from there. I got it painted yesterday though so that's a start. It will be at least the weekend before I start to flatten the paint back and only then will I be able to tell if it half decent. Oh and the colour isn't as dark as it looks in the photo's.
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Post by gav on Jun 10, 2014 21:32:29 GMT
Welcome to the forum, the 50 Special is a cracking little machine with much potential and quite a few of the lads on here have one. I'm not personally sold on your colour choices but I can see where you're going with it and I'd agree that would hold some charm and look fairly cool at a local carshow and the like. Do you know if it's a UK bike from new? I can't remember when they started coming over here but if an import you could have a few issues with it. snap lol.
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Post by triffid on Jun 12, 2014 17:50:44 GMT
That colour suits the scoot. You really must get it on the road properly though, otherwise you are missing out on all the fun!
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Post by eean on Jun 13, 2014 9:15:32 GMT
Looks like it used to be white from the upside down pic from your dad stripping it, the floor where the stand is etc. Thank fuck you didn't chuck it lol! Looked at the pics on the wall, my first car was a 126!:-) Scoot will look cool, its just a formality to get it registered mate, get a dating certificate from vespa club GB, register it on the nova system through dvla, mot and insure it then apply for a registration number dvla, easy :-)
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Post by eean on Jun 13, 2014 9:18:38 GMT
Oh yes nice panel work looks very good, takes time but worth it ;-)
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Post by maranellohouse on Dec 4, 2016 11:57:03 GMT
Been a while but work is still going on. Engine is finished. Now when I say finished I use the term loosely. It doesn't go. For now I just want to get the scoot built. the engine needs new rings and magnito/coily thing is caput and there is other things needs doing to get it running. I promise I will get it running at some point so bear with me please. Front end is finished and built although the wrong brake shoes came and i'll have to get them changed. Seat had a bit missing out of it and being me, I decided to fix it rather than waste it so the area was cleaned then a new piece of sponge glued in. It was then shaved into shape.
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Post by maranellohouse on Dec 4, 2016 12:00:27 GMT
And I finally managed to get "almost" the correct colour of leather to match the colour of the seats in the car.
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Post by maranellohouse on Dec 4, 2016 12:03:51 GMT
Last but not least for now I fitted the rubber floor board to match the rubber flooring in the car. Trial fitted Then floor masked for the glue spray to go on. More to follow as I progress.
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Post by potatopl on Dec 4, 2016 12:36:37 GMT
The rubber flooring should go over normal aluminium floorboards.
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Post by maranellohouse on Dec 4, 2016 13:00:00 GMT
The rubber flooring should go over normal aluminium floorboards. "00ps" Thanks for letting me know!
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Post by maranellohouse on Dec 4, 2016 13:05:18 GMT
Just looked it up and see what you mean. In my defence I only wanted the rubber showing to match the floor in the car. But yes thank you for pointing it out
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Post by maranellohouse on Dec 4, 2016 13:06:12 GMT
Anyone know where I would come across cheap whitewall tires?
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Post by potatopl on Dec 4, 2016 19:59:10 GMT
Gluing rubber mat over metal panel doesnt seem like a good idea. First of all, the mat have indents where aluminiom floorboard should sit, if you don't have the floorboards you will an empty cavity in this area. If any water/moisture gets inbetween the mat and body it can start to rot/rust there. Why don't you use the normal combination boards+mat? Apart from this, the scoot looks lovely
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Post by mostar on Dec 7, 2016 9:56:04 GMT
Looking good, cant wait to see it next to the Fiat 500
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