Saturday Update

Got started on the scooter today, to recap its going from a 1982 Vespa PK 50 XL to a 110 CC, 19/19 Carb, Sports Shocks/Breaks and racing exhaust. A number of other problems have to be fixed such as the speedometer does not work, the front fender is bust and all the cables need replacing. I hope to have the whole thing done this weekend but I think its fairly ambitious seeing as I’ve not done any of these jobs before.

Taking the engine out was the hardest thing as the version of the Vespa I have has been modified from the original. I followed the instructions and soon had the engine out but had problems with the gear select and the wiring loom. After about a hour of scratching my head I managed to work out how to get the parts free. A couple of guys at work are seasoned re-builders and for once I have been actively looking for advice. Clean all the parts as you go along and put them in plastic bags. I swooped the plastic bags for a plastic box with compartments in it. Once the engine was out I went and put it in the shed.

It was then onto the front end stripped of the handlebars, headlight etc in quick time. A couple of minor parts need replacing so I dropped around the scooter shop on the way to get the shopping. I was then at a loss at getting the front fork out. After 20 minutes of scratching my head again I remembered I had bought the tool. Dived into the box of bits and there it was. Ha 5 minutes later and the front fork is off the bike. Taking the wheel of the fork was very straight forward as was replacing the two worm screws that run the Speedometer. Fitted the upgraded breaks then noticed I had not done anything with the front fender. Took off the old one saving all the bits I would need to put the new one I had bought on. Hung the new one up in the stables on electrical wire and gave it a coat of paint. Over the rest of the day I would return to give it another then another coat, watching Justine on American Chopper was real helpful as I tried to follow what I’d seen him do. The last step was to replace the front shock absorber with a adjustable sports one. The bloody bolt had seized on and no amount of brute force, heat or hammering would make it move. Just like all boy scouts I had prepared for this as I had made sure I had bought some cutting wheels with the new Dremel I bought to help with the project. Again American Chopper watching came in handy I could just see big Paul “getting aggravated’ as I set about cutting off the bolt. This took a little longer than I thought but 5 cutting disks later and a couple of smacks with my trusty hammer and the shock was free. Fitting the new one was simple. That was as much as I could do until the paint drys tomorrow.

Next job was to take the frame and give it a good clean with the pressure washer. Was amazed at the amount of grime that came off the thing. Then again it had done around 24,000 K and the counter had not been working for the previous owner. I must have added another 15,000 to 20,000 since I have had it.

Last job for today was to run all the new cables through the frame, repair some damage I had done to the wiring loom earlier. Threading the cables must be about the most annoying thing and this wasted a good hour or so.

I hope to get it done tomorrow. I have to fit a new flywheel, cylinder head and change a cog. Unfortunately I have to split the crank as the seal has packed up and I do not want my nice new bike to be loosing oil from the start.

The house is coming on and the three rooms should get plastered over the next week, this will mean four of the rooms in the farm are finished. Next step will be to fit the new heating system and complete another bedroom. After that there is little choice but to move out whilst a couple of steel girders are installed in the house and the living room/current kitchen are ripped out.

Got an invite for dinner by my girlfriend, but I wrote back saying I could not make it but could I buy her dinner Sunday. Then I get another message telling me to forget it. I have no idea what’s going so I sent another message saying I was sorry but was getting the bike done but would really like to take her out tomorrow night. I have no idea what’s going on, when we have fallen out before I’ve always had some idea of why and its always been of my doing. This time I have no idea what got her so upset I really hope we can work it out.