Free the Elves!!!

In celebration of its 30th anniversary, the Pini's are publishing all of the ElfQuest saga online for free!For those of you non-geeks, who think ElfQuest is a euphemism for my search for a bar with a 50 cent Maredsous happy-hour, it is actually one of the longest running and influential independent comic series of all time.Ectoplasmosis probably sums it up best:• With Dave Sim’s Cerebus, it was

Personal Update

As I am sometimes wont to do, I have been hiding under my rock lately.Jes and I are still settling in here in New England, and I am still adjusting to my new job. It's looking more and more like Spring, and the shop is getting busier. I'm definitely glad I had a few months to get used to the place before the riding season hit, because if the last few weeks are any indication, it's gonna get

Viagens

Esta bela foto é do blog Espiritu Vespa. O seu autor é um vespista ("vespero") Espanhol, que se dedicou a viajar por Castela no inverno passado, cobrindo em nove dias nove diferentes províncias espanholas e cerca de 2000 km. Se estiverem interessados em saber pormenores de logística, custos e mais informações que interessariam a um futuro vespista viajante, dêem um olhada, que vale bem a pena (está em castelhano).

Javier, o autor do relato, conhecido no meio e no Forum Vespania como "Pontedera" é admirador confesso do Argentino Gustavo Cieslar, um aventureiro que se propõem atravessar o mundo na sua Yamaha YBR 125, fabricada no Brasil e conhecida como "Garota". Ele já passou por Portugal, e embora não haja noticias actualizadas já há algum tempo no seu completo site, continua a ser uma referencia entre os aventureiros trota-mundos em baixas cilindradas.

Mais exemplos como estes são facilmente encontrados nesse colosso que é o site Horizons Unlimited. Aqui pode-se encontrar todo o tipo de informação para o motociclista que está a planear uma viagem de longo curso. Há um fórum, uma série de blogs com aventuras de outros viajantes, e muito mais. Enfim, todo um manancial de informação. Naturalmente que a maioria são relatos de pessoas bem abonadas de dinheiro que deram a volta ao mundo numa BMW 1200 GS, com as inevitáveis malinhas de alumínio, punhos aquecidos e GPS. Mas não faltam relatos de quem vendeu a casa para ir viajar, de pessoal que atravessou a Europa numa scooter de 50cc ou a Ásia com um pouco mais de cilindrada.

Na verdade, viajar nunca pareceu tão fácil. Seguir as pisadas do Giorgio Bettinelli é hoje mais uma questão de vontade que outra coisa. Eu pelo menos ando com uma certa comichão de me fazer à estrada...

Determining if parts are correct

There are a few parts that Stu and I are uncertain about and it's very important to me that I do not restore a hotchpotch Lammy. I want it as stock as possible, minus the motor upgrade.The gas tank came from a 1964 series III.  Stu believes that it is a centimeter or two larger than the one would be for a 1962 tank -- which is the year of my scoot.
Stu got this info from Stickey's book.  I emailed Mike Analt about this, but he thinks the gas tank might actually be the correct size since the 1962 TV he just restored has a gas tank a hair small.
Stu said the headset is correct and he pulled it off and sprayed it blue for race team when he was in a pinch.
So you are looking at the stock headset.
There are spray drips on the bottom/underside of the headset, which suggest to me at some point it may have been rattle canned, but I don't know for sure.
The flywheel cover is incorrect.  This is from a series II, which is close in size for the TV I have, but it requires two stamps of some sort to make it look 100% authentic.
I need to talk with Stu/Mike about that in more detail as well as read up about it in Stickey's book as well.  I need to buy that book sooner than later.
I was really concerned that my floor boards were GP.  They are silver and do not match any color on the the TV, except for the Li steering column I have (with the TV shocks hooks welded on as Stu's machinist destroyed the TV steering column to point of non usable.  People won't be able to tell the difference though).  In speaking with Mike, he thinks that I may have series III Li or TV floor boards.
I need to confirm that before I begin working on the bike.  Again Stickey's book would provide me with the answer.
In any case I did speak with a guy who would trade me TV floorboards for mine if indeed I have GP. My floorboards are in excellent condition.

Newbie restorers PAY ATTENTION

It all starts before the pen hits the paper.

I am a 9th grade English teacher. I teach my kids to research, brainstorm, and outline before even beginning to write their essays. (Note: please don't judge my writing based on this blog. It is full of errors. The only time I dedicate to it is to get information to you or to collect information for myself. And I must have 100 plus hours invested in this blog by now.)

I have grown more detailed oriented throughout this restoration process and catch a lot of small things that need to happen, but disappointingly I miss some too and therefore have to live with the results.

For example, I have three holes in my wife's SS180 that should have been sealed up and prepped before painting. The cost to go back and fix them now is not worth it for my wife. I have one hole in the gas tank and two holes in the legshield. And don't forget how I butchered my wife's seat, which I had re-upholstered, but did not give the photos to work from. Luckily, for under $200 I can have that repaired in the future.

People do your homework upfront. Show detailed photos to people who are intimate with your model. Give them so many photos from every possible angle it makes them sick and ask "should this hole be here?" If I had done that simple task before going to paint this would never have been a problem.

Now I can make any excuse I'd like, saying I want to keep the soul of the bike or to honor its history, but that is lie. I screwed up and missed it. At this point I feel pretty disappointed in myself and without a doubt I am not ready to do period correct restorations. This bike is preparing me to be a better restorer. With that said, this is a rare Vespa and maybe restoring a Sprint or a P would have been the best place to start, because I feel as if I did this bike a disservice. Although, I wouldn't have gotten a Sprint or P at $250 like I did for the SS180. It's a good thing it's our plan to never sell it and my wife is not bothered by the things I am. She is happy with the Vespa and it is her's.

The only way I would have purposely kept these holes is if I did not paint. And if I was to do it all over again and this was my bike, I probably would have kept it all original. Again, Lisa is the one that has to be happy with it since she's riding it.

When I restore my 1962 TV175, possibly starting in the Fall, I will approach it differently and hope to make no mistakes in the restoration.

Sorry to be a downer. I am just upset with myself. Learn from my mistakes people. That is 50% of the reason that this blog even exists. If I mess up and you learn from it then good results from my bads and I need that or I will feel like worse crap.

Grommet installation guide

Tecnica and the parts manual photos are not all that detailed and you can't always determine where everything should go. So I ask people and every once in a while I luck out with the answer in pictures, which prove more helpful than anything in my opinion. No matter the language -- pictures always communicate the "same" thing for where such and such goes. I have asked the my readers in the past for photos to post on this site (which will be used as a guide) and I again ask you to please email photos of your SS180s so I can post them and we restorers can reference them.

David, from First Kick, and I have been emailing each other back and forth about the "airbox grommet" and if it does or does not belong on the SS180.

It does not belong.

At the moment David does not have a SS or GS in the shop to reference, so he went out his way and had a Canadian who does period correct restorations, named Rene, send him these photos so I could how the SS grommets should look.






Thank you to both David and Rene. These photos have proved very helpful. A picture is a thousand words -- how trite. How true.

Quirky grommets

Just an FYI . . .

Lesson 1:
I am not sure the SS180 requires a "fuel line grommet in air box (113060)". Though talking with David at First Kick Scooters I've learned. . . on most largeframes there is a hole at the bottom of the airbox for the fuel line to go up through (at an angle) to the carb banjo bolt.
I have not found that hole on my SS.

Lesson 2:
The "throttle/choke grommet (48171)" is exactly the same as the "wire harness / frame grommet" so make sure that you order QTY: 2 of one of them. They are the same part with two different names. Note that the spark plug is just in enough for the photo. It is not all the way in. You can see the throttle/choke grommet below.

I believe the wire harness drops through this hole and connects to the HT coil. I need a grommet to go here -- pictured below:

Lessons Learned:
David, from First Kick, just emailed me:
"Jeremy, I talked to the mechanic and he said that someone drilled that hole. It is not suppose to be there." -David

Follow-up from David: 

"Rene from Canada said that the 1st series SS180 did have two holes for the cables and wires." This may apply to some of you, but I own a later SS180.

This is a comment that Paul B. posted, but needs to be on the front page so that you all read it, because it is VERY helpful:
1. No, there is no fuel line grommet for the air box on the SS. The fuel line never enters the airbox like many Vespas; the GS 160/SS180 air filter housing assembly sits ON TOP of the carb.
2. ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, remove that spark plug wire end cap. The clearance between the SS engine cowl and the spark plug is WAY small. The first time your wife hits a good bump in the road, BAM, that cap will come up with the engine and slam the underside of the cowl and put a nice dent in it. Only use the factory item (looks like a bobby pin sort of)with the original soft metal cover. I've seen so many SS's with this damage!
3. The hole you are pointing to is homemade and should have been filled during the restoration. The harness comes through from in the body to the engine area through the throttle cable/choke cable/HARNESS grommet.
Paul B.

Mais um...

...anúncio vespa! Pelo menos parece uma espécie de spot publicitário. Está engraçado, há uns pormenores desconcertantes no público. Encontrei as imagens aqui.

No news - bad news?

A Scoopy continua entregue à oficina e eu não sei de mais nada. Entretanto fui alertado para a possibilidade de o valor da reparação poder ultrapassar o valor comercial da scooter...

Admito que não tinha pensado nisso. Sei que ela já tem uns aninhos, é de 2001. E sei que os senhores da Honda podem ser careiros. Mas simplesmente achei que não havia assim tanto para arranjar. Agora já não tenho tanta certeza.

Por outro lado, alguém da seguradora "ofereceu-se" para vir a minha casa. Diz que tem que me entrevistar para ficar com a minha versão do acidente e fechar o processo. Acho isso um bocado estranho, mas não tenho muita coisa para fazer, por isso, mais uma vez, é esperar para ver.

Esta foto (do meu telemóvel) de à dois dias é do momento em que a Scoopy estoicamente se prepara para a viagem de reboque para a oficina. O homem teve um certo trabalho a prendê-la, e foi simpático, mas lá adiantou que preferia "carregar 50 carros a carregar uma mota!". É claro que aquilo dá imenso trabalho porque está mesmo feito à medida para o transporte do grande rei-deus-automóvel. (Mesmo estando ao serviço de uma oficina de motas.) Tudo o resto naturalmente só dá é chatices. Enfim...

Já me esquecia, encontrei nos vastos arquivos do You Tube umas imagens de outra SH cinzenta acidentada. A mota, espanhola, é perda total, mas ilustra ao mesmo tempo como este modelo é resistente e como todo o cuidado na estrada é pouco.

A nova Vespa?

Não, não estou a falar de nenhum novo modelo da Piaggio. Refiro-me ao facto de a Honda SH ser hoje tão popular e comercialmente tão dominante em alguns mercados que se poderia dizer que é a "nova vespa".

Blasfémia!! gritarão alguns.

Pois. Mas esqueçam só por um momento questões históricas e considerações estéticas. Não que eu ache tais coisas menos importantes, mas vamos focar-nos noutros factores: a mera predominância do bicho, nas ruas de Roma ou Barcelona. As estradas de Italia, só para citar o exemplo mais interessante, estão cheias de Hondas SH! E algumas (muitas) cópias baratas. É a scooter por excelência dos nossos tempos.

Todos os modelos recentes da saga SH foram desenhados e fabricados em Itália.

Façam uma pesquisa no You Tube e tentem contar o número de vídeos com pessoal a fazer macacadas com SH's.

É um modelo que apela a toda a gente, pessoal que quer somente um veículo utilitário, pessoal que artilha a sua SH, muitas mulheres (eu comprei a minha a uma amiga), malta que faz corridas de SH! Enfim, há um sem número de semelhanças curiosas entre este modelo e as vespas clássicas do passado, para lá da dominância no mercado.

Mas para quem não gosta da comparação, há mais um dado a apontar. E essa questão é que me fez escrever o artigo: os clubes! Sim, tal como os clubes de scooters clássicas a que estamos habituados, há agora clubes de Honda SH. Eu diria que isso já é alguma coisa. Que alguém queira ir à net falar da sua scooter com outros proprietários do mesmo modelo e que queira alinhar em passeios ao fim de semana, é algo bem diferente de ser "só" o proprietário de um veiculo prático e económico. Pode não ter o glamour, o carisma de outros modelos, mas a Scoopy já não será só mais um "aspirador"...

Great USA shops to do biz with

I have become a bit of a snob this far into the restoration process (regarding parts) and I have done a lot of business with different companies and many of them have been great for odds and ends. Danell at Scooter Parts Direct is awesome and they do have some NOS parts. ScooterWorks gets stuff out the door fast. After hunting for a crank for over two months, Garner saved me. Nice guy. Scomo, when it was Scomo, told me which after market parts to avoid and urged me to reuse all I could, because of the poor quality of parts. The list goes on . . .

But at the end of my restoration I have come to a conclusion, that I hope that many new restorers start from. I do 95% of my business only with shops that were licensed by Vespa to officially restore and work on vintage Vespas. These shops know there stuff like few in the business and they tend to have the most NOS parts in the business. If you ask, they will help you keep your bike period correct and hand check all parts for quality for you (they did for me).

Motorsport Scooters -- ask for Steve
Both David and Mic told me that these guys are very knowledgeable and Steve is. Orders ship out that day. Parts cost a little more from time to time, but on the flip side it's guaranteed to be high quality and you don't have to worry about receiving crap. Another important thing is that Steve ALWAYS had 99% of the parts in stock that I needed.

First Kick Scooters -- ask for David
David is knowledgeable as well and a very honest and upfront guy. Order go out within 24 hours and he will spend time with you on the phone to help you out if you have questions. He hand checks the parts and will not ship you junk. First Kick has good prices.

Scooter Shop -- ask for Mic
Mic is a good and honest guy. He is also one of the more knowledgeable people I have spoken with. He is detailed oriented with your parts and does have a bit of NOS available.

Bottom line is many of the after market parts that available are garbage and that is all many shops can get. The Indian-rubber is poorer quality and is made from Bajaj-molds; therefore it does not fit your Italian Vespa correctly. That is just one example. Maybe many of the new Vespa restorers don't mind this as much as I do, but then again I am becoming pretty snobby and probably can tell you if something looks out of place externally on an SS180. Hell, there are minor things out of place on our SS180 and I had to come to terms with.

If you share the same view on this stuff as I do, I recommend buying from these three guys from the start. You can find lots of good parts from other companies and I urge you to do so (see SPD's "NOS" section online) and buy as you find, but for bulk orders or small parts you can't do wrong working with three.

Faça o teste

Encontrei isto no Scooter Club Golden Triangle. É um vídeo de uma campanha Inglesa de segurança rodoviária. Justamente o tipo de coisa que nunca se faz por cá. As campanhas não resolvem tudo, mas um pouco de inteligência faz muita diferença. Frases e chavões do tipo "vamos acabar com este drama" é que não me parecem muito eficazes...



Mais informação aqui.

Como manter o nível

O nível certo de sanidade mental! Algumas pessoas têm achado graça a coisas que eu conto sobre o meu acidente e resolvi partilhar aqui algumas pequenas situações anedóticas:

- À entrada no Hospital, todo amarrado a uma daquelas macas imobilizadoras, só conseguía ver o tecto a desfilar enquanto me empurravam ou as caras das pessoas quando me perguntavam alguma coisa. Nas urgências apareceram uma série de cabeças a olhar para mim e o médico responsável começou a observar-me. Tenho ideia que ele ia fazer aquelas perguntas habituais nestes casos (idade, alergias, problemas de saúde conhecidos, detalhes do acidente...) mas o primeiro que lhe saiu foi "É uma pessoa saudável?" No meio daquilo tudo ainda consegui sorrir e dizer: "Olhe, já fui mais..."

- Sempre que alguém andava à minha procura perguntava se eu era "o jovem que teve o acidente de mota?". Eu dizia sempre que não, eu era o jovem que tinha tido um acidente de scooter!

- À saída da sala dos raios X, a porta foi aberta de par em par, para dar passagem à minha maca ou cama ou lá o que era aquilo. Lá fora, a olhar para mim, estavam 3 agentes da PSP com ar grave e sério. Estavam ali para me devolverem os documentos e entregar-me uns papéis e eram além disso uns tipos bem porreiros. Mas só eu é que sábia isso, toda a gente no corredor parecia convencida que se ia passar algo de excepcional, e o clima estava a ficar de tal maneira que um dos policias se sentiu mesmo obrigado a dizer em voz alta: "não o viemos prender, não é nada disso". Houve uma risada geral e lá deixei de ser o centro das atenções.

Serviço Público

Estamos em alta e ainda a Primavera não chegou! Tem estado mais frio e vento nestes últimos dias que os meses de Dezembro e Janeiro juntos! Assim não dá gozo andar de Vespa pela cidade? Como é? Ó Prima Vera, vê-lá se trazes aquele tempo mais quentinho!
Na última newsletter da Piaggio, vem uma série de referências ao nosso blog, com direito a link e tudo e também uma recomendação, as nossas cada vez mais famosas festas, e ainda uma crónica do nosso Tiago Mendonça sobre as nossas aventuras de Vespa em férias. E ainda ganhou um blusão Vespa. Graficamente brilhante, a La Repubblica de La Vespa está de número para número cada vez melhor. Podem ver com atenção aqui



Com a internet, o movimento scoterista tem vindo a desenvolver mais contactos e a criar uma nova dinamica. Por aqui semanalmente, recebemos emails de gente de todo o mundo que deseja informações: onde comprar os discos dos portuguese nuggets, ou se existe mais scooter club's em Lisboa, onde alugar vespas, onde sair a noite? Muita informação...um destes dias for a vez, de alguns membros do Azkorri Scooter Club da Bizkaia (Pais Basco) visitarem a cidade das 7 colinas, se deliciarem com os pastéis de Belém e as vistas do Castelo... Fiz-lhes rapidamente um roteiro alternativo. Eles adoraram a cidade e prometeram voltar em breve, desta vez com mais amigos. Como qualquer scooterista que se preze, tiraram fotos ás nossas Vespas alfacinhas. E que bem que elas ficaram no boneco! aqui

Final price for bike

Budget Update: What's spent so far?

To date, here's what's been spent on the SS180 restoration:

$3,734 -- Services and parts
$123 -- Cables, steering column bearings, wire harness, etc.
$12.50 -- Powder coat rear shock spring
$55 -- Reassembly parts ordered
$18 -- three tire inner tubes from B&B Yamaha in Lancaster, PA.
$25 -- hardware, spark plugs, oil
$105 -- Grommets order #1 plus more
$55 -- Grommets order #2 plus more
$35 -- Grommets order #3 plus more
$91 -- Rubber, chrome, and more
$16 -- Red indicator light from Greg Clauss (Clauss Studios)
$4 -- Trasmission oil and hardware from B & B Yamaha, Lancaster PA

$100 -- Final grommets

Roughly, we've spent a total of $4,365.00 so far. This includes the price of the scooter and everything since day one.

There may be some small odds and ends to finish this bike, but as far as know it won't be above $4,400 -- which is a fair price for a restored SS180.

Diary of a restoration

Email between Ted and me . . . a diary view of the restoration.

Ted,

Excellent! You should be receiving another shipment very soon – possibly on Tues or Weds.

1) Glad that those two shipments arrived so quickly. I will photograph the items when I see you on Weds.

2) Since the gas tank did dribble a little bit, we can use the new seal that I ordered for the fuel tap. That will stop the leak.

3) How easy will be to remove the engine to install the floor rail kit at this point? My concern is with all the wires/cables run it will be impossible to get the engine out to add the last (most difficult) curve to the floor rail kit on the floor board of the scoot and get those rivets punches and air tool’d in.

4) Glad the oil will go in the tranny tonight. If possible, as you put in it in can you ask Ginger to snap a photo or two of you putting it in for my blog? (if you have the camera at home?)

5) Wire harness hole above the air box: This last shipment will include all of the rubbers you should needs, but I wonder if you already have the frame to wiring grommet so you can run the wiring through that hole? What does the parts catalog show? I suspect the diagram ought to clear up that item.

6) Did open the air box and see where that Air Box grommet is supposed to go?

7) What are the six machine screws for in the junction box? To lock the wires down in place? I have two junction boxes so one of them should have all of the screws in it still. Only one screw is use to mount it to the engine cases.

8) Please remember that I have the entire tail light housing and wiring and it was professionally painted. It is in the box of painted items that you have. All I need is a round lens and I will try to order that today. We will want to install the “Super Sport” badge before putting the light in.

9) This last shipment will include all of the rubbers you should needs, but I wonder if you already have the frame to wiring grommet so you can run the wiring through that hole?

10) I’m wondering if we should focus on the floor rail kit this weekend and then get it running next week? Did you look at the “how to install” page on the floor rail kit I sent you. This parts is supposed to be an ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE I have been told. The floor rail kit is designed for a different bike and we have to shape it ourselves for the two outer strips. Worse yet, many paint jobs have been destroyed doing this. I am MOST nervous about this install – more so than any other part of the Vespa. Inside that pick print out of my blog is about 4 different articles (not in a row) about the floor rail kit and how to install. Some people heat up the floor rail and tape up the paint job with painter’s tape and then use screws to let the floor rail kit set in place for a solid week, before mounting it so it can take the shape of the bike.

I suspect you received your gloves from me J

Thanks. Everything sounds great and I hope I cleared everything up.

It may be wise (to very carefully) go through the painted box and see what items are in there in case a part accidentally made it in that box.

Jeremy

-----Original Message-----
From: Witmer, Ted
Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2008 10:00 AM
To: Sutton, Jeremy
Subject: RE: Good morning

Jeremy,

Wed is still good.

I received 2 shipments over the holidays.

1^st was from CA and it was the little red indicator dot that goes into the speedo head.

2^nd shipment consisted of:

choke throttle grommet
hook for center stand spring
fuel line grommet
grommet for steering lock
insulating sheath
speedo cable clamp (ferrel)

The oil will go in the tranny tonight and I would like to get the steering head on also.

The fuel tank assembly is in the tank and DOES NOT leak. The valve works; however, the gas just dribbled out. This may have been because I only had a small amount in the tank.

I figured out the grommets that go below the air box hose. The upper one is for the fuel line and the lower one is for the throttle and choke cables.

The upper hole that we thought was for the fuel line is for the wire harness – my best guess, anyway.

Once I get the choke cable end situated we should be OK with throttle/choke.

I have been looking for the small brass metric machine screws that fit in the electrical junction block. I only have 2 and should have 6. I went through all the boxes of spare parts to see if they were thrown in there – no luck.

I went to Lowes and Auto Zone – no luck on that but did find the tail light lens and housing for 9 bucks.

I think the screws are an M3 – very fine thread. I have one more source to try, yet.

My goal is to have this running by the end of the week. We are really close.

Ted

-----Original Message-----
From: Sutton, Jeremy
Sent: Tuesday, March 25, 2008 8:05 AM
To: Witmer, Ted
Subject: Good morning

Howdy Ted,

We still on for Weds. night?

It is possible that you will have the shipment I ordered on Friday in your Weds. mail.

I asked the most affordable place for a quote on Friday and spoke with them yesterday. They have not begun the quote. If it is not in my email when I get home today from work, I will order it from the most expensive place and have it ship out tomorrow. This will be the last of the pieces.

I did order a new seal for the fuel assembly.

Is there any other part that you identified me needing?

I spoke with a guy who is selling a complete 1979 running Vespa P200 for $800, but it was hit. He says it is fully restorable, but may or may not need a new fork or fender. If you & Ginger are interested, let me know and I can take a look at it with you. I bet he’d let it go for $700.

Jeremy

Clauss Studio's Indicator Light

A package arrived from Clauss Studio over the weekend:

- a red indicator light for the headset

Total: $16 with shipping

Final parts ordered today

I placed the final order ($100.03 including shipping) today (minus the speedo stuff which is being sent -- it will be a while though):

(80349) Piaggio Emblem

(90512) Wide Grey Rubber for Cowls

(85072) Black Center Mat

(56729) Saddle Lock

(3221) Fuel Line Straps QTY: 2

Legshield trim (Per Steve's recommendation I decided to use the P200 trim, which is much smaller than the Cupiccino aftermarket stuff and will look truer to the era, because of size and actual color, and hold up better in the long run, but it is ONE piece and the stock stuff was TWO.) Plus it should be easier to install. The other stuff is prone to rust and it is really bulky in girth and a bit awkward looking because of its size -- I have it on my Bajaj Chetak.

Extra hardware to mount rear badge QTY: 4

Hardware to mount center mat straps

Tractor tail light lens -- aftermarket

Corsage; como uma canção.

Os Corsage fazem uma música com um travo ligeiramente retro mas que no entanto soa actual. Os Corsage fazem canções muito bonitas, nos instrumentos e nas vozes. Falei com alguns deles, o Pedro Temporão, o Henrique Amororo e a Sanja Chakarun no bar de jazz As Catacumbas no Bairro Alto. Era para o encontro ter sido no Lgare, o mod spot do Bairro mas o cenário também agradava e até inaugurou-se a sala de fumo.

O vosso som e conceito é pop assumido?
Pedro - A nossa música não é pop assumido, podia chamar-lhe uma fusão, só que a palavra fusão pode soar ás vezes um bocado má porque normalmente é sempre uma junção de estilos um bocado foleiros. Mas acaba por ser uma fusão de vários estilos mas sempre com uma tendência de formato canção.

Mas achas que faz falta boa pop hoje em dia? Pop de qualidade? Como a pop alternativa dos anos 80?
Pedro – Bem, eu não sou nenhum puto, ainda hoje a música pop me satisfaz...tu ao fim de tantos anos ainda consegues ouvir a música dos Smiths. A música pop faz sempre sentido, sempre fez, e nós queremos apostar nisso.

Vocês têm alguma década de referência...
Pedro – Como temos idades diferentes...vai sempre desde os anos 60 até hoje. Eu consigo ligar as décadas todas, o que me interessa de 60´s é quase identico ao que me interessa de 80´s, os 90´s das décadas acho que é a pior de todas, mas é a década deles por isso é problemático eu estar a falar disto, mas o que me interessa de 90´s é o que vêm de 80´s. O trip hop foi um pouco interessante....

Aquele vosso video que está no youtube têm uma estética um pouco oitentas.... É propositado?
Pedro – Foi por acaso.
Henrique – Os recursos não davam para mais.

Do EP editado para as novas músicas existem diferenças?
Henrique – Há uma grande diferença em termos estéticos, bem, nós apostamos no formato canção acima de tudo, portanto tem que partir sempre de uma boa canção para depois podermos estar à vontade para brincar ou para nos sentirmos confortáveis, é que somos uma banda muito eclética, temos alguma riqueza em termos de influências, algum bom gosto pessoal na minha óptica que nos permite estar um pouco à vontade e dar esse salto do EP para agora. Acho que foi um salto qualitativo muito grande.

Além do EP não editaram mais nada?
Henrique – Já participamos numa colectânea de tributo a um autor americano, o Scott Walker e participamos na colectânea de novo rock português pela Chiado Records.
Para o futuro álbum gravamos dezassete músicas, dessas falta negociar quais estarão no alinhamento final do disco ou não. São canções muito diferentes umas das outras mas com o tal ponto comum que é o formato canção. Mas estamos sempre em permanente evolução.

Pedro, já estiveste em várias bandas...
Pedro – Eu e o Carlos, que é curioso pois em todas as bandas em que toquei ele tocou também, desde uma banda dos oitentas com influência do pós punk, os Actvs Tragicvs, depois os Cello, mais electrónico, e os Raindogs, uma coisa mais Tindersticks, Nick Cave...

E Corsage? É um nome muito bonito, com um duplo sentido, de onde veio a ideia?
Pedro– Corsage foi o Henrique que sacou.
Henrique – É uma peça de vestuário feminino, o que por si só é uma estética um pouco pop e depois também pensei na abreviatura da era dos corsários, corsários age, que reflecte um bocado o estado social e politico em que vivemos.

Falando nessa questão social vocês tocaram a seguir ao Maxime na Crew Hassan a propósito do movimento Porta 65 fechada. Existe alguma preocupação social na vossa música?
Henrique – Claro, é impossivel ficares indiferente ás questões sociais pelas quais reges a tua vida, mas não é uma banda politica, é uma banda social, não social democrata entenda-se...

Eles tocam dia 5 de Abril no Bacalhoeiro com direito a DJ set dos próprios e do José dos Partners in Crime. O Gang vai lá estar. Enquanto não chega o dia podem ir ao myspace dar uma “ouvidela”. aqui

Entrevista por O Rapaz do Chapéu.

Desenvolvimentos

Acabo de voltar da oficina. A Scoopy seguiu ontem para lá, por reboque. A peritagem estava marcada para hoje, às 08:30, mas não consegui ver o tipo, parece que as horas indicadas pela seguradora continuam a ser isso mesmo, indicações. O perito aparece quando lhe apetecer.


Estive a olhar bem para a scooter e nem há assim muito para arranjar, a Scoopy é muito resistente. Mesmo muito. Aliás, comprovem vocês mesmo, as fotos que apresento são as consequências visíveis de um embate a 40-50 km/h com um BMW, cujo dono diz que ficou com o para-choques partido!


Mecanicamente, em termos de motor, suspensões, travagem, parece estar tudo normal. Depois de duas semanas parada, pegou à segunda. A direcção está torta e a roda talvez empenada, não sei.


O pior são os plásticos, aquilo é tudo feito de pequenos encaixes e com uma pancada, partem-se metade. Os painéis ficam no sítio na mesma, com o resto dos encaixes a segurar, mas depois abana tudo e é ruidos e rangidos que nunca mais acabam.


Um olhar mais atento para o escape e vão descobrir uma marca na grelha de protecção. Aquilo está amachucado, mas não foi de bater no BMW, nem de bater no asfalto. Aparentemente foi o meu pé...

Yet Another Memorial for Gary Gygax

Sounds like it was a piece of guerrilla public art, erected on the MIT campus.My favorite so far.

Thanx to B and B Yamaha KTM, Lancaster PA

A special thanx to the B&B Yamaha KTM, Lancaster PA:

Justin, in parts, has proven very helpful getting metric hardware and even provided stainless without the size stamped on it; therefore no need to grind that off.

Donnie, the service manager, is very knowlegable and was helpful with rebuilding the front and rear shocks on these scoots. He builds racing suspension for Harleys currently and has a ton of experience.

If you're looking for hardware call these guys up. In the motorcycle world these guys are well known in the region, even outside the state.

My buddy Ted, works really close with these guys and they are all pretty jazzed about the Vespa SS180.

Metalheads for Obama

I'd like to say something clever about this, but am overwhelmed by its inherent cleverness. Sheer metal genius from Jay-Jay French, guitarist for Twisted Sister.

Parts List Available

If anyone would like my 85% complete (minus engine) parts list as an MS Excel file, email me and I will send it to you. I must have 8 hours (at least) invested in it. It is thorough and will save you a lot of time.

If should be fairly relevant for most LF Vespa models.

Email me at Jeremy at Bass Monkey with the usual ending, not a net or org or anything like that. I am getting hit with the SPAM bad.

Budget Update: What's spent so far?

To date, here's what's been spent on the SS180 restoration:

$3,734 -- Services and parts
$123 -- Cables, steering column bearings, wire harness, etc.
$12.50 -- Powder coat rear shock spring
$55 -- Reassembly parts ordered
$18 -- three tire inner tubes from B&B Yamaha in Lancaster, PA.
$25 -- hardware, spark plugs, oil
$105 -- Grommets order #1 plus more
$55 -- Grommets order #2 plus more
$35 -- Grommets order #3 plus more
$91 -- Rubber, chrome, and more
$16 -- Red indicator light from Greg Clauss (Clauss Studios)
$4 -- Trasmission oil and hardware from B & B Yamaha, Lancaster PA

Roughly, we've spent a total of $4,265.00 so far. This includes the price of the scooter and everything since day one.

I suspect that we are $150, at the highest, away from completion. Therefore, this restoration will come in just under $4,500. The number is higher than the original $3200 to $3800 which I thought it would cost.

Parts ordered for finishing up the reassembly

Just ordered and shipped out from First Kick today:

(1) 139933 gasket for fuel pet cock $.60

(2) 83333 strap for air bellow Piaggio $7.90 both

(2) 90958 plug/screw in type for frame $1.20 both

(1) FRKR floor rail kit for Rally $47.95

(1) 73210 glovebox rubber in grey $22.95

Total: $91.00 including shipping

I am hunting down the balance of parts I need. Right now I am only dealing with three shops: Scooter Shop, MotorSport, & First Kick.

Protect your paint during reassembly

Just a thought . . .

Use painter's tape on your freshly painted scoot on all areas where metal will touch metal before assembling to avoid chipping or scratching the paint. My bike will require some very very minor touch-up, but could have avoided it all together had we use painter's tape.

Final Reassembly Parts List

I am hopeful to order the following items this weekend :

(80349) Piaggio emblem

(135231 or 90512) Grey rubber for packing cowls QTY: 2 (preferably Pascoli)

(85072) Black center mat

(56729) Saddle lock w/hardware

(S. 6068) Seal for the fuel assembly to gas tank

(3221) Straps for fuel line Qty: 2

(10855) Jubilee clip for bellow

(77668) Jubilee clip for bellow

(71966 & 71967) Legshield chrome trim w/hardware

(71002??) Left RALLY headset cover -- goes on the underside

(71003??) Right RALLY headset cover -- goes on the underside

(S.14564) Cover sec. screw

(????) Floor rail kit (I suspect I'd use a Rally kit)

(????) Extra hardware for mounting badges and fender crest

(???? ) Grey glove box rubber (preferably Pascoli)

(????) Hardware to install the two center mat strips (I will reuse my strips)

(????) Tractor tail light "CEV" lens

(????) One mirror true to the era

New Serenity/Firefly Comic

Looks like Joss Whedon is not quite ready to abandon the Firefly universe. The first issue of a new Serenity limited-series comic called Better Days was published just a couple days ago.I haven't been able to get my grubby little talons on a copy yet, but I'm pretty excited about the project, especially since it is set as a prequel to the feature film, so two of my favorite characters should

Reassembly: Progress is made

Here's a sneak peak with the status of the SS180 reassembly with my buddy Ted above. Ted has done most of the work and has been teaching me a lot along the way. We spent over three hours on it last night and will spend quite a bit more on a weekly basis moving forward.
It looks really clean and I am beginning to get very excited about the progress being made.
We're going to be able to add fuel soon and fire it up.
Without a doubt this is my favorite stage of the restoration, because the countless hours of research and shopping for parts is paying off.
Cables and electrical are all run. Oil will go into the tranny soon and the gas tank will be installed in the near future.

Fuel what?

Originally, I though I did have the sediment bowl, but alas I was wrong. I had this:
I don't know what the heck it is, but I know it's not Vespa.
Do you know what the heck this thing is? And why it would be used on a Vespa? Please leave a comment. I am curious.

VSC Speedo

On the later American released SS 180s the headset featured the round headlight that was also used for the Rally 180/200. They did not use the clamshell speedo.

I made a mistake by ordering using the part numbers from the VSB/VSC parts manual as you can see above and below.
I am working on exchanging these parts for the correct ones. I am replacing the glass and seals and aim to reuse the bezel and speedo plate -- to pay homage to the original bike.

Rivalidades

Estão a ver aquela típica rivalidade entre motards e "essa malta das aceleras, que nem são motas a sério?". A verdade é que ela existe. Por incrível que pareça, a pequena (muito pequena) minoria que são os utilizadores de veículos de duas rodas é dada a tribalismos destes (e mais alguns). Para descontrair, fiquem com esta magnifica mini-curta metragem, onde podemos ver uma pequena disputa entre uma Transalp e um moped que não consigo identificar...

Vespa Gang Mod Club no Europa

fotos São Trindade

Estavamos com saudades disto. Desde Novembro no mesmo Europa que não havia festa.
Mas finalmente aconteceu e com o habitual frenesim na pista de dança devido aos habitués que já sabem ao que vão e aos
muitos caloiros que não se arrependeram. É disto que o Gang gosta, ver as pessoas a dançar, a divertir-se.
Muita gente que não conheciamos e que fizeram questão de marcar presença, lá estiveram a dançar ao som do Pedro 42 na sua estreia só com ska e northern soul e do Professor X e do Raí que desta vez capricharam bastante nos 60´s com uns pequenos interlúdios de Paul Weller e outros clássicos do Gang.
Destaque especial para a surpresa da noite que foi uma mini actuação da estreante Original Bandalheira, fanfarra de ska, jazz, música de leste...que aqueceu os presentes e as projecções de João Curiti. Obrigado a todos eles pela contribuição. Obrigado também à São Trindade pelas fotografias que tirou e que podem ver neste post.
Uma noite bonita; muitas vespas (e uma lambretta) à porta e lá dentro gente com estilo a dançar...

Não se acanhem, para para serem adicionados à mailing list mandem mails para;
vespagangmodclub@gmail.com

O Rapaz do Chapéu.