Wednesday 25 March 2009

Vespa Gang Mod Club #Março

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No sábado passado, aconteceu mais uma noite daquelas nossas. Muita gente nova a aparecer e adicionar-se a nossa mail list. Agora já estão "in"side da nossa pequena scene. Cada dia que passa a familia modernista, cresce. Os scooterboys, desta vez falharam, apenas o Ferreira, Costini marcaram presença com os seus dance moves northern soul. Com as temperaturas primaveris em alta, parece que foram para a Serra da Estrela... Mas ligaram a meio da noite, muito divertidos a perguntar como estava a malta que ficou na cidade.
Nós divertimo-nos muito.
On the move....
Por enquanto podemos adiantar que estamos a preparar a próxima "reunião" de Abril, onde se vai comemorar a editora mais conhecida de Detroit... Mais, não dizemos. Para aguçar o apetite, é ficar atento, ás nossas movimentações aqui no blog. Para Maio... apenas podemos dizer que o aniversário do Vespa Gang vai ter um outro local para os festejos. Será junto ao mar? Ou com vista para o rio? Fiquem atentos a este espaço ou no nosso Twitter da moda...

Monday 23 March 2009

Parts to order

In order to wrap this bike up I need the following parts:

(1967 Vespa SS180 with the round VSD headlight)

1) Grey rubber trim for the glove box door

2) Two securing pins for glove box door (prt #97523)

3) Bulb for the VSD/Rally speedo

4) Bulb for high beam light on VSC

5) A connector for the high beam light, see picture:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmu91YuHLnXHnDRgwV2ZFCUVfbZO_VKBw2Q3aTlabr6psQcND9Jed5NpdPDO1WI_wJBx0-PAB2OsIyzpesTS9yrwLgqIrjeHQS-9rOkyCe58zVG4Q1lz5xWmnHb5tifcjl-6lNR7x7aOO/s1600-h/VSC_HeadLight6.JPG

6) Fuel rod in black (prt #84224)

7) Copper spark plug clip (may be prt #127966 -- not sure)

8) Brake switch (prt # 181637)

9) Two screws to secure headlight bezel on a VSD (prt #S. 15544)

Friday 20 March 2009

Grinding hardware stamps

As you know the stock kickstand hardware was not stainless steel, nor did it have a stamp on it. I want stainless steel, but I do not want the stamp; therefore I grind'd all four bolt heads for the kickstand hardware. Also note that there are two different washer sizes here. I was in a hurry before I moved West so I just got the bike together. Now that I am settled I can correct those minor errors.

I used my Dremel and just very lightly ground down the stamps and made it all look even. I was able to handhold the bolts.


It is my hope that over the time the bolt head will weather a little bit and look a little more stock with less glossy shine on where I polished it with the Dremel.

Thursday 19 March 2009

HeadLight Assembly & Headset Internals

As my readers may remember there were two items that needed my attention with the headset, but I went ahead and put it together before we moved to make sure nothing got lost in transit.Pictured above the headlight bezel screw that broke when installing the headlight bezel.  This headlight assembly fits a VSD (the Rally 180/200).  Remember that the later year VSCs in the USA were required to have a round headset.  The screw pictured here is part S15544 at ScooterWorks, where I bought the assembly.
To remove the bezel I heated it so the metal would expand with a heat gun.  It took about one to two minutes.
When ever banging on the Vespa I look for the softest thing I can find, such as a wooden paint stirrer.  The bezel was too snug, due to paint.  So I gently tapped the rubber mallet against the wood paint stirrer and it worked great.
Above note: the broken bezel screw and a chip from the paint.  This is okay, because the headset is aluminum and will not rust.  Plus the bezel will hide it and no one will ever see it.
Another close up of the broken bezel screw.
I need to replace both that screw and the bezel hardware for 1970s headlight assemblies, part number #15221 at ScooterWorks.
The headset assembly was supposed to arrive with a light bulb.  It did not.  I need one.  I used a Sharpie to label what wires plugged into what terminals.
The final items I need for the headset is the terminal for the speedo light bulb as well as the bulb itself.

I have more done on the Vespa and will post more soon.  I also have been working more on my Bajaj Chetak.  You'll never guess what I found during the oil change.  Click here to find out.


13º IberoVespa - Arganil

Mais uma edição do maior evento vespista nacional está já aí ao virar da esquina.Desta feita o Vespa Clube de Lisboa muda-se, de armas e bagagens, para o centro do país, escolhendo o concelho de Arganil e as suas belas paisagens para receber a 13ª edição do IberoVespa. Podem contar com paisagens de cortar a respiração, passeios inesquecíveis e muita animação.O evento ficará sediado no Parque de

Wednesday 18 March 2009

What the hell is in my oil filter?

Two days ago I changed my oil on my Chetak and you will never guess what I found in the outside of my oil filter?! It looks like two torn pieces of engine seals. They are a back paper-like substance. I have over 6,000 miles on my bike; therefore I know these two torn pieces are not recent.

As an added precaution, I always check my oil filter for slivers of metal, possibly from clutch wear and alike. To do this I stick a white paper towel inside the oil filter so I have the silver metal or any other alien form pops out from the white paper towel background.

After that I use compressed air to blow the filter clean from the inside out. This frees it of all debris.

I emailed my mechanic, who worked for Bajaj USA at their corporate office and at a Bajaj dealer (also Vespa, Lambretta, and everything else) as a head mechanic, and this is what he had to say:

"Be honest with you, I have been a mechanic for almost ten years and I have seen a lot of crazy stuff coming out when performing oil changes. Normally, I will not worry about it unless the engine sounds weird or runs like crazy.

Do you have any problem with the engine? Any oil leak? Any idle issue? If not, then don't worry about it since those pieces are already broken or came off."


With that response, I filled it up with new oil and will ride the bike and pay special attention to it as all of my answers are "no" to my mechanic's questions.

FOLLOW-UP FROM MECHANIC AFTER SEEING THIS PICTURE:
Jeremy,

Looks like those things are the engine case paper gasket. Do you have any oil leak out from your engine? If not, don't worry at all.

What happen are..... those engine paper gaskets for most of the time are larger than what it is supposed to be. And sometimes due to the engine design, gasket can't cut out exectly or match the engine cases because if everything matches the paper gasket are not strong enough to seal, hold and keep the oil inside the engine. For some cases, when the extra stick out paper gasket inside the egine has soaked oil for too long, they will be soft enough and tear themselves apart. That is what you see in the screen filter. And that is why engine will leak oil when they get old. And of couse, the material to make the paper gasket is also important. For bajaj you don't expect they are top qualities.

So for now, if you have any oil leak, you know what happen.

Hope this information would help you.

Kent

Monday 16 March 2009

Rewiring the junction box correctly

Recently I have been working more on my Bajaj Chetak and some body work on my wife's Chetak in an effort to be ready for a Rally ride in three weeks. To see what is happening with the Bajaj's click here. I need to add a post on the Bajaj site to share an interesting thing I found in the oil filter some time in this week.

For info on the rally see the flyer below:



Tonight I replaced the grommets around the junction box to the correct ones. Here's what it looked like first.
Note the incorrect grommets.

Here's what the wiring looks like complete inside the junction box:


To save myself time, I made a diagram to remind myself how to rewire it quickly:


I looked closely at the Technica photo and made sure this time I got it correct. Here's what it looks like:
Note: the only thing I am unhappy is about is the bottom grommet has two holes and I meant to run the wires from the PX HT Coil (mod) through the top hole closest to us so it would be less noticable, but I messed up. In the grand scheme of things, this isn't an issue in any way.

The anoraks may note that my screw for the junction box is also not stock.

Encontro marcado para...

Sábado. Porque é a festa do Vespa Gang...

flyermarço09

Monday 9 March 2009

Dance Craze #2 e Resistência Vespa

Dance Craze - Março

Para quem gosta de soul, ska os nossos companheiros Pedro 42 e Mod 64 vão animar o bar acercadanoite em Almada Velha, esta próxima sexta. Uma boa sugestão dançante!



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Recebemos este mail do Vespa Racing Portugal:

Atenção! Caros aficcionados das resistências, não há tempo a perder....a abertura das inscrições para as 6 HORAS DE RESISTÊNCIA.
Atendendo ao sucesso da edição de 2007 (nr: onde o nosso team Vespa Gang obteve o 3º lugar da geral), este ano vamos voltar mais uma vez em força ao Kartódromo de Leiria.

É só fazer o download do boletim de inscrição em www.vesparacingpt.com

As inscrições são limitadas e serão aceites no máximo até Domingo dia 27/03/2009. O valor de inscrição é de 30€ + 6€(seguro) por participante.

O Horário e restantes informações podem ser consultados nos Regulamentos Geral, Técnico, e Particular, que vão estar online em www.vesparacingpt.com.

Cada equipa poderá ser constituída por um número mínimo de 2 condutores e máximo de 6 condutores.

Informações pelos tlm: 963961840 ou 913401625 ou vesparacingpt@gmail.com .

Todos os interessados estão ainda a tempo de tirar o pó às vespas (ou outras scooters classicas) e prepará-las para este evento. O que interessa é participar!

Sunday 8 March 2009

Tires

I ride Michelin S3s, which are the sport Michelin tires. I like them, because they give good road performance and they can put on a lot of miles.

My wife's white walls are Sava Kran touring tires. I have been warned about using these tires many times because of the poor quality. I had them installed on my Bajaj Chetak and will say they did not last many miles the tread was gone. Secondly, the rubber has begun to harder on my wife's second pair of Sava Kran white walls. This will result in cracks and hardened rubber looses traction on the concrete, which could result in a crash. My wife also had a rear tire blow out with her Sava Kran and the tires little blew out and has a big hole in it. I will no longer buy Sava Krans or white walls in general, because they have the reputation of rubber that hardens quickly. The stock tires on the Bajaj are not the best choice for riding either.

My wife prefers touring tires as they are better in rain and they provide a more stable ride -- plus they look stock and true to the era of scoots.

My wife's scoot is getting a tune-up as we are about to ride on a 125 mile ride at a rally next month (HTTH8 Rally) in the San Francisco / East Bay area and our mechanic told us her tires and tubes are not in good shape, which we weren't surprised to hear. I knew I would not have time to go to a local shop and then drive them to my mechanic for over a week because my life is too busy; therefore I opted to order online and ship to my mechanic, which was a good financial choice as the tires cost $45 each with tax locally, and I paid $31 each and got free shipping online with Motorcycle Super Store.

The scoot won't look the same without the white walls, but my wife doesn't care. She just wants tires she can count on!

Saturday 7 March 2009

Update for March

Folks, I am working on the Vespa -- just started. I have my list and am working on it here and there. Photos to follow soon.

Today I worked on my wife's Bajaj Chetak, which needed hammer and dolly work. It was my first time. Worked out pretty good. It's documented here.

Bent scooter and broken ankle

In September 2008, while riding down Market Steet (San Francisco) to work, my wife's rear tire blew out. She did not have a jack for her -- it was in my bike. Guillermo, of Lambretta Works, pulled over on his Lammy and gave her a hand. 

The following week Lisa was hit by a stray motorcycle, which broke her ankle and rolled the frame of her scooter's floorboard of her Bajaj Chetak.  Not the best seven days of her life.
A car was a full stop, with its emergency blinkers on, on Market Street just above the Castro. My wife stopped behind the car. She looked behind her and saw a motorcycle closing in to fast and the rider went down and was separated from his bike. He slid into the median and the bike slid towards her. She dropped her scoot into gear to move, but was hit before she could release the clutch. The motorcycle slid for quite a distance at quite a speed and bounced off of Lisa's scooter. The problem is it hit her ankle first, because her legs were down and she was at a complete stop.

Our estimate was done by Barry at SF Scooter Center and is for about $900. The bike would also benefit from a tune-up. Being that these bikes are not super valuable and our Bajaj Chetaks are our utilitarian transports, we likely will not have too much work done on the bike.

More to follow when we decide what to do with the bike. 

In the mean time, Lisa's ankle has gotten a lot better. There is a chip of bone that small and the ligaments are holding it in place and scar tissue is forming around it. She had to wear a brace for a month and use crutches. She is pretty lucky. I was able to ride the bike home.  The motorcycle rider was luck as well and was able to walk after the accident.  Clearly, it was his fault.  He lost control of his bike.

UPDATE:
Due to the fact that the Bajaj is far from a rare desirable scooter, it doesn't make much sense to overly invest in the repair of the body work and paint, which could be $1000 to have that done; therefore Barry G. of SF Scooter Centre recommended just hammering it out.

I took my first crack at hammer and dolly today, after researching it a bit.  Note: for truly "moving metal" leave that to the artists!  Heat, cold, and a bunch of other stuff beyond me go into that.



Overall, my goal was to only clean up the dent, not have a perfectly restored piece.


The secret is not to hit hard and to keep the support weight stable.


Overall, for my purposes I am happy with the result and more importantly so is my wife, who owns and rides this Chetak.



The floor rail mat will cover this spot so to the naked eye people won't even know it ever happened, unless they lift the floor rail mat up or are beneath the bike.

Now all that is left is to sand the areas of paint that surround the bare metal. I will then put a coat of touch up paint on the bare metal to avoid rust in the future.

Monday 2 March 2009

Safety Matches

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A guitarra do Fred, urgente ou delicodoce quando necessário, com personalidade... o baixo vincado e eficaz da Filipa...a bateria minimal e a voz perfeita da Ingrid... e um som low fi, prepositadamente amador...e no meio das referências a originalidade. Pop. Indie. Twee...que anda em extinção por cá. Uma pérola escondida que descobri e fiquei fã. O Vespa Gang orgulha-se de apresentar; Safety Matches!

Fred, explica-nos o que é o subgénero de indiepop designado por twee.
 Esta coisa das etiquetas dos géneros e subgéneros é sempre um bocado arriscada e ambígua! hehehe... Penso que o twee terá surgido mais fortemente a meio dos anos 80, em Inglaterra na ressaca do C86 com bandas como Shop Assistants, Razorcuts, Talulah Gosh ou the Pastels que misturavam a atitude D.I.Y. e a velocidade do punk com elementos garage, soul e bubblegum dos anos 60. Ao mesmo tempo, nos Estados Unidos, bandas como Beat Happening, Cub ou Tatle Tale e editoras como a K Records apostavam na mesma fórmula. O resultado foi uma música muito simples e crua, por um lado, e muito harmónica, principalmente nos vocais, por outro, acompanhada por letras geralmente bastante inocentes e por vezes mesmo infantis e uma estética muito "cute".

Existem então na raíz influências dos anos sessenta, tipo The Byrds, Velvet Underground, girl groups...
 Completamente! As guitarras são geralmente "jangly" como as dos Byrds, as harmonias vocais vão beber às girl groups e aos grupos da Motown como as Shirelles ou as Shangri-Las e o som é muito Phil Spector com uma batida minimal que faz lembrar muitas vezes a Maureen Tucker e os Velvet.
 
O que é interessante é isso ser aliado à filosofia "do it yourself" do punk...
Sim, isto tudo acompanhado por fanzines, clubes, concertos, festivais e pequenas editoras totalmente D.I.Y. como a Sarah Records, K Records, Subway Records e muitas outras.

Escolhe uma banda dos primórdios, dos anos oitenta, que tu indicarias como iniciação a quem quiser conhecer melhor a cena twee. E porquê?
 Hummmm... não vou escolher uma, mas duas: Talulah Gosh e Beat Happening. Porque embora dentro do mesmo género, tendo a mesma atitude e influências, penso que soam bastante diferentes e isso é uma coisa muito positiva... e é por isso que eu acho que as etiquetas dos géneros são perigosas... hahahah.
 
Parece que vocês são a única banda do género em Portugal...
Infelizmente, neste momento, parece que sim. Pelo menos que eu saiba. O que não nos ajuda muito. Nunca temos nenhuma banda do mesmo género com quem tocar. As pessoas também parecem não perceber muito bem o que estamos para ali a tocar. Acho que faz falta uma "cena" para podermos puxar uns pelos outros. Mas talvez as coisas estejam a melhorar...

Esta é a vossa primeira entrevista para Portugal?
 Para Portugal, sim, e agradecemos muito ao Vespa Gang Mod Club. Há cerca de duas semanas demos uma entrevista a uma webzine estrangeira, a “Sleepwalking Magazine” aqui.
 
Como é que surgiu a banda?
Quando conheci a Ingrid, já há uns bons 12 ou 13 anos, mostrei-lhe umas músicas que tinha escrito e gravado. Ela adorou e propôs-me logo formarmos uma banda. Como a voz da Ingrid é totalmente twee ajudou ainda mais a irmos por esse caminho mas logo à partida queriamos um projecto muito D.I.Y. e por isso passámos anos fechados no quarto a gravar dezenas de músicas até a Filipa entrar para podermos tocar ao vivo.
 
Pensam editar algo em breve?
Nós temos um single editado pela americana Cloudberry Records aqui., talvez a maior editora twee neste momento, a par com a regressada Slumberland. A edição está esgotada e tem-nos dado alguma projecção lá fora. Estamos a começar a gravar melhor algumas músicas para um EP que ainda não sabemos se vai ser editado nós ou se por alguma editora lá fora.
 
capa do single

Nas festas mensais do Gang já passou Talulah Gosh, Shop Assistants, Los Fresones Rebeldes...Existe mais algum local onde isso passe cá em Portugal?
Eu não tenho saído muito ultimamente mas não conheço nenhum sítio actualmente que passe esse tipo de bandas. Fico muito contente e espero poder ir às proximas!

Para os curiosos podem visitar o myspace deles aqui.

Leonel de Jesus (O Rapaz do Chapéu)