A new scooter, It was meant to be.

This scooter thing is a real disease. You get the bug badly and if you are lucky enough to be able to stop yourself at one, all power to you! Hasn't worked for me. I'm hooked.

Let me introduce Sophia, a '67 SS180 in fairly good nic for an import. I'm doing a bit of a rebirth with her so expect it to take some time but was very happily surprised with the overall condition and fundamental running gear all fantastic. (note here, if the fundamentals are buggered I'd recommend that you didn't attempt a resto-too hard!)

So the price was right, the colour is my favourite in the world (that lovely cobalt blue) and its a 1967 SS just like me!! (born in 67 and my initials are SS) It was meant to be!! :)

So another project has started, great for winter and in lead up to my dream trip to Italy- planned for September or October when the weather is great and scooting through Tuscany will be a dream. I've found the Vespa Hire place, but at $66 euro a day I've been haggling! :) I have friends over there (Hi Zayney) who say they can find me an older vespa to 'borrow' for a few weeks but will see what they come up with first i think!

Stay tuned for the trip plan- will add it all here as I make decisions about where I'm staying etc

I'll be centering around this lovely quaint area of Italy, staying near here-Montalcino- as I have has dreams of riding through those avenues of pines since I was about 18! :)

Staying in agriturismo as it's cheap and gorgeous!

The SS

First step, getting rid of the inappropriate chrome!

As you can never trust what fuel mix the previous owner has used or how much they have cared for the fuel system, my first job with a new scooter (before I even try to kick it over for the first time) is to empty the fuel tank and check it out.

You may not like what you find!

This is what was left after the fuel came out! Ick!

So it's pointless cleaning the tank and renewing the fuelcock filters etc if you don't go through the entire sytem from woe to go so I renewed the old fuel line, filters and float as it was flooding the carb due to a small hole allowing fuel in making it too heavy to engage float needle, hence too much fuel and then moved on to the engine....




Systematically checking all the other crucial bits and pieces for wear and tear

Get ready for the big clean

I love a good winter project, I have to order some parts & will be spending lots of cold hours in the workshop over the next month or so but it will be a dream when I can roll her out of the shed when it's done.

Parts needed (that I know of so far)

gear sleeve washer

oil seals as is running very rich for no real reason

front wheel bearings

carb gasket set and maybe new needle?

Air filter (might put a foam pod in there yet?)

Points set

front and rear badges just to make her look right