Cowl Installation

The cowl trim rubber was easy to install. You need to cut a "V" in the rubber around the peg at the front of the cowl to get the rubber to fit properly.
Once the cowls were on I was shocked to see how wide the scoot's butt was in comparison to some other scooters.  Note that the seat is NOT correct.  The flip is missing and I will have it added at a later date.  In the archive I did a big write-up about the seat and how upset I am over it.  That's an easy fix though.  The seat frame is original.  The seat is not installed.  I just put it on so my wife could see pictures of her bike.
Make sure you remove all rubber grommets before it gets painted. I found that the white grommets for the cowl pegs were still in my bike and I carefully drilled them out using a stepping system with the drill bits. When the grommet was thin enough I very carefully used the needle nose pliers to pull it all the way out before installing the new ones.  Beneath the engine cowl is a properly wired junction box.  A blog entry to follow on that.

I used Ariete rubber. I am not as happy with the trim pieces I bought long ago for the cowls and the front fender. I am not sure of the quality yet.  They are too shiny to look stock in my humble opinion.
It sure looks nice to see the scoot with cowls on, as-if progress is being made.

Grommet Order Placed

Yesterday, I placed the following order along with these prices for my wife's 31st birthday (seeing as the VSC is her bike). We were lucky enough to receive cash from family. We hope to get more . . . we probably need about $200 more.

When possible, I got NOS (and paid for it) and I requested only Italian or German rubber -- no Indian-made. When packaging it, the scooter shop will check everything and replace or not ship/not charge Indian parts. I will pay for the quality. Of course, with 40 year NOS parts, it's possible the lives will not be another 40 years.

Here's the order:

1. Centerstand spring (Part: 47872). New $8.95

2. Seat Buffers (Part: 56730). NOS $5.00 each

3. Fuel rod grommet (Part: 47460). New $2.00

4. Fuel line grommet (Part: 84262). New $2.50

5. Fuel line to airbox rubber. New $2.50

6. Grommet for electrical harness and spark plug wire. Using a Vespa PX HT coil. NOS $2.00

7. Grommet to frame wiring. New $2.00

8. Cable grommet for HT coil wires (Part: 48171). New $4.95

9. Cable Hose (Part: 90541). NOS $5.00

10. Throttle and choke cable grommet. Fits 60s to 80s Vespas. New $2.50

11. Grommet for clutch gears and rear brake. New $3.00

12. Cowl hook grommet (Qty: 2). White nice $3.00

13. Cowl peg buffer (Part: 87488) (Qty:2). White new $6.96/each

14. Fuel line grommet for more most 60s and 70s Vespas. New $3.95

15. Gas Tank Cap Gasket for large frames (Part: 56678). New $2.50

16. Seal for the fuel assembly – goes beneath the sediment bowl (Part: 26042). NOS $2.00

17. Fuel assembly gasket for inside gas tank. New $2.00

18. 4 hole gasket for fuel cock assembly. Fits GS and Super Sport (Part: 13836). New $3.95

19. Gasket for air bellow connection (Part: 97493). Quality/New $15.00

20. Brake pedal rubber in BLACK. Italian new $4.50

21. Brake switch gasket (Part: 82783). New grey $3.95

22. Brake Bellow for most 60s and 70s Vespas (Part: 57321). New $4.50

23. Clamshell Speedo glass (Part: 84803). New $15.00

24. Clamshell Speedo gasket inside glass (Part: 84804) New $5.00

25. Clamshell Speedo gasket (Part: 49458?) New grey $4.50

26. Piaggio Speedo cable. New $14.99

27. Rubber grommet fits around steering lock. New $3.00

The order should arrive a week from Monday at the latest.

Order Placed

I just placed an order with ScooterWest for a few items. I wanted the air bellow, because everyone else sells it for $30 plus. The dang $10 shipping min. meant I needed to get a few more items to make it worth my while.

Here's what I ordered (two of the grommets were badly needed):

- GS/SS air bellow $18.95
- Coil cap & junction box set GS/SS $10.00
- Piaggio Grey Grips 24mm SS/Rally $14.40
- Lever screws $2.28

Total: $55.92

Frame Grommet List

Below is a list of the badly needed rubber grommets I need to proceed with the restoration. I am fine tuning the list, but in its current state it may save you time from needing to create one. I looked for a list that someone else already created, but couldn't find it. Why recreate the wheel, right? I hope this proves helpful for you:

1. Centerstand spring (Part: 47872).
2. Seat Buffers (Part: 56730)
3. Fuel rod grommet (Part: 47460).
4. Fuel line (Part: 93510).
5. Fuel line grommet (Part: 84262)
6. Fuel line to airbox rubber.
7. Grommet for electrical harness and spark plug wire. Using a Vespa PX HT coil.
8. Grommet to frame wiring?
9. Cable grommet for HT coil wires(Part: 48171).
10. Cable Hose (Part: 90541)
11. Throttle and choke cable grommet. Fits 60s to 80s Vespas.
12. Grommet for clutch gears and rear brake.
13. Qty: 2 -- Cowl hook grommet (Qty: 2)
14. QTY: 2 -- Cowl hook sheath (Part: 24041)
15. QTY: 2 -- Cowl peg buffer (Part: 87488)
16. Buffer for cowl latch (Qty: 2)
17. Fuel line grommet for more most 60s and 70s Vespas.
18. Gas Tank Cap Gasket for large frames (Part: 56678).
19. Seal for the fuel assembly – goes beneath the sediment bowl (Part: 26042)
20. Fuel assembly gasket for inside gas tank ????
21. 4 hole gasket for fuel cock assembly. Fits GS and Super Sport. (Part: 13836)
22. Air Bellow (Part: 97366)
23. Gasket for air bellow connection (Part: 97493)
24. Brake pedal rubber
25. Brake switch gasket (Part: 82783)
26. Brake Bellow for most 60s and 70s Vespas (Part: 57321)
27. PX HT Coil cover
28. UPPER -- Coil side insulating cap for VSB1-VSC1 (Part: 57042).
29. LOWER -- Coil side insulating cap for VSB1-VSC1 (Part: 56169).
30. Cable coil grommet.
31. Speedo nut top grommet.
32. Speedo sheath seal.
33. Clamshell Speedo glass (Part: 84803).
34. Clamshell Speedo gasket inside glass (Part: 84804)
35. Clamshell Speedo gasket (Part: 49458?)
36. Rubber grommet fits around steering lock.
37. Handle bar segment grommet. U-shape rubber grommet.
38. Front hub oil seal (Part: 94119).

Grommet Set

American Scooter Center sells a variety of rubber/grommet kits and you can save a pretty penny by buying it in bulk (so to speak) this way.
The set pictured above is for the Sprint/Rally and costs $13. I've gotten mixed messages on Scooter BBS. I'm told that most are correct, but a few aren't. I was also told that most are wrong and won't work and to boot many pieces are the wrong color. So I have emailed Collin for clarification. This is his response:

Hi Jeremy,

Most of the frame type stuff in that kit will work just fine. You will have a number of parts left over that will not work though.

SS/GS bikes have a number of unique rubbers though:

Frame gasket for metal air intake arm

Junction box rubbers (both sides are different)

Coil cover boot (I'm not sure if you're using the correct original bakelite coil or not)

Grommet that goes in the metal clip that holds the spark plug wire to the case

Airbox grommets ( there is a big one and a small one), for the metal SS airbox

The Rubber Air bellow is unique to SS/GS

That's all that I can remember off the top of my head..some of that stuff is available from ASC.

Cheers,

-Collin

ASC also sells grommet kits for the engine as well. These are Indian-made.

I need this kit soon, seeing as the engine is in as is the steering column and it's going to be time connect the cables, which are already run.

Avoid poor quality Indian rubber, which is more likely to dry and crack six months after installation. So always ask first. It will cost you more money/time in the first year if you buy cheap grommets.

SIP sells a kit for $43 made by MeCur -- should have high quality parts. This would be a smart approach. I have been told by a USA scoot shop that the SIP kit they got their client was Indian-made. I find this confusing. I am not that dialed in, but I have not heard that MeCur is outsourcing to India.

You should be safe with German or Italian-made products -- SIP and Pascoli. Don't waste your time with Indian.

Floor rail rubber is AVAILABLE

Hot off the press from my email:

Good afternoon,

The black rubber for the floor rail for your VSC is our code G2020 and it cost 15.00€.
Shipment cost for USA is 12.00€.
I can send you the parts by post.
The payment is by credit card.
For the payment I need those details of your credit card:
1. your name and surname 2. the 16 numbers in front of the credit card
3. the numbers behind the credit card (code CVV2)
4. the date of expiration

You can write me an e-mail or a fax (0039 0544 502079).

I' m waiting for a your answer.
Thanks,
Pascoli Mauro

Mauro Pascoli

Mauro Pascoli srl
Via Faentina 175/a - Centro MIR
48100 Fornace Zarattini - Ravenna,
C.F./P.IVA 01451600397
tel. 0544/502078 - fax. 0544/502079

NOTE: I will speak with Lisa and see if she wants a $50 brand new kit for the Rally or if she wants me to clean up the original kit and pay $30 for the rubber and $24 for the shipping. I need to keep in mind that this is Lisa's bike and the goal is for her to be happy with it and pleasing myself by not using any new parts. The reality is this bike will be a "babied" scoot that is "ridden" and used. This has never been a museum restoration. It has always been my wife's bike and lucky for me, she doesn't get hung up or give a crap what purists and others have to say about her bike. She tell them where to stick it. Me, on the hand, I am beating myself up over this, the holes in the cowl, and the seat. I hate mistakes. Please, as always, learn from my errors!