It is complete!

Well ahead of schedule, (I thought it was going to be February before I was able to ride down the street), the P200 and sidecar are together and installed, and I had the pleasure of riding around the block a few times to the smell of a Sito Plus exhaust burning its factory coat of paint.

The sound is WAAAY throatier than the stock exhaust, and with the 24/24 carb and altered airbox I can definitely feel the difference from the factory setup.

This thing really hums along now - and I am looking forward to the new year and warmer weather that it brings to get out and ride!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

The Sidercar is here!

Well, the painter called and said the hack was complete and dry - so I went to pick it up.

He did an awesome job.  I took the fender and put foam tape in between it and the body of the sidecar.  I then bolted it in. I installed the brake light as well.  I used pop rivets to fasten the buttons for the cover onto the sidecar, and then installed the windshield with acorn nuts on the inside, to keep knees from getting scraped as one enters/exits the sidecar.  It is complete and awaits mounting onto the sidecar frame, which I rattle canned flat black, and it turned out most excellent, if I might say so myself.

Floowboards and Glove Box

I had to fit and remove the glovebox 4 times in order to get the hint that you can't have the rubber seal its sides AND the chrome edge trim installed at once.  I did some surgery on the glovebox rubber seal and removed the side portions, and installed the box for the final time.

I also added the floorboards and rubber insert.  For the plastic endcaps I decided not to use blind rivets, and drilled holes in them.  I needed to do some countersinking, but the sivler on black look just really looks neat.

I also used acorn nuts for the forward looking screws.  It really looks WAY better than a squashed rivet end loking you in the face.

Finally, here is everything so far (I also put together but did not mount the front fork, which is not so exciting to look at...).

Back From Paint!

I brought back all of the painted parts (except the sidecar, which had a run on it because of the fact that the metallic paint "moves" once it is sprayed).  My paint guy said he will sand and repaint the part and have the sidecar ready by Wednesday.

The paint is AWESOME.  The color really glistens in the sun, and with a little bit of chrome to add some shiny contrast, the bike is looking fine:

Airbox Modification

Hello!

Its been a while...  Picking up the first load of parts (all of the pepper white ones) today. At least I can put together the left cowl and the front fork assembly...

The green ones are being painted today and will be picked up Thursday.

I modified the airbox (again, with the assistance of a friend) and now it is ready to accept the 24/24 carburetor.

Done With Sanding - Ready for Paint!

Well,

I spent the entire day sanding 9 scooter parts with 400 grit wet sand paper.  Then with an
abrasive pad.   Then sanding with 600 grit sand paper.  And finally, a job taping all of the
stuff off that should not be painted.  Now we are ready to drop all of this stuff off at the
paint shop.  Now I know what the guys from Orange County Choppers feel like...

And here is what the garage looks like... Hope my wife doesn't find out!

Derek

Complete Teardown!!!

Well, a friend of mine, coaxed with a large pepperoni and sausage pizza and a carton of Paul Newman's Lemonade, was able to help me with disassembly of the scoot.  It is now ready for some sanding...

Note the bobsled-looking sidecar body leaning against the tool cabinet, and the engine, exhaust

and old front fork in the picture, along with various cables, nuts, bolts, and other things I have

no idea about.  Don't even ask me where they go.

New parts are on the white paper sheets in the background, in front of the silver scooter.

D

P200 Up on a Stand and Ready for Rework

Well, here is the P200 up on a homemade stand built by yours truly.

The engine, front fork and headset need to be removed in preparation
for sanding.  Then it is off to paint!

D

The P200 before rework...

Intro / Welcome

Hello!

Just a quick greeting to you and introduction to my blog.  I have 2 scooters - a 2006 Vespa GTS (250cc 4 stroke, electronically injected), and a 1981 Vespa P200E (200cc 2 stroke, self mixing).  The P200 has a sidecar which is connected most of the time.  My wife and I belong to a local scooter club (the Sonoma County Scooterists) and love riding around Northern California's wine country.

The 1981 P200 is currently disassembled in my garage, and after a brief wait for parts will shortly undergo a complete repainting from its original red 'Vino Rosso' to a two toned 'Pepper White' and 'British Racing Green', both of which are found on the BMW Mini Cooper.


I will post photos when I can.


Derek