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The rusty old scooter.

I took a bit of a look last night. I think there are some unused switch positions, and if looks as though it's an on / off switch, high / low beam on the bottom triangular switch, and a high beam indicator. It's much easier to see whats going on with the cluster open.
Horn is easy. There's also a dedicated wire powering the coil hot, then traveling to the cluster. The killswitch simply grounds it out to chassis as far as I can tell.

The electric question was on my mind, so I started it and checked voltage. 7 VAC at idle up to 17 VAC when revved up. I had to keep reminding myself that I'm working on AC voltage when checking the switches.... as in not everything simply hits a switch then a load then goes to ground.
 
In order to help save a bit of confusion, I did testing on the original cluster. As suspected. Dirty, no continuity. I brushed it with some cleaner then dunked it in near boiling water. I then found this.

Rusted out spring preventing contact from contacting.
http://20170809_203306 by Glen Brenner, on Flickr

I took the piece from the other cluster, and completed going thru the electrics. Probably a little more in depth then necessary, but I find that drawing out circuits helps me to understand them better.

http://20170809_215039-1 by Glen Brenner, on Flickr

Edit.....Theres a missing wire from my sketch, so all of you guys and gals restoring a Raleigh Roma / Wards Riverside / Bianchi Orsetto scooters standby.....:o
 
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When I bought the Big Red and Aero 50 my immediate plan was to unload the scooter but when we got it started my wife and daughter thought the scooter was cool.
After riding it I found it pretty cool myself. I think now I'll restore it and give it to my daughter.
You have a cool project there.
 
Did a little work last night. It was a minor project just taking off the hanblebars. 4 cables (throttle, clutch, push / pull shift cables) had to all be sorted and removed first. Intersting thing I found was that the shift detent live outside of the engine by where the cables attach. I couldn't get a good pic though.
I was a bit bummed to find the throttle cable with a fray - just 1 wire though. I have no spare. I may have to try to make something, or just completely unwind the single cable from top to bottom as I did with the clutch cable years ago.

Tonight I couldn't be bothered to work on it and took a ride on the GS instead.
 
More disassembly. I'm waiting to hear from my cousin. He has an old Ducati Monza 250 with a suspiciously similar tail light - which is available on ebay.
http://20170813_165235 by Glen

Brenner, on Flickr

Close ups of the engine.... its cute. It even comes with a carry handle disguised as a kick starter.

http://20170813_164808 by Glen Brenner, on Flickr

Top view with the external gear change and detent mechanisms.
http://20170813_164843 by Glen Brenner, on Flickr

Dry generator.
http://20170813_164826 by Glen Brenner, on Flickr
 
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Coming along nicely! Are you considering a full restoration at this point?

You got me searching for a scoot, I almost had a 1958 Tempo but was just a bit too late.
 
The plan is still the same - full tear down, clean up, inspection, detail the chassis. I was cleaning up the engine, and was tempted to open it up, and polish the cases - then I thought of the pain of locating or making gaskets and decided no.....
 
More disassembly. All thats left is to finish taking apart the front end. Had a couple of surpises. As I was loosening the front end I began hearing dink, dink, dink. I paid it no mind until I realized it was the steering stem bearings falling out. I then counted the number up top and searched the floor until all were accounted for. Then while removing the clamps holding the center stand, the last bolt came out and the stand and clamp flung off and nearly hit my GS - I forgot to remove the spring... While searching for the clamp, I noticed the oil plug on the GS was dripping.

Other then some rusted bolts on the front fender, the thing came apart shockingly easy, especially for its age.

A frame stiff enough to make a GSXR blush.... Dig the perfectly preserved paint on the shock mounts.
http://20170816_210156 by Glen Brenner, on Flickr

Swingarm with brass bushings - still tight and free from play. The bolt has grease fittings on both ends.
http://20170816_205506 by Glen Brenner, on Flickr

Front end. Basically a bicycle fork. The slot inthe middle is for a lock, which I dont have.
http://20170816_214207 by Glen Brenner, on Flickr

I literally laughed out loud when I opened the shock.
http://20170816_210730 by Glen Brenner, on Flickr
 
"A frame stiff enough to make a GSXR blush...."

Crotch rockets are easily impressed by Italian machinery.
 
Hey Dorkburger, if you need any machine work done for your project (bushings, spacers, brackets...) let me know, I might be able to help you out.👍
 
Thanks Norm. I think I'm ok, but ill keep it in mind. Much appreciated.

I do want to try to adapt some sort of actual shocks onto it, but they need to be of a small diameter to fit under the body. Honda Z50 shock or similar small bike units may look promising for the rear. If I find something, some sort of bushings may be needed. Fronts have no eyes on top. They have a stud like a car so that may be a tough one. Still researching.....
 
Its definitely going to be tight trying to fit a proper shock. There's about a pointer finger of clearance between the bottom rolled lip of the body and the shock, and I'm not clearancing the body. If I find one with the spring on the top part only, it may work.
http://20170817_180930 by Glen Brenner, on Flickr

I'm so dumb. I was laying in bed last night thinking that it would look soooo cool lowered - Just remove some of those rubber slugs from the shocks and drag floorboards all around town.... I wont though.

Lowwwwwww. That's actually with the shock on. The rest of the height is made up by the wheels.
http://20170817_181055 by Glen Brenner, on Flickr
 
dorkburger said:
I just increased its value 10 fold. I just need to replace the seat with a piece of upholstered plywood, throw away the removed parts, and put it on CL as a cafe custom brat bobber scooter..... or put 100 mirrors and lights on it and sell it to a Mod.....
I still want to investigate into replacing those shocks with actual shocks. They will need to be coil over types. Those just have slugs of rubber in them to provide a little "give". They dont. Especially 50 years later.

http://20170806_150848 by Glen Brenner, on Flickr

After cleanup.
http://20170806_154403 by Glen Brenner, on Flickr

Thats it for now. Before further disassembly I need to make a detailed wiring diagram to include pictures. Im pretty sure I can't just find a wiring diagram at the drop of a hat if I screw up.
Click to expand...

Cool...the build begins!
Dumb question though...that black rectangle over the front wheel....."racing number plate"? :)
 
Maybe Rich D can find something for you in the way of shocks...like cut one in half or something....{hehehe}
Really though, look for the old mini bike sprung shocks...small and probably close in weight....
 
Not sure about the black box, but in vintage pictures of euro models, there are numbers stuck there.
License plate of sorts, I guess.
 
I think my friend might still have the tuned pipe from his weedwacker powered RC boat...want me to check?!
 
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