The 2211 Daily

Ideally, you want to take your classic scooter, no matter how dented and used up it might be, and transform it little by little into a scooter that is like brand-new. Maybe better than new, with higher-quality paint and internal parts and all the attention to detail that can be accomplished only through a hand-crafted labor of love, and if done properly, it can change an everyday vehicle into a regular showpiece.

Of course, restoration requires a significant quantity of time and money, in varying ratios depending on whether you have more time to do the work yourself or more money to farm out some of the more difficult or time-consuming sections. But the reality is that most of us have neither time nor money in sufficient quantities for the ideal restoration and compromises must be made. Another factor that might interfere with the ideal situation is the significant downtime in which your scooter will be in a hundred pieces scattered around the garage.

That’s when reality sets in and why out of necessity many owners opt for rebuilding, in which a scooter will be brought up to standard in a piecemeal fashion, refurbishing separate systems as needed without ever having it completely apart. The goal here is different, more likely to be a creation of a credible driver that one can be proud of rather than a near-perfect show scooter that wins awards. Either goal can be difficult to attain, but whether restoring or rebuilding, a rider needs to set his or her sights high and try for the best results possible under constraints of time, money and personal circumstances.

RESTORING:

– To make a like-new or better-than-new show piece.

– Starting off with a scooter in any condition.

– More expensive and requires funds to complete the work.

– Requires more garage space to store the disassembled scooter.

– You’ll end up with a beautiful show winner, but one you might be hesitant to ride.

REBUILDING :

– To create a credible rider that is reliable and presentable

– Starting off with a well-preserved original scooter.

– Spreads the cost over as long a period as necessary.

– Take up less garage space as work is done piecemeal.

– Less likely to lose interest because scooter is kept usable.

– You will end up with a nice, used scooter with some things you’ll wish you did better.

Taken from MOTORBOOKS’ How To Restore and Maintain Your Vespa Motorscooter by Bob Darnell and Bob Golfen.

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