trying to get time with 'Stacey'

It isn't happening. I have the missus and then three other women in my life. The second woman is away at university and I'm not getting to see her or sail with her and I'm missing her (that's my number 1 daughter who is going to be a conservationist....I am so proud of her  - my girl defending the planet - brilliant).  The other two women are mistresses and I'm definitely not getting enough time with either of them.

Arwen is waiting patiently. I've done some tender work with her, fitting her out; giving her a new compass; refitting her lazy jacks. She's content to wait.

'Stacey' on the other hand is feeling right royally neglected. With just cause too. My number 1 son has entered revision mode and when not revising for GCSE's he is out most weekends doing practises for the Ten Tors competition which the Royal Marines hold here down on Dartmoor for youth groups and school children from across South west schools.

This is how 'Stacey' looked a year and a half ago

A barn find

She ticked over just but there were problems with electrics and as we discovered later a whol;e host of other things too

She has lain neglected for weeks with just the odd fondling; a nut put on here, a quick polish to remove gathering dust. It just isn't enough is it. Ladies like to be treated nicely, with respect, taken out on occasions etc. We have sorted out a few bits and pieces. She has correct fitting nuts and nut caps on the legshield and the foot brake attachment plate.  Her carburetter has been installed and thanks to the small frames forum members, we managed to refit the felt washer on the manifold (which we forgot to put on in the first place). we thought it would mean dropping the engine for a fifth (!) time but the smart boys on the forum came up with a plan B which just meant taking off the carb (again).

I have had nightmares about wiring and the new looming being different colours to the old one

I'm sure son slept soundly!!!

All the wiring has now been completed from regulator to CDI coil etc and the 'boys' have suggested we start her up one weekend. Apparently if we put the coil on the spark plug, attach a throttle cable and earth one of the wires to the regulator nut - we could attach a tube to the carb - fill it with pre mixed fuel and start her up. Wow!  of course switching her off may be an issue - we have to put a hand over the carb and block off the sir flow supply. Hm!  i think number 1 son and I may have to call in Grandad before we venture on this path. He's sorta mechanically minded; he is an engineer after all.

stripped down, rebuilt and nothing left out on the work bench at the end - now that alone is a bonus!

So what's left with our motovespa 125 super 1971 lady?
Well, in no particular order we have to

• find out where the spare grey cable we have goes ( we have no idea at the moment but we have a grey cable left over - worryingly)
• assemble the headset - put in the throttle and gear tubes; put in the pulley systems; install them in the head set
• assemble the front light and find out what bulbs we need

I really cannot remember anything about how the gear and throttle pulley reassemble back in this area - ouch!!!!


• wire up the front headset to the switch box on the handlebars - correctly and then ensure its wired up correctly with everything else - that will be a laugh!
• attach brake and clutch handles and cables
• put the lower steering races back on and insert the front steering assembly back up the legshield steering column
• attach the top steering races and then
• reattach the head set
• sort out the leg spring - which we just can't get in place because it requires tensioning the spring beyond what we are capable of doing. We've yet to work out how to keep the scooter stable and non moving whilst using a JCB to reverse back on the spring to keep enough tension so we can slot it in to the required groove!!!!!!!!!!!!!

getting all those steering races etc back in the right way - oh what joys that will give us - I think not!!

Then there is the final testing of electrics, starting it up, discovering it won't fire, taking it all apart again and back engineering until we find the problem; there will be multiple postings to the small frames forum (prepare yourselves boys) and then of course it will eventually fire up but won't idle properly so we will have to spend days fiddling with the carb jets etc

new paint job, rebuilt engine, new white wall tyres........the old dear is beginning to take on a new lease of life from all this attention!

Remind me someone why I took on this particular project?
Anyway back to the marking, lesson planning and lesson evaluations. No rest time for the wicked.

Steve