This is another in my period installment series calling out the horrible bodgery that passes for a "restoration" with some people. It really disturbs me to see these things, and many a budding scooterist has been turned off to scootering through having been duped by one of these deathtraps. I just noticed a pile of them on Ebay, so I figure, let's call 'em out! Here is numero uno...
There is a lot going on here. This scooter is purported to be a Vespa G.S. 160. Take a look at the "before restoration" photos in the listing. They purport to show a nice complete VNA, though the photos look like they are of two different scooters. I would have to say that it is highly unlikely that the "before" photos show this actual scooter. In any case, you end up with the horridness what you can see in the picture above. There is a P-series front fork, P-series center stand, oddly upright looking legshields, and all of the home-made Viet-chrome add ons you can imagine.
This photo, though, tells you a lot. They cut a hole in the back of the frame, in order to make it look like a GS 160 Series 1. But they added a glovebox (like they do to all of the Viet scooters), which is correct for a Series 2. However, the glovebox is not even close to right, and is way too small for a GS glovebox. They appear to have cut the bottom and smoothed over the top door of the glovebox cowl, if they truly used a VNA as the basis for this monstrosity. In a nod to "originality" they did install a P-series key to the top of the headset, instead of where the Viet-bodges normally put it, near the fuel lever. Wow, this one really takes the cake! I don't think I have seen this particular version of the disaster before.
Let's move on to some more convential death traps, shall we?!
This is a good example of your typical Viet-bodge. It purports to be a 1966 Vespa. Note the obvious handlebar-style headset, which was last used in 1958. Then you have the rubber floor mat, P-series chrome centerstand, 10" wheels (which would not have been on this scooter originally), the seats, and all of the crazy chrome bits. Yeah, this one checks most of the boxes. Death Trap.
Next on the chopping block, is this horrid thing. Once again, it purports to be a mid-60's scooter. Note the similarities to the one above. Though this one is even more awesome in its suck-tastic-ness. You see the handlebars, which are home made, and not even correct for the supposed year of this scooter. The fender-mounted headlight is also a typical touch seen on these things. This one has many of the same chrome doo-dads as the others above. This time they cut the motro side cowl and fabricated a crhome fan cover, horrible. Note also the P-series motor, and the P-series kickstart. I'm not sure what they did to the frame of this scooter, but they sure messed it up. It looks like they chopped off the top of the frame where the seats are, and re-fabricated it to curve down like on a real 50's scooter. That sure must have been a lot of work... but knowing they did it does not inspire confidence in the road-worthiness of the frame! This one is just a train wreck.
Finally, we have this gem - and its a two-fer! These are two things you don't normally see out of Vietnam, a smallframe and an Ape. I suspect that these came from Indonesia, but not to worry, they both have the hallmarks of crap-tastic all over them! My eyes! MY EYES!!!!
There should be a special place in hell for those who knowingly peddle these dangerous atrocities. One of our acquaintances has a son who ran a scooter "restoration" shop in Vietnam several years ago. I saw the web site, depicting gorgeously painted mechanical tarts. I asked him recently how his son's business was doing. He replied that his son had gotten out of the business last year because the market had fallen badly. Maybe people are wising up, or the dumbest of the dumb no longer have any money.