Vespa - Singer 301 with a (long) Shot at Redemption

While restoring Vaiden, I purchased a parts machine.  The body was in terrible shape, water damage causing the paint to crack off all the way to the aluminum in one spot.  The inside was caked with a layer of mold.  When I opened the shipping box, I had to take it in the back yard because the mildew odor was so bad.  The drip pan was rusted and warped.

I stripped off the good parts.  What to do with the rest of it?  At this point, we (the machine and I) had nothing to lose, so I decided to paint it and see if I could restore a second Singer 301.  Even though it was in bad shape, it ran better than Vaiden.

I gutted the machine of all wiring and the motor, leaving the internal workings intact (I learned my limits a long time ago when I took the back off a wrist watch.  That could be a whole other post). I scrubbed the body down in warm water to soften the clear coat and get rid of the remaining mildew.

I baked it in the oven to remove all the moisture.  If you are wondering why I did this, don't ask me.  It's Dave McCallum's doing.  It's what he recommends in his great book "The Featherweight 221 and I".   His book and DVD are well worth the money, and his engaging personality really comes through the pages.  It's a fun read in addition to being a helpful reference. He was also kind enough to reply to an email asking for clarification on a point or two.

The color option of this model is reportedly called "Light Beige-Oyster White" or LBOW in the enthusiast blogs.  I was not very fond of the Beige part of this combo.  I already have a black 301, so I needed to pick a good color.

Vespa in seafoam green and white

I've always wanted a Vespa scooter. Not any old Vespa scooter, but a vintage, Sea Foam green scooter.  Our neighborhood and lifestyle are not very well suited to owning a Vespa right now, so I decided that the 301 would be a good stand-in.

I'm not a very good painter, and don't really like taping, painting and sanding, painting, sanding...  (Where is my sister-in-law when I need her??? Rumor has it that she's an expert with a rattle-can).

That said, here is the state of my machine today.  I'm about one or two coats of Krylon Catalina Mist and a few coats of Dupli Color Engine Clear Coat away from a finished body.

I hope the colors will work well together.  The top, front nose, lamp cover and hand wheel are the original off-white, and the body will be green.  The original trim on this model was brown and gold.


In between coats of paint, I've been searching for the hardware for the wiring.  Some of the clamps and connectors are rather specialized.  I've been asking around town with no luck.  Someone recommended the local model car racing hobby store.  That's an errand for another weekend.

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