`88 SB50P: Let the rehab begin!

OneBulletDan · Post by **OneBulletDan** » Mon Dec 26, 2011 10:07 pm

I have a big hole in my heart (head) for abused scooters, and man, this one was beat hard. Dent in the front rim, more cracks in the plastics than in a large nudist colony, rusted bolts, stripped out intake, etc. Funny though, even with the carb held on by only one semi-stripped bolt, the little bugger would run 35 on flat ground.

The body panels looked like Evil Kowalski had used it to jump the fountains at Cesar`s Palace. I cheated and bought a 1/16" ABS sheet and some cheap Harbor Freight epoxy and commenced to patchin`. Had to plug holes, fix cracks, shrink enlarged mounting holes, and fab corners and all but one tab.

The frame itself was proof that the scooter had seen a few Michigan winters, judging about the amount of rust and pits in the frame. The only folks that ride in the winter here are either DWI convicts that mistakenly think it`s legal to ride a moped without a license, or teenage boys in rut with a girlfriend that lives across town. Either way, they didn`t worry about the salt that splashes everywhere and just loves to eat Hondas.

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A quick trip to the sand blaster`s shop with the frame, motor mount, and wheels, along with the plastic footboard that some * had over sprayed with red paint, and $45, and the world is lovely again. Five coats of primer, four of color coat, and three clear, and she`s looking a lot better.

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If you didn`t have pubic hair back in the `60s and `70s, you`re probably not going to like the paint scheme I`m gonna use, but that`s OK. She`s my baby, and I envision her as a reflection of my younger days. I`ll guarantee she`ll get more than her fair share of looks when she`s done.

Carnie · Post by **Carnie** » Tue Dec 27, 2011 12:30 am

I have an 89 that I'm parting out for pretty cheap. Name your own price and if it's reasonable, it's yours is my pricing system.

Wheelman-111 · Post by **Wheelman-111** » Tue Dec 27, 2011 9:24 am

Greetings:

Very nice job on the frame. Such work sets the tone for the care taken in the rest of the build, doesn't it? If you pay such meticulous attention to the remainder, that will be one fine scooter. Honda-san weeps tears of joy from the grave. And it's Red!

OneBulletDan · Post by **OneBulletDan** » Wed Dec 28, 2011 12:03 am

Carnie wrote:I have an 89 that I'm parting out for pretty cheap. Name your own price and if it's reasonable, it's yours is my pricing system.

You`ve got a PM I sent. Looking for a clutch (I`ve got the outer bell), and I could use the rubber shroud as illustrated in this pic, part #4.

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Let me know if they`re available.

OneBulletDan · Post by **OneBulletDan** » Thu Dec 29, 2011 1:11 pm

Got a little farther yesterday.

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The belt cover isn`t going to get the TLC that the Spree`s did due to severe pitting and the fact that it`s about half the thickness of the Spree`s. Blasting, mucho coats of sandable primer, and a bunch of color and clear coats made it passable, but not perfect.

Still looking for a clutch for a decent price. Got the tires heading this way, along with a set of wheel bearings.

Carnie · Post by **Carnie** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 3:44 am

I will get that clutch pulled off as soon as possible. I have been busy working 12 hour shifts and haven't had a chance yet though.

eliteguy50 · Post by **eliteguy50** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 7:45 am

What shock are you using?

OneBulletDan · Post by **OneBulletDan** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 12:39 pm

eliteguy50 wrote:What shock are you using?

The stock one, with a wire brush treatment and a squirt of the silver paint I had left over from the Spree rehab.

Carnie, I can remember the days of the 12 hour shifts! Too many of them will make an old man out of ya quick. The money sure is sweet, though. I`ve been out of the rat race for six years now, so work is a four letter word to me.

OneBulletDan · Post by **OneBulletDan** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 4:28 pm

Got a little farther along today.

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Had to fab a tab for the seat locking mechanism that was broke off, and bought the arm and spring.

Still working on the plastics. Big difference between Spree and Elite plastics. Spree=Tupperware, Elite=egg shells.

Hardest thing so far was getting the d*** center stand shaft out. Heated and beat the thing silly with no luck. Drowned it with WD40, no luck. Used Bear`s Marvelous Miracle Concoction (brake fluid and acetone; thanks, Bear!) and it did the trick.

I`ll probably be shooting color in a couple of weeks, and then, after a little practice with the airbrush, the graphics.

Already thinking ahead to the SA build. I checked out the Elite stickers, and they want 35 bucks for `em. I got these instead.

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There`s gonna be a guy with a `76 Gran Torino that will be really * off when he notices (just kidding. I got `em off ebay for $13). I`ll be back to beg more advice on turning the SA into a fire breather when the build starts. Love this site!

sum-azn-kid · Post by **sum-azn-kid** » Sat Dec 31, 2011 11:43 pm

you should swap a af16e in there. with the light frame even a stock port 72cc would make that elite e fly.

OneBulletDan · Post by **OneBulletDan** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 1:20 am

This one`s gonna be my uptown cruser, so no real need for speed. I`m savin` my bucks for the `99 Elite build. Still thinkin` on whether to go Malossi or Polini or Nicasil. Plenty of time to hash things out before spring.

sum-azn-kid · Post by **sum-azn-kid** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 3:27 am

get a polini corsa for sure. good power and daily driver. if you want a sleeper get a v8 or sef black pipe and airbox. fir you want all power scorp. pipe.

Wheelman-111 · Post by **Wheelman-111** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 8:53 am

Greetings:

Based on how you say you plan to ride it, save the money and go for the Nikasil. I really enjoy the Corsa on the open road, but it's kind of a Drama Queen. It has to be tuned to rev really high to run well, and frankly that can be embarassing in a parking garage. Nikasil just chugs happily along. V8 pipe worked well with it. It should run ~55-60 with 8.4s. Forgiving of tuning errors, and Durability is exceptional.

OneBulletDan · Post by **OneBulletDan** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 4:21 pm

I don`t want to sound like a cheap Charlie, but the Corsa is a bit expensive for what I`m trying to achieve. The Contessa is a little more reasonable. The Taiwan bores, after reading the reviews, make me nervous, so I`ve kinda ruled them out. I like the idea of an iron bore, but Wheelman`s review of the nikasl sounds pretty good to me.
A sleeper is kinda what I`m after. Something that looks pretty much stock, but will shock the * out of folks when they wick it up.

Wheelman, what kind of carb are you runnin` on yours? Could I get by with modifying the stock carb and air box? Is the V8 fairly quiet? I`m well past the age of needing the attention that noise brings. How about the PG long/short? Keep in mind, I`m just a old retired fart that has an addiction to scooters that keeps my wallet fairly thin.

Wheelman-111 · Post by **Wheelman-111** » Tue Jan 03, 2012 4:29 pm

Greetings:

I ran the Nikasil on Flash 3.1 - same frame as 3.26. I had the "V8" 28mm pipe from JiangWayne - another C-Note. Matched the 78cc Nik very well and quiet - almost as quiet as stock. The Nik is VERY tolerant of lean jetting, and the stock carb with a bigger main and the needle up a clip position might work. Consider a 21mm OKO or perhaps the Arreche-for-Honda in the 17.5 to 24mm size. For sure you'd want 8.44 gears, too.

So equipped, my Nik nudged up past the double-nickel with very little (and bone-headed) "Tuning. I kid you not, the VDO gauge exceeded 500 degrees on a couple of OFF-Throttle occasions without visible harm. I don't recommend you try to make it hotter, but just saying it didn't grenade at those outrageously high temps. A fatter Pilot was the remedy.

I have no experience with the AF16 Cortessa.

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