Small block tuning or bite the bullet?

[craigiedowding]

Good evening,

I was hoping for some advice / opinions if you have a minute. I have a '65 150 special with electronic ignition but otherwise standard. I have been toying with the idea of kitting the scoot for some longer distance touring for some time but have never settled on a way ahead. Recently my riding oppo has bought himself a TS1 kitted scoot set up for touring and we plan to get ourselves into Europe for touring in the not too distant future when work commitments allow.

Anyway, my question is: am i just p**sing in the wind to think that i could build an engine using my 150 casings to keep pace with a touring TS1 or, would it make more sense financially and performance wise to have a TS1 engine built froma new SIL 200cc engine allowing me to keep the original 150S engine as standard?

I know either option will not be cheap what so ever but by the time everything is replaced in the 150 casings and a kit is fitted etc, will i still be some way off keeping up? It's not to race but tour.

Many thanks

Craig

[rosscla]

The GT186 kit seems to get very good press, though I'm not sure what the availability is?

Gran Sport are listing it in stock

[sean brady scooters]

yep bite the bullet and match your pal and like you say you can retain your old motor to re place for the sake of originality if needs be or just sell it on to offset the costs of your new motor

[joey]

...198 mugello it...fast reliable and economical...

[Muttley McLadd]

i`ll bet A fiver you opt fo the TS .........ts1 any day

Maybe.. but the OP said it's been tuned for touring - ie, they've stopped it revving properly and strangled its performance.

A better bet would be to start from scratch by building an engine for touring, not detuning a revvy barrel.

[Diablo]

You can get TS1 power from a small block but it will be at higher revs.
This doesn't mean you can't tour on a small block motor though. The GT,Muggy and certainly a well tuned cast barrel are all capable of touring you just have to be realistic about what your mile-munching speed will be.
A well set up TS1 can eat up motorway miles at 70+ easily. Smallblock motors can be tuned to do the same speeds but they will be thrashing.
The truth is the vast majority of owners travel places at around 60mph. This is easily achievable with a small block motor with a true GPS top speed of 70mph. If your touring for pleasure rather than getting to a European rally you will chose A roads and the scenic route anyway and I would say spend the money on your existing motor.
The first GT186 engine I built won Furthest traveled at Euro-Lambretta in Germany and that motor would sit between 60 and 70 on the motorway pulling an SX box. In my opinion the 175-185 engine size is the most reliable Lambretta in terms of maintenance and if you do have a problem abroad cast barrels are a lot easier to fix and get parts for.

[goffy]

I've had both, a TS1 in a series 3 Tv175, swopped engine for a large block. I'm currently running a GT186 with a 25mm Del in a series1.
Yes the TS had plenty of grunt but the GT kit pulls really well also, not quite as much top end as the TS but in my eyes 60ish (gps) is plenty quick enough for touring on a 50yr old scooter.

best of all is riding past petrol stations on the GT kit 60+ per gallon, the Ts1 30-35mls per gallon!!!

[sean brady scooters]

lol ,and heres your dilemma and ive seen it happen SO often between riding pals ..its like an arms race .
yes you could up grade your small block maybe to keep up with him to some degree ,but then he will then be peeded off and tune his more to regain the edge again .

[tonydevon]

LOL Im in that exact position, I got 198 muggy kit on gp125 cases, its currently away with my local tuner for dyno and setup.

HOWEVER, Im already window shopping for a set of big block cases and working out what to sell to buy a kit etc and buzzing about building another engine, its damn addictive

other guys in the club running rapido and TS1 etc, I haven't ridden mine with them, but I just know that I need more power

[craigiedowding]

Many thanks for your responses, definitely some food for thought. Maybe in the short term i could concentrate on uprating my current engine with crank carb and GT kit, if i keep the old cylinder and carb i could easily revert it back to standard if required. Then maybe longer term i could build an engine around 200cc casings, let the arms race commence lol

many thanks and regards

Craig