Scooterotica

Are original panels important?

Can understand someone doing a detailed restoration that they would want to get original Italian panels, but given the modifications many make to their scoots why then would it be important to obtain original replacements panels if needed?

I bought some legshields off the bay in good faith that were advertised as original Italian. Looking at Sticky's book it appears at best they are Serveta, as the lip is folded at the top, but then stripping them I'm getting mighty suspicious, very clean underneath and filler. So I don't really know what I have, but then is there any real way of telling original Italian panels -- maybe to the educated eye (which I don't have) .

Given how often a scoot may have changed hands over the last 40/50 years though, can there be any way of knowing what panels you have. Most scooter for sale ads don't seem to mention originality of the bodywork, so I wonder whether its worth all the effort -- I'll never really know provenance unless I buy new.

Which leads me to ---- who is currently doing the best remade panels, i.e., closest reproduction to original. Appreciate your advice and experience.

Cheers

Theres some good remade stuff out there now.ive used remade leggys and found them to be ok.the main difference being where the outer runners sit.there is no lip on remades.i havent used any from lambretta body bits but i think these are based on spanish.these are a bit wider and look different to the italian ones.i personally dont think people are that worried if remade or not.maybe on more valuable scoots ,sx,tv etc.im doing an early jet200 and have just ordered some sx remade panels as ive found them to be very good in the past.i know alot of vietnamese stuff is full of filler before their primer but generally if they fit and the primer is sound i overprime and flat etc.all good.....never sandblast viet panelwork,....you will have to re fill everything!...well older stuff anyway,..i know they stamp alot of theyre panelwork now.dont know about the legsheilds though.

If it's your bike, do you really care?
Do you plan to sell it at some point? Would you buy one that doesn't have the 'right' panels?

It wouldn't bother me. I've got some asian bodywork on mine - random horncasting/mudguard and a headset from Pat at Saigon. The headset is a better fit that the italion one that it replaced.
I'd be more concerned about whether something fits than where it came from.

DRC86 wrote:Theres some good remade stuff out there now.ive used remade leggys and found them to be ok.the main difference being where the outer runners sit.there is no lip on remades.i havent used any from lambretta body bits but i think these are based on spanish.these are a bit wider and look different to the italian ones.i personally dont think people are that worried if remade or not.maybe on more valuable scoots ,sx,tv etc.im doing an early jet200 and have just ordered some sx remade panels as ive found them to be very good in the past.i know alot of vietnamese stuff is full of filler before their primer but generally if they fit and the primer is sound i overprime and flat etc.all good.....never sandblast viet panelwork,....you will have to re fill everything!...well older stuff anyway,..i know they stamp alot of theyre panelwork now.dont know about the legsheilds though.

Where are you getting you SX panels from?

Muttley McLadd wrote:If it's your bike, do you really care?
Do you plan to sell it at some point? Would you buy one that doesn't have the 'right' panels?

It wouldn't bother me. I've got some asian bodywork on mine - random horncasting/mudguard and a headset from Pat at Saigon. The headset is a better fit that the italion one that it replaced.
I'd be more concerned about whether something fits than where it came from.

Well I thought when I started it would be good to replace with original where needed but given that I'll now be making a number of modern "upgrades" then originality seems to be much less important to me.

Anyhow -- where can I get good remade panels. Any recommendations?

seen some viet sx200 panels that were excellent - only problem the bottom edge that sits above the rear runners had slightly wrong angle

Devlam wrote:

DRC86 wrote:Theres some good remade stuff out there now.ive used remade leggys and found them to be ok.the main difference being where the outer runners sit.there is no lip on remades.i havent used any from lambretta body bits but i think these are based on spanish.these are a bit wider and look different to the italian ones.i personally dont think people are that worried if remade or not.maybe on more valuable scoots ,sx,tv etc.im doing an early jet200 and have just ordered some sx remade panels as ive found them to be very good in the past.i know alot of vietnamese stuff is full of filler before their primer but generally if they fit and the primer is sound i overprime and flat etc.all good.....never sandblast viet panelwork,....you will have to re fill everything!...well older stuff anyway,..i know they stamp alot of theyre panelwork now.dont know about the legsheilds though.

Where are you getting you SX panels from?

Ive got some from buzzsolomoto,..i let you know when i get them out the box!

well,...got my remade sx 200 panels,..buzz sent me pressed rather than primed as they had ran out .not bad.needed a skim all over and high build primer,now painted lamborghini titanio.look nice.they are a little on the wide side and swamp the floorboards a bit but in all honesty i like it.this is my own scooter,a mid seventies jet 200 that is not standard and built how i want it.having rubber mats instead of runners the wideness of the panels is not an issue and it looks meaty!the 34 will be able to breathe more easily too.not sure id use these on a factory spec resto though.£139 is a very good price.sent out very quickly too.