Piaggio Zip... First Project

Hi,

Havent had time to start a project page so heres whats happened so far...

im new to scooter tuning but owned an aprilia RS50 while all my friends had scooters. When looking for a car came across a 57 plate Zip 4 stroke... nice cheap price 860 miles on the logbook cat C.



Ideas for the project include:

Visual Upgrades First:
Panels resprayed in Audi TT Diamond White
Wheels Resprayed In Orange (Exact Colour TBC)
Rental Bars (and some possible headlight conversion)
Digital Clocks
Possible Seat Recover
Replace and Cleaning of existing inner Panels (any help on this would be great)
(once engines replaced, Chrome Side Casing)

Engine Wise:
Replace 4 Stroke Engine With 2 Stroke
Remove Petrol Tank and Add Smaller One Making Room For Oil Tank (As 4strokes obv dont have one)
Polini 70 Kit & Carb
Chrome PM360

First things first I stripped the bike down and started cleaning the frame and forks, and then started on the panels














After hours of backbreaking work and blistered hands the panels were ready for the paint shop...

A few days passed and I hadn't heard anything back so I thought about getting some other parts ordered and found some TNT Downhill bars on ebay for £8.00 brand new!! i was expecting scratches or bends but turnt out they are fine guy just didn't like the colour.



Panels are back and when picking them up I managed to get a colour similar to my bars for the wheels pictures to follow shortly...

wheels have gone in for painting and panels are looking fresh! here are some shots including one with my bars placed above them.







Wheels are back... so i decided to see what they look like on the bike... (4stroke engine still intact... I'll worry about this later)

after cleaning the forks and frame again not looking to bad if I must say...











And thats the story so far... im yet to tackle the hard stuff but if anyone has any advice on 2stroke conversion or headlights then let me know all comments will be appreciated

Tomorrows motive... final frame clean with thinners and a can of lacer underneath to prevent rust mabey remove 4stroke engine and back to black the tyres, fit standard headlight and switches for MOT and dash shine the inner panels.

 

Would it not be cheaper/easier to sell the 4t for a 2t?
Like the orange and white

 

Well because it was a cat C it requires a 4 week wait for a new log book so I'm going to clean up and sell the 4t engine carb and exhaust and find either typhoon engine or another zip engine.

Your right tho I just fancied the challenge, thanks

 

what engine? I have looked into LC conversion, might not bother changing petrol and oil tank... whats people thoughts on pre-mix?

........

Just looked at your engine, wish I had that money to spend at once insurance is due soon

 

u got any ideas on wot u doin about the headlights most people jus put led's in the indicator panel but it wud never pass a MOT legally
check this out theres some ideas here
http://www.scootershack.co.uk/the-workshop/gilera-runner-headlghts-on-zip-t21526.html

 

*************** Short Update ****************
Today was a weird one to be fair, managed to swap an airsoft gun (bb gun) I had from ages ago for a 60 plate typhoon engine being told it had blown....

after taking of the head it was clear the piston was scored as was the barrel but the crank was fine so after fitting a 70 kit or standard 50 it this should be fine!!

4 Stroke engines out now...






Engine parts were surprisingly the same Clutch and variator, stator are all kept for now, and the engine clean began it had a full year or so of caked dirt and after a few hours...



I then set to work on chroming the sidecase...



The plan was to go and buy some primer and hammeright to spray the engine black but after using abit of white primer left over in a can im considering this as an option White Hammeright Engine???

this is only a summer ride not a day 2 day so white engine could work well what do you think?





More updates soon... sorry theres been less pictures forgot as I was so happy to be getting it done

 

Looks like a fantastic project, will definitely be keeping an eye on this!

 

*************** SMALL UPDATE ***************

Today I got a new set of inner panels in light grey, im going to clean these up and get the front end of the bike fitted and electrics wired up...

Polini Corsa Kit ordered
21mm Carb ordered

OPINIONS ON PRE-MIX?

Pictures to follow tomorrow

 

its looking good mate. ive converted to premix in my runner 172 and would deffinately reccomend it its easy enough and havent got to worry about the pump giving in :thumbsup:

 

I have always used premix, is simple and you know aslong as theres fuel theres oil, pluss you wont have to mess around putting the oil tank in

 

*************** UPDATE ***************

So... decided I wanted to see a complete bike so engines gone in... still no bore (pedparts hurry up...) panels on and some wiring done... going to replace 4stroke loom tho with a zip 2stroke.

Pictures to follow

 

Sorry its been so slow... having the nice weather and time off college ive been earning some money to get this project finished!

as I mentioned in my last post I have put the bike together to see how its looking and to see what else I could do...

A reminder of how it came to me...



I again cleaned the frame... I am a clean freak this has to be perfect as its my first build and I am already planning a second!!



and the freshly cleaned and sprayed engine goes in for the first time... 60 Plate Typhoon





Polini Corsa Kit still on order...

Panels start to go on after a clean...


Front lights colour coded...



and so far...









Whats everyone think?? Cant wait to get the rest done but for now I need to get some money together, however much I want to get it on the road I wont take her out until im 110% its better than the others in my area...

 

To me personally mate, that is pure porn! Can't to see it finished, looks great.

 

Hadlebars are yet to be done... need to decide on what im going to do about the lights

and it wont be long im sure haha

anyone have any idea on spraying inner panels?

 

Thanks mate... its been alot of work will be so worth it tho

 

i sprayed my inner panels matt black they looked pretty nice

 

Do you just spray them normally dont need to filler ect??