Piaggio Vespa VBB2T 1963' with Sidecar - Restoration

[dr.waqaskhan]

With my "KAMAI" for the very first time I was able to get my hands on a 1963' Piaggio Vespa VBB2T from a local Vespa scrapy, it was kept and maintained by a "Pakistan Railways" employee before his family sold it to the scrapy who I got it from. It has stayed it's entire life in Rawalpindi and also has a vehicle registration from the same city. It was fairly preserved when I got it and probably was resprayed once in it's but there was no replacement of any metal panel, so it is all Italian.
The engine was also replaced while it was with the first owner of a similar kind and luckily the book has been maintained with the lifetime token paid. I have attached the picture of the day I got it

[dr.waqaskhan]

After making the deal I asked the ustad to get rid of silly hand-painted stuff and random stickers, fix the front trim and emblem, service the brakes, and a few other miscellaneous bits and pieces. He got the front fixed and got it running smooth and delivered it to me. I never knew how to ride a Vespa before this point but I had already started my other project and after the VBB came I started riding it inside the colony I live in, I still ride it for daily grocery runs and other errands, I am still learning but it has been fun! Till now it runs perfectly and has never given trouble while starting even after a break of weeks. MashALLAH
The picture is from the day I got it delivered to my place

I have painted the tyres white and rims black with spray paint

While riding it randomly in the colony

[dr.waqaskhan]

As a kid I always wanted a sidecar for my motorcycle as I was inspired by "Chips" who were a crime-busting cop and he had a sidecar for his motorcycle! Pairing the VBB with a sidecar was some thing that popped into my mind and I started looking for options. Everyone I contacted had done it differently as there were so many ways of doing it. Finally, I was able to source a sidecar capsule which I liked, and decided to invest in it. The sidecar I purchased was made up of high-quality fiberglass and was made a true craftsman as it has few imperfections and can be easily worked up with little effort.
The car came with a fiber side fender but I am not a big fan of it...I might go for another option for it.
I couldn't afford the bolt on thing for the scoot as it was above 90k so I decided to go for the capsule only, as I thought that I could fabricate the frame for it on my own but I was wrong
The picture from the night I got it!

The next day

[dr.waqaskhan]

For the frame I started my research. I joined various Vespa enthusiast groups on facebook, did an extensive Google and Pintrest search, asked for reference pictures from my contacts here. Every fabricator I went to asked for a sample by which they can copy it from. The entire process took a long time of 2 months and finally I was able to find a fabricator who said he can do it in the last week! So I tied the scooter on top of a ricshaw and delivered the sidecar to his shop. I also sourced a used full front fork with a 8" hub,spring and shock which the fabricator asked for

Khair off we went....

[dr.waqaskhan]

So the ustad is a true master as he designed everything within a few days and called me to bring the scooter from retrofitting! This has been the progress so far
He was finalising the grinding work on a part

had the fork shortened to the length we needed

The clamp for binding the rig under the scooter

The piece that goes underneath the side car, it's main frame will be fabricated tomorrow by a big pipe bending machine

The scooter was on it side for some retro fit work

This is the final under the scooter rig we came up with! It has a male-female coupler on one end which binds to the sidecars frame

Mocking up all the parts together with the 3rd wheel attached before final welding! The sidecar's wheel rig has been welded to the main chassis brace by a similar clamp design which went underneath the scooter

Finalizing the sidecar chassis brace

This was today's progress MashAllah!
Hopefully by tomorrow the side car will be up and running on the road InshAllah.
Had to remove the main stand as the place for it was gone but I sourced a good quality local made side stand the scooter surely looks awesome MashAllah on the sidestand

InshAllah after the sidecar thing is sorted will move onto the bodywork

[Proverbial_Slang]

Very interesting thread! Please do keep sharing the progress.

[Moderator]

[hamikhan]

Wonderful & the great work

[capsat]

@vickytulla @rehankillbill @kn_khipk biker wanderers a vespa with sidecar under development

[dr.waqaskhan]

There are many designs when it comes to knocking out the chassis of the sidecar! Mostly people use square tubing but we planned to go with a solid structure with minimal welding possible, so I acquried a 2.5 inch round, 10ft tubing of 14 Guage and had it bent to shape

Then marked and made holes

We used these bolts to secure the sidecar to tube

After that we did a final mock up

After the mock up and by carefully adjusting the placement of the sidecar, notches were made in the main U tube

Then placed on the main brace and then tac welded

After tacs were made entire thing was disassembled and fully welded, The final Product MashAllah.

[dr.waqaskhan]

I would like to thank the main Fabricators Farooq Sahab (03165180678) and Khalid Sahab (03215025204) both of them are true masters and craftsmen. Their work shop is on City Saddar Road and can help anyone who wants to get any engineering solution they desire. Highly Recommended
Some close-up shots of the brackets and clamps

Somethings to be taken notice of before you depart on your journey!
****Tighten up all the bolts! The most important thing of all****
****Check tyres and fuel!****
****Be ready for the comments and people staring in traffic ****

[dr.waqaskhan]

I will replace the main bolts with Japanese bolts as Chinese ones or local ones wear out easily and quickly! I might shorten the wheel base but for now
I can live with it. I would advise this to all the people who want to get this done! Allah willing.
The problems I faced while I was riding back home was because of loose bolts! Rest it drove fine Allhamdolilah
Here are some of the shots from when it reached home MashAllah.

NEXT STOP RESTORATION! INSHALLAH

[uzeemujeeb]

doctor saheb there is no doubt Saddar Road have master fabricators this thread is actual contribution towards such masters' doing precise jobs.

So far you are going great for the side car project it is very well done. please take care of under carriage rust in photos of post no 5. serious attention be paid towards classic restoration.

You please do not forget to add a rear light and a parking light in front of the side car. Good Luck sir,

[Proverbial_Slang]

Fantastic! Some videos would be nice as well. Will it undergo a paint job? Marker lights at front and back and an indicator is absolutely necessary.

[sardarg]

Khawaja Autocars were assembling vespa raksha and scooters in Kashmir. It is only a story for us as when we were growing up that VESPA Scooter & Raksha factory 2 km outside our city was nothing but closed compound. Good to see a vespa lover working on a scooter

subscribed

[vickytulla]

thanks for tagging.... this is a gr8 work being done by doctor saab... I really hate the fact that its been years and the front end of Pakwheels is still not up to the mark where it used to be... I would have never saw this thread if u havent tagged me... I used to scan PW for these things.. now I just get lost if I try.

May be I am getting old... ? dang...

@vickytulla @rehankillbill @kn_khipk biker wanderers a vespa with sidecar under development

[dr.waqaskhan]

Sir I have another vespa restoration project that is underway if you like such things please visit that thread as well

Piaggio Vespa P150S 81' RestoMod

This forum will help explain what i went through to restore a totally shot rusty vespa p150s without giving it to looters who charge a fortune to restore these things. The scooter for the record was once my grand father's then my uncle and my dad and now meeeee XD They recieved it in a wooden box as per my dad :zap::zap::zap:

Here is the link for it.
As far as the vbb is concerned I will post every detail as I go along. JazakAllah

[dr.waqaskhan]

Thank you for the information! I have posted a link to my other vespa project as well! Have a look if you are interested. JazakAllah

[dr.waqaskhan]

Thank you sir! I have pinned my other vespa project in the same post. Do visit if you are interested!
JazakAllah

[Proverbial_Slang]

I agree with you on the layout of the forums. It is more difficult for me to look for stuff on the forums as well. I miss the old layout.