My reworked Stella

johnre · Post by **johnre** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 2:44 am

OK, a while back I asked you guys if $2000 for an '03 Stella with the Polini kit and Sito exhaust was a good deal. A few of you agreed. Well the scoot was a mess, oil everywhere and painted in the stock red color with deep royal blue accents. Somehow I lost the only pic of it when I bought it. So here it is, sporting a new blue metalflake paint job and checkerboard accents. I hope you all approve of my handy work. Also note the actual casino dice valve stem caps. They are my own manufacture. If anyone is interested in a set for your car or scoot let me know, I've got a bunch in storage. Cheep too!
John

Lostmycage · Post by **Lostmycage** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 3:05 am

That's gorgeous!

underdog · Post by **underdog** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 3:11 am

Nice job!!!

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 3:12 am

Wow. What a looker. Really tasty. Great job!!!

JSharpPhoto · Post by **JSharpPhoto** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 3:15 am

did you get that checkerboard tape on your cowls from scooterwest?

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 3:15 am

Nice work! Thats a sweet looking ride!

johnre · Post by **johnre** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 4:12 am

JSharp,
The checkerboard accents I made myself. I am fortunate to have a plotter which cuts roll vinyl (the same as the sign shops). The checkerboards on the cowls are black 6 year vinyl adhered to magnetic sheeting. This material can just be lifted off. Remember the cowls are metal and the sheeting sticks like glue. The nice thing is when I get tired of the checkerboard look I'll lift off the magnetic sheet and come up with something new.
I painted the horncast white and had to stick the black vinyl to it since it is plastic. It's easy enough to buy another unpainted horncast for $20 and come up with something new.
I'm going to apply the magnetic checkerboard to the glovebox door also, but that's another project for later.
John

ScootStevie · Post by **ScootStevie** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 6:24 am

Me's likey

Great job mate

Jake · Post by **Jake** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 8:02 am

If I was a scooter, I would do your scooter. Big time.

jasondavis48108 · Post by **jasondavis48108** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 1:56 pm

WOW that looks freaky sweet! very nice job, makes me want a stella

polianarchy · Post by **polianarchy** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 3:10 pm

Gorgeous!

Christy · Post by **Christy** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 3:15 pm

really pretty! love it.

maribell · Post by **maribell** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 4:44 pm

Here comes the mod squad!

johnre · Post by **johnre** » Wed Jun 03, 2009 11:41 pm

jasondavis48108 wrote:WOW that looks freaky sweet! very nice job, makes me want a stella

So get one! These Stellas are a blank canvas. You can do so much with them artistically speaking. I really want to do a matching sidecar next, but I have to sell the Model T first. I have a three car garage and it's still not enough space!!!

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 12:32 am

johnre wrote:
jasondavis48108 wrote:WOW that looks freaky sweet! very nice job, makes me want a stella
So get one! These Stellas are a blank canvas. You can do so much with them artistically speaking. I really want to do a matching sidecar next, but I have to sell the Model T first. I have a three car garage and it's still not enough space!!!

Ohh, nice. I've got a '37 Ford Flatbed, but its not going anywhere for any scooter

What year is your T?

johnre · Post by **johnre** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 2:42 am

Kaos wrote:
johnre wrote:
jasondavis48108 wrote:WOW that looks freaky sweet! very nice job, makes me want a stella
So get one! These Stellas are a blank canvas. You can do so much with them artistically speaking. I really want to do a matching sidecar next, but I have to sell the Model T first. I have a three car garage and it's still not enough space!!!
Ohh, nice. I've got a '37 Ford Flatbed, but its not going anywhere for any scooter What year is your T?

Kaos,
The T is a 1925 Roadster Pickup. I've had it for 5 years now and it's time for someone else to enjoy it. I really want a Model A but that might land me in the doghouse.

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Thu Jun 04, 2009 2:07 pm

johnre wrote:
Kaos wrote:
johnre wrote: So get one! These Stellas are a blank canvas. You can do so much with them artistically speaking. I really want to do a matching sidecar next, but I have to sell the Model T first. I have a three car garage and it's still not enough space!!!
Ohh, nice. I've got a '37 Ford Flatbed, but its not going anywhere for any scooter What year is your T?
Kaos,
The T is a 1925 Roadster Pickup. I've had it for 5 years now and it's time for someone else to enjoy it. I really want a Model A but that might land me in the doghouse.

Heh, I understand that

I've got 5 hotrods right now, and had more than that at one point. My wife put the kabosh on getting more of them

johnre · Post by **johnre** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 2:28 am

Kaos wrote:
johnre wrote:
Kaos wrote: Ohh, nice. I've got a '37 Ford Flatbed, but its not going anywhere for any scooter What year is your T?
Kaos,
The T is a 1925 Roadster Pickup. I've had it for 5 years now and it's time for someone else to enjoy it. I really want a Model A but that might land me in the doghouse.
Heh, I understand that I've got 5 hotrods right now, and had more than that at one point. My wife put the kabosh on getting more of them

Wives just don't get it. You can have seven scooters but seven antique cars? Jay Leno has an understanding wife!
By the way, I've received a number of inquiries about the dice valve stem caps. Attached ate two close ups for those who requested it.

Kaos, does that 88 mph top speed come with a flux capacitor?

[email protected] · Post by **[email protected]** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 2:00 pm

flux capacitor's are junk ocillation overthrusters are the way to go

hell you can go through a mountain with those interdimensional travel beats the hell out of time travel nice stella by the way

siobhan · Post by **siobhan** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 2:26 pm

johnre wrote:Wives just don't get it. You can have seven scooters but seven antique cars? Jay Leno has an understanding wife!

Awwwww, not all wives and girlfriends "don't get it". I'm the one who usually says, can't you reconfigure the bikes so we can get another one in? At one point we had 7 cars and 3 scooters with no driveway and no garage (there is no overnight, on-street parking allowed here, so it was a challenge!). Now we're down to 3 cars, but up to 5 scoots, 4 motorcycles, a trailer so we can buy more bikes, and we have one neighbor's motorcycle and another's Pamplona in our garage. We may have to stop being so magnanimous so we can get another Honda in there.

And...the Stella is boo-TEE-full. Love the flake paint! And I love your solution for the stickers.

Kaos · Post by **Kaos** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 3:25 pm

johnre wrote:
Kaos, does that 88 mph top speed come with a flux capacitor?

Heh, you're not the first one to ask that. I'll let you know when Mr Fusions are available as a Buddy mod

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 12:23 pm

johnre did you do the paint job yourself? Tell us all about it! It looks slammin'!!!!

johnre · Post by **johnre** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:06 pm

BuddyRaton wrote:johnre did you do the paint job yourself? Tell us all about it! It looks slammin'!!!!

Yes, I did the paint myself. I chose this Stella because the previous owner already put the 177cc Polini kit on it. He also put on the Sito+ exhaust. The labor was done at the local dealer. I can tell you he spent nearly a grand for all the upgrades and labor, so this became a good scoot to customize. He went and already did the expensive work.
I disassembled the thing and cleaned it till my hands were raw. There was oil and grime everywhere at the back end. The front end must have had 1/8" of brake dust on everything. Once I had it in pieces I was halfway home to completion.
I primed all sheet metal and other factory painted parts, gave it 2 coats of blue metalflake and finished with 4 coats of clearcoat. I am not a professional painter by any means. If you put your nose real close to the bike you will spot a paint hickey here and there. I am ok with this. I didn't want to create a museum, trophy winning show bike. I just wanted a scoot that would look good in the sun.
I bought new tires, chrome rims, floor rails, helmet hook, crash bars, front rack and all new rubber from Scooterworks. I then started the assembly process.
I already knew the checkerboard motif was going to be part of the look, so I made all the checkerboard patterns from 6 year black vinyl. I have a signmaking plotter so it was easy for me to cut the vinyl. The tire cover came from Scoot Over here in Tucson. They are the best shop on the planet.
It might be hard to see them but under the glovebox door there are 3 chrome V shapes. They are a nice little customizing detail I added. You can never have too much chrome!
All in all it took me a month to complete, working on it after work and on weekends. It was a big job but a lot of fun. Would I do another? Maybe, but I just want to enjoy this one first! Glad you like the scoot! Thanks!

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:27 pm

What paint did you use and how did you apply it? I'm getting ready to tear my GL apart for paint soon and would like to do it myself.

johnre · Post by **johnre** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 11:58 pm

BuddyRaton wrote:What paint did you use and how did you apply it? I'm getting ready to tear my GL apart for paint soon and would like to do it myself.

Ok you're the first one to ask. Believe it or not it is Dupli Color in a rattlecan! The paint is a beautiful blue, just make sure and shake the can every 10 seconds of spraying to distribute the metalflake or it will settle in the bottom of the can. I have a compressor and gun but when I bought a can and shot some test samples I was very impressed. All I can tell you is that a quality paint job will only be as good as your prep work. In other words, spend the time to lightly sand the factory finish and thoroughly clean all dust with tack cloths. Then TAKE YOUR TIME when you shoot the primer. Remember light coats instead of one heavy coat. You don't want any runs in the paint. PREP WORK IS THE KEY!

Dupli Color has in quart cans ready to spray colors which need no thinning. The colors are nice but you cannot get the metalflake variety. You can purchase everything you need at Auto Zone or Checkers Auto Parts.

You may be saying there's no way I'm going to use a rattlecan, I questioned whether I wanted to use them too. Stellas and Vespas tend to take a beating on the legshields. Road debris and stones kicking up will ding your paint. This metalflake in a can matches perfectly if you need to make minor paint repairs. No compressor clean up afterwards. That was a big plus for me. Where I live we have a lot of paint damage due to rocks and stones so it was important to me to make quick paint fixes without breaking out the compressor.

The only downside if there is one is that the metalflake takes about a week to fully harden, depending on the humidity. So don't rush the reassembly or you will nick the paint. Good luck and post some pics when you are done!!

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:30 am

Thanks for the tips! I do know that just like with almost everything else the key is in the prep work.

I've seen some great "Krylon Kings" and that really doesnt bother me at all.
My GL has been repainted with a high quality job about 9 year ago (or so I was told!) I went down at Amerivespa and tweaked the legshield. I was able to "untweak" it with large channel locks but the paint cracked.

Right now I'm planning todisassemble and having it bead blasted. I have a finishmaster near me so I'll stop in there and see if they can load up cans.

I'm not in any hurry...that's why I have more than one scooter!

Oh yeah..I'm planning on theaming it out to look like this.

After all...my scooter should match me!

I also found the correct mudguard for a GL and that needs to be blasted and painted too

johnre · Post by **johnre** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 2:02 am

Oh man, you could do that scoot up! The Dupli Color comes in metalflake red and green also. Do one side red the other side blue as in your tat. Killer.