Junk Scooter!
This project is a long time coming. Ever since I was a child I have been in love with scooters, but I have never owned one. I have always been especially fond of the vintage ones, but daunted by both the cost and hassles of maintenance. I asked my young self: “Why can’t you get a nice old looking scooter with a young efficient motor?”, and for that matter “why not give it the whole hot-rod treatment, and make it really ridiculous?” The answer of course was that I was 12 years old and nearly 20 years short of having the skills and equipment necessary. In the weeks to come we will see if this ideas time has truly come. I have made a considerable start already, and will post progress until it is done.
Friday, October 19, 2007
I started with a pretty beat looking Honda Elite 125 from the 1980’s. As I mentioned before, I know nothing about scooters, but these are rumored to have engine life spans which far exceed that of their crappy plastic exteriors.
Once all of said plastic is removed, they are pretty simple machines with basic steel frames which provide decent real estate for attaching scrap metal. For this project I find myself once again reaching for old street lamp covers.
Once the paint is removed they actually look pretty classy.
A pair of old vacuum cleaners made for big improvements over my initial design for the headlight assembly.
I am really pleased with the brake light. Another vacuum cleaner attachment gives its life in the service of art.