Max's Scooter Page

1959 Vespa 400

last updated 05/14/2022


The quick story!

1959 Car built in Fourchambault, France

1973 Converted to electric by a local guy called Stan using a 185-lb forklift motor, 496 lbs of golf-car batteries (8x62lbs, 48v system), and a lot of U.S. Navy-surplus relays

1976 It is put away in a shed

2019 Came my way as Stan moved out of his long-time home

2019 Got it running with four 12v batteries (340 lbs vs 500 lbs)

2019 Stan and his daughter came by to see the old Vespa... 46 years since the conversion. (See pic below.)

2020 Covid came and I had time to put in a e-drive. 185 lb motor out, 66 lb motor in. Navy relays out, Curtis sep-ex controller in. BUT... battery weight goes back up to 510 lbs.

2022 Got over my cheapness and bought Mustang Mach-e lithium batteries on the secondary market. Range up from about 20 miles to about 50, battery weight goes down from 510 lbs to 160 lbs.

At the time this pic is taken, it has been 46 years since the conversion.

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