Vespa 50 Elestart 1969-1976

For much of the time there was an electric start option. The “Elestart” variant had a modified chassis with an access hatch on the left that housed two 6v batteries to drive the Bosch starter motor. In all other respects, though, the Elestart was the same as the normal 50 Special – even down to being made in the same colours. Developments of the two versions were concurrent, so the V5A3 is the original Elestart from 1969 with nine-inch wheels; the V5B2 from ’72 has ten-inch wheels, and the V5B4 from 1975 has the four-speed gearbox. In fact, very few Elestarts were actually sold despite being available until the late seventies.
First series V5A3T/V5B2T ( 1969 - 1975 ): Although always been easy to start the engine with the crank 50 Special, Piaggio has created this model aesthetically the same, with an electric starter of the engine on the left side of the rear of the body (with a second flap) staying there two batteries from 6 volts , while on the right side remained the engine compartment. The electric starter took advantage of the stator assembly-fly ' alternator , this system was called " dynamotor . " The key is inserted into a lock on the handlebars and started the engine with the starter system of today's cars (the painting was shown on a big red light between the lock and the odometer) on the steering tube remained the lock to only the insertion of the lock, and as with Special, behind the shell could be placed the spare tire or the glovebox. The transmission was a three speed transmission.
Second series V5B4T ( 1975 - 1976 ): the change has been increased from three to four gears and the words "sale" and "50 Elestart" are straight and oblique rather than in printed in italics as in the first series.
Of this model were produced about 7805 copies of the first and second series, and he had great success by overcoming Special: this option of electric start is designed for women, while the male audience preferred orient its choices on the Special, which does not differ much from the new model. Chrome yellow is a new color after dyeing the Special, a color that has always characterized this model.