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1973 Solex S3800
Engine #5299836 Michelin Cyclomoteur Tires
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Solex 3800 Operating Instructions (.pdf file) CLICK HERE. |
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February 10, 2024 - I got some added mileage out of the Solex at the AACA National Membership Meeting in Chantilly, VA. Besides being awarded the National HPOF Award for 2/3 Wheel Vehicles at tonight's banquet, I used it for my seminar on Collecting Mopeds and Scooters, and also brought it out for the HPOF Seminar. And it fired right up so I could ride it from the hotel entrance to the van to be loaded. |
| December 7, 2023 - The Solex is getting a National Award from AACA! Although it is completely original down to the tires and tunes, there have been some flashier candidates that I thought might be selected. It means a trip to DC in February, but I already have the hotel reservations. This will be the second time I have gotten an HPOF National Award - the first was for my 1963 Centaur Scooter in 2007! |
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October 27, 2023 - I got a nice surprise in the mail today. The Solex has been nominated for an AACA National Award! The Centaur scooter won an HPOF National Award back in 2007 - it would be nice to get another one! I took photos and sent them and a data sheet out to the committee. I'll know sometime in December. |
| April 15, 2023 - The Solex was certified as HPOF (High Percentage of Historical Features) at the Southeastern Spring Show held at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. No big surprise, as the Solex is completely original down to the tires. Even the one part I replaced (the mud flap) was an NOS original part. It is very light, and runs well. Best of all it is easy to load in and out of my van! |
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January 29, 2023 - I got a note from Jeff that he had found the original owner's manual and parts sheets for the Solex, and went by today to pick them up. He also had the receipt and papers from the company he bought the replacement pedals from in 1999! I was really pleased to get the owner's manual - I have recreated one from photos, but it is not the same as an original. (See the .pdf file above) |
| January 26, 2023 - The only obvious damage on the Solex was the mud flap, a plastic ribbed affair on the back of the front fender. I got in a perfect NOS replacement today and attached it using the original hardware. Amazing to still be able to get NOS parts for a 50 year-old moped! |  |
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| January 21, 2023 - Turns out that the Solex had a damaged light switch that was also missing a critical spring. I got a new base from Treatland and had to make the spring. The switch is pretty simple, once you figure it out. Power comes from a fixed contact extending from the magneto case. The spring keeps the switch in the ON or OFF positions and also serves as the power conductor from the switch base to the bulbs. With everything hooked up and the motor running, I had bright lights front and rear. The smoke is from running too heavy an oil/gas mixture. | |
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January 16, 2023 - The Solex is in amazing shape, but some rust and corrosion has dulled the brightwork and resulted in some minor damage to a few components. I was pleased to see what some Nev-R-Dull and 0000 steel wool accomplished. The plating isn't perfect, but it looks pretty good for being 50 years old. I ordered some parts today - a new light switch base, a mud flap to replace the torn original, and some new rubber latches for the flywheel cover. The rest of the Solex will remain original. |
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| January 13, 2023 - Friday the 13th turned out to be good luck for me today. I was poking through Facebook Marketplace and came across an ad for a 1966 Solex moped. Any Solex is unusual, and this one claimed to be an unrestored original in excellent shape, and would be an ideal companion for my fully restored 1966 Solex. The pictures looked very good, so I set up an immediate look. Jeff M, the owner, was friendly and informative. His uncle bought the Solex new when he was planning to buy a motorcycle and wanted to get his feet wet, so to speak, on a two-wheeler. After getting used to the Solex, he bought a motorcycle. Jeff would ride the Solex around the block while his uncle rode the motorcycle, but that only lasted a short time and the moped was set aside. Thirty years later, his parents were visiting the aunt and she gave them the Solex to pass along to Jeff. He has had it ever since, and taken remarkable care of it. The moped fired right up and ran great. It even had the original toolkit with foam insert, the air pump, and wears the original Michelin (made in France) tires. The price was very reasonable, so I bought it on the spot and brought it home. A double-check of the motor number turned up a mistake on Jeff's part. The Solex is actually a 1973 export model, not a 1966. I would probably still have bought it, so no big deal. I will polish up the chrome and get new bulbs for the headlight and taillight, but other than that it needs nothing! | |
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