Ok some of you will be expecting to see a cool Triumph bobber or chopper, Sorry...it's just a scooter made by Triumph. It's a 57 Triumph Contessa scooter. I've had it for about 7 years now. Haven't ridden it in the past 3. It just sits in my pops garage. This spring I want to get it out and register it for the road. I've got two problems with the thing. One is the cracked tail light wich I'd like to find a replacement. I've tried a couple of times to find one but had no luck. The second is I took the batteries out and foget how they go back in. There are two batteries and I forget how the wiring goes.I'm thinking the "jumper" wire goes from neg to pos. Am I right? Clark
Post a picture of the tail light, I have lots of stuff. You may have two 6 volt batts, conecting them the way you describe will produce 12 volts. Remember, positive earth! CT.
CT Fuzz....How should the battery be hooked up? I'll get a pic of the tail light the next time I'm at my pops place. The tail light is a small rectangle about two inches by four inches. The thing is a blast to ride. It has a small vibration at about 60. Clark
I'm not sure that's a Lucas system on that thing. If I'm not mistaken that bike's actually made in Germany. It's cool as hell.
Clark, I can't help much with the Trump scooter, though it is certainly cool. I've got a stable of Vespas and Lambrettas. I know there is a guy that makes any and all oddball taillights (in anay color you want). I will try to track down his info. If you ever want to get rid of or trade that scooter, think of me first.
If your scoot is 6 volt, and I believe it is, and you install two batteries the way you described, you will be putting 12 volts into the system......check the voltage and install only one battery. CT.
Is that thing British manufacture or is it one of the many licensed and brand-labeled Italian scooters?
CtFuzz.. It is supposed to have two batteries. It must be twelve volt. To hook two six volt batteries in a row it would be positive to positive and negative to negative. Right? DrJ ... I haven't been able to find much out about the thing. The motor is the only thing with Triumph on it except for the TWN badge on the front fender. When I got it it had a nice coat of house paint on it and the seat was covered in duct tape. The thing ran like a champ until the batteries died. It has a cool heel toe shifter on it. Clark
Wire two 6v batteries in series and you get 12 volts. Wire them parallel and you have 6v with twice the amperage. Chris
[ QUOTE ] ...When I got it it had a nice coat of house paint on it and the seat was covered in duct tape. The thing ran like a champ until the batteries died. It has a cool heel toe shifter on it. Clark [/ QUOTE ] I bought a CB450 once for $10 that wouldn't charge the battery. Turned out it used the alternating current magneto to charge the battery and the diode that was supposed to cut one direction of the current wasn't working so I replaced it and it charged fine. follow the sytem and see if that's the problem you have. This one was about 1/2 the size of a cigarette pack and under the seat, wired in between the magneto and the battery of course!
The batteries just went bad on it. For a couple of months we would bump start it. It must be 12 volt. There is only one jumper wire. Is there a way to tell if it is Pos or Neg ground? Clark
Nads is right, it's a German-built scooter - TWN was a separate German company. And Vesparex is right, Clauss Studios makes a repro taillight lens for $24: http://www.claussstudios.com/id7.html Post your electrical question on the Yahoo Odd Scooters list, you're sure to get an answer from one of several Contessa owners there: Yahoo Odd Scooters Message Board These are really nice scooters, here's a pic of my friend's Contessa in NYC.
TWN, was a German divsion which help produce this scoot. They were licensed by Triumph to do so. If I remember correctly the engine was actually built in the UK, they would assemble them in Germany where the body was manuf.. Nice scoot..
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