Agrati Capri

Technical Details

The Capri 70s and 80s for the export market to the UK were not fitted with a brake light, this being reserved for the home market only.  The Italian brake light switches are virtually non-existent, but for MOT purposes you will need to fit one.  After trying many different options I have settled for one that I know works.

 

If you look at the wiring diagram above, you will see a brown wire that enters the rear junction box with nothing leading off of it...this is your power source.   The numbers below match my very crap drawing at the end...but you will get the idea,

 

Take a Lambretta stop light switch (two wire) (1)and remove the metal bracket without destroying the rivet holes...drilling is best(2).  With a sharp knife carefully remove all the rubber/plastic around the  sockets for the two wires(3) and trim the sockets with snips close to the base(4).  Turn the switch over (5)and you will see the switch mechanism.  Drill two small holes through the body of the switch where indicated(6).

 

The original rivet holes will match with the brake light switch holes behind the blanking piece in front of the rear brake. 

 

Thread 2 suitable pieces of electrical wire through the base of the switch either side of the spring mounted plunger and through the holes drilled on either side(7).  Solder these wires, one to each trimmed socket.  The switch is now complete.

 

Thread the two wires hanging from the base of the switch through the centre hole between the brake light securing holes in front of the rear brake, and using suitable nuts and bolts, attach it to the scooter.

 

Remove the rear light lens, you will find a bracket that has a bulb holder for two single filament bayonet light bulbs, but with only one connected.  You will need to remove the bulb holder and solder a wire to supply power to the empty socket (usually the top one).  Feed this wire through the grommet at the back of the rear light housing and connect this to one of the wires to the brake light switch.  Connect the other wire to the brown socket on the rare junction box.   You now have a brake light that works.  You may have to switch the wires at the brake light switch.

 

Experiment with 6V  bayonet light bulbs to get the best result.  The current system already runs at very close to the maximum output, so whatever bulb you use will create some dimming of head/rear lights when used at night.  Try using 6V 5 Watt in the rear light and 6 V 3 Watt in the brake light.   For the MOT do not operate the brake light for demonstration purposes with the lights switched on...this is not a legal requirement, the test only calling for a working brake light.

This is by no means the only way to do the job, but with the easy availability of Lambretta brake light switches, it is the one I settled for.

 

NB. A Vespa GS brake light switch is the exact fit for the Capri and looks like the original, but works in reverse ( the plunger brakes the connection rather than makes it)

BRAKE LIGHTS

Choke Slide

If you own a Capri, here is an item you may never have seen.  For some reason the choke slide has been missing from just about every Capri I’ve seen.  Whether its because they spring out and get lost when the top of the carb is removed or whether they are just too fiddlely to replace, I don’t know.

 

Although the scooter runs just as well without them fitted, they do make starting in the cold a little easier and they are very easy to make out of a sheet of aluminium/ stainless steel you can get from B&Q.

 

The dimensions are:

Dell’Orto ME16BS

Apparently a brake light switch from a 12V Vespa  PX  should work on the Capri because it works in the reverse to usual vespa one.