Boy oh boy

Since I'm finished with the Green Maxi, I've turned my attention back to the Maxi Taxi and I'm having some troubles. I swapped out the spoke rims for Moby mags, but I can't seem to get the brakes to work. I need a new cable for the front because the adjuster is broken, but I also need to replace the shoes in my brake plate with new ones. I had heard that Leleu brake plates swap in, and they do, but they don't quite seem to engage the brakes, so it could be that my shoes are very worn (and they are) and the cables are very stretched (also true) so I've got a few more hurdles to go there including making sure everything lines up nicely. I haven't been able to quite get the spacers right for the rear wheel, and it could be that my 2.25 gazelle is too wide for a maxi swing arm, but it just barely clears. I have one of those lame chrome box arms, but I don't want to use it because it is so ugly, but I will if I have to, I suppose.

Not only have the wheels been acting up, but my engine is very tight and almost locked up. I can feel something binding, and it isn't the piston. I'm pretty sure the crank or some other internals not meshing. It has a stock puch roller crank, and I love those very much, but I think it's a bit wonky. At any rate, I have to drop the motor and open it up to take a look. I tried to piece together an e50 with left over parts I had, and that was a bad idea I think. I've got an E50 bottom end that I haven't touched, so I think I might just drop some cash on a DMP or Top crank and start over with that bottom end in the matched case I have all my guts in now. I'm hoping to have this as my daily commute machine in Seattle. It's got a Metra65 on it with a 19mm PHBG and Boss pipe, and I will be running side covers so I feel that I ought to do okay in the rain. It's been a while since I've dealt with the frustrating parts of moped building, my last few bikes have gone pretty painlessly. I'm spoiled I guess.

I also have my second Bravo to attend to. I've got a weak spark, but it won't pop with fuel in the cylinder, so I think it must need a good electrical overhaul. Sadly, you have to drop the engine to do this, unless someone can give me another method, that is what I'm going to have to do. I might just sell my second Bravo in Seattle for cheap, someone might want it, and it could be fixed and be a decent loaner, or donate its variator and nice forks to a ciao project.