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I was a military brat and lived in Europe in the 80s. As a teen I fell in love with Vespas zipping around Paris, Rome, and other big cities I visited with my family.
As a nostalgic adult, I've owned a bunch of Vespas over the years and currently have two P-Series (post 80s) Vespas. I previously had a bunch of 70s Vespas, but they are more rare and sought after. The 60s and earlier stuff is very rare and usually expensive (by Vespa standards).
There was no electric start until the 80s. That's a red flag and suggests they are either modified or misrepresented. And as suggested above, beware the Viet Bodge Vespas - - it's a very common thing for enterprising Viet Namese to export "restored" Vespas and sell them on Ebay. They look great from afar, but often are a mess up close. Most of these are 60s and 70s.
A 60s Vespa that's not completely rusted out is worth at least $2000. Probably more like $3 - 5k. Unless it's an 8" wheel Vespa and/ or an Allstate (which was sold by Sears). 10" wheel Vespas are more desirable/rideable.
The 70s Vespas are arguably the best mix of classic lines and power. Good runners (60 mph is possible). Decent parts availability. Classic lines but not as pretty as the 60s. These are still $2000+ for running examples.
80s Vespas and later (the 2 strokes) are very popular and the least collectible, but still very desirable. The lines are more "squared" than "swoopy". The technology from the 80s thru 2000s was essentially unchanged for the grip shift, 2 stroke Vespas. Lots of parts availability and many mods to make them more modern (brakes, engine cylinders, ignitions, guages, etc). The aftermarket in Europe is massive and new parts are still being designed and sold. You may get lucky and find a post 80s Vespa for less than $1000, but runners are usually $1500+ and a restored nice one could be $3000+
All 2 stroke Vespas are ancient technology these days. VW bug level tech., or worse. They run. They break. You fix them relatively easily and usually cheaply. They can be modified to go faster, but pick two: Performance, Reliability, Low Cost.
It's generally viewed as a travesty to modify the pre 80s Vespas too much. Engine swaps are common, but it's a lot more work to upgrade brakes and stuff because body work is involved on anything pre 80s.
There's a huge, knowledgeable community of classic Vespa lovers. If you're looking for a fun, low budget project that will exercise the "old school" vehicle repair skills (carbs, points, timing, cables, etc) they can be a nice diversion. But they can also be dangerous (bc motorcycle) and you're not likely to get rich.
Please post pics.
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