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Restoring my 1997 TVS 50 moped

20th January 2022, 20:57 by Dev Shah

What comes to mind to anyone hearing TVS 50 is a moped acting as a mini LCV ferrying a good amount of load.

BHPian funkykar recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

What comes to mind to anyone hearing TVS 50 is a moped acting as a mini LCV ferrying a good amount of load. The rest of the time, it's likely a hard-working man or his entire family on it. It was such a savior for the middle and lower-middle class. It truly was magical and can be called a wonder machine. To buy it was quite affordable and maintenance was such a breeze too. It surprisingly could handle a lot of load for all it is just a puny 50cc. This also meant a very good FE.

I always saw plenty of them while growing up. I never got a chance to ride one. Most in family and friends circle either had a Luna moped or a Scooter and above. Most time I felt pity to see them being overloaded. However, it was so common that subconscious, later on, would process it as -If its a TVS 50 or an M80, it is meant to be used like this . This probably was the most sold moped of all time. Though it came with other variants like Champ, heavy-duty etc, the TVS 50 always will remain iconic.

I had the aspiration of getting a TVS 50 moped ever since I restored my Suvega moped. A known doctor friend Srikanth Narayana told me about a good TVS 50. I somehow couldn't visit it for a few weeks. Then one day, I made up my mind and visited. Went prepared to get it home if it was good. The doctor's known mechanic had purchased it from his customer and had for resale.

The moped was stashed for many months and wasn't running. The very first time I saw it:

Mechanic adjusting brakes:

Original paint, seat is in bad shape, broken yoke. Needs some work before it can run:

Another angle:

Genuine odometer reading. Fresh:

Requires this ignition key:

See how it fired up so easily despite being a non-runner for many months.

Just after the mechanics made it to run:

Tyre cracked and would need change:

The mechanic took it for a quick spin before handing it to me.

I was extremely happy to buy this moped. More so as this was in brown color and a not too frequently seen color. The green is what strikes to mind for anyone who remembers a TVS 50. Though the paint was in excellent condition, it felt very scratchy. A small photoshoot with original paint.

Pics taken near the iconic Windsor Manor bridge:

Paint looks fantastic, yet I am not happy with it:

Near the iconic Windsor Manor bridge:

Though the paint looks pretty good, I wasn't too happy. I then decided it would be a good idea to repaint and make it fresh. Hence the thought of restoration came. The engine was very crisp and did not need any attention. On one of the weekend's, the carburetor needed to be cleaned.

The restoration:

After restoring the Suvega, I had all the needed resources to restore a TVS 50 on my fingertips, literally yes! I called Mechanic Raju and explained what I intended to do. My condition was everything that should happen at my doorstep. As I was working I did not have time to visit the service center often. If he works at my doorstep, I could peep once every couple of hours and see progress. Spares shouldn't be an issue for a TVS 50 and least of the worries.

On the pre-decided day, mechanic Raju comes home and disassembles everything. Here are the pictures.

Mechanic Raju getting started: