Triple Carb. Vespa Ciao

Triple Carbed Vespa Ciao

I would like to introduce one of the latest editions to the family. It is a beautifully manufactured Vespa Ciao with three carbs. A friend of mine built this back in the day (about two/three years ago). He had it up for sale and as rare as it is, I couldn't let this one go.

It still has some small fine-tuning issues to be taken care of.

Let me first give you the full specs:

- Polini Speed Engine (electronic)

- Polini 42mm Aluminium cylinder (30mm exhaust port)

- EuroCilindro liquid cooled cylinder head (milled to 42mm)

- Giannelli Mega exhaust (custom cut and welded for Vespa Ciao, 30mm exhaust flange and header)

- 13/13 Dellorto carb (rear inlet)

- 13/13 Dellorto carb (side-inlet, REED VALVE)

- 18mm Dellorto carb (top cylinder inlet, REED VALVE)

- Polini radiator

- Polini Speed Control variomatic (with a custom 25-degree plate)

- Stock 1:13 Piaggio variomatic transmission

- Aftermarket variomatic clutch (100mm discs, yellow Malossi tension/pressure spring, stock central clutch spring)

Additional parts to be changed or added:

- Pinasco elec. flywheel (weighs only 698 grams).

- Polini waterpump (If I can make this fit on the center opening of the engine cradle)

- Polini reservoir (If I can find one)

- Most importantly, a decent and original clutch with a red Malossi pressure spring and yellow clutch springs)

- Last but not least, Malossi 1:9 Racing Gears

I basically took it over as it is. The only things I will most likely change are the parts mentioned above.

Polini 42mm Reed Valve Adjustments

What my friend basically did as he built this engine and Ciao is the following:
He milled away a large part of the fins on the top section of the cylinder to fixate the Polini Reed Valve kit. By the way, this Polini Reed Valve kit is officially for Puch Maxi.

The side-inlet is also custom. He adjusted the crankshaft for the side-inlet.

Furthermore, it has a 30mm exhaust port.

Fine-tuning

You may ask yourselves whether such an overdose on carbs would ever work. I ask myself the same question. In theory, it should work. In reality, it is extremely difficult to get this right. Which carb needs which jet is hard to determine when fine-tuning something like this.

After having driven it twice (only), I feel that both the side-inlet carb and rear-carb need a smaller jet. The top carb (on the cylinder) may need a larger jet, if not a larger idle-jet. The two 13/13 carbs run correspondingly. The 18mm top carb runs on the push-start-lever! This carb can only be engaged at higher RPMs, otherwise the engine will stall due to, what seems to be, an overkill of fuel.

Also, even with the crappy tuning, the bike is slow off the line. Once I'm going 30 (km/h) and engage the 18mm top carb, it boosts away incredibly. However, when I play with the throttle at and near 0-15km/h, it revs up too much. Clearly, this has to do with the aftermarket stock clutch.

Updates will be added soon!

Fred / MoParts-Webshop