minarelli c3 variator engine

Not many people get to see these rare engines.

I will share some photos of a rebuilt I did.

new bearings

new seals

new cylinder gaskets (head & base gasket)

serviced crankshaft / installed ina bearings small and large needle bearings

Ported 38mm factory racing cylinder kit

5 coil contra spring the stock was 4 coil

new vario pulleys

new rollers

new vario plate

thicker then stock red gummy clutch shoes

nos clutch springs

nos ks starter gear

If anyone has manuals or knows more then I do about this please enlighten me. Thanks, Ed

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Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

Did you make those motor mounts? Looks sweet, more pictures please.

Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

Downhill Harvey (OFMC) /

Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

TBS Tweeder has one of these that he rebuilt. Best off the line power ever... Totally insane like.

Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

What is the difference between the c2 and c3?

Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

I think just the verticle cylinder, possibly some other small things.

Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

Cant help ya, but that there is sexxxy!

Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

C2 is biult like the V1 with an internal variator. the C3 has a motorcycle cylinder from a minarelli P4 or P6. on a bad day with a 19mm they were 6.5hp stock and restricted.

the C2 runs a the cylinder from a V1 the V2 also does. the C3 runs a cylinder from a dirtbike basically. you can get over 30hp from the water cooled version. they also came as 4 speeds with pedals called the P4 but the head was not the same

Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

There is a reason that most of the 2 stroke scooters today use a minarelli style engine.

Tomos had 1 common engine until the 90s.

Puch had 2.

Minarelli had at least 5 I have heard of and had there thumb in a bunch of other motors. They were constantly refining and remaking their engines. From a business standpoint it was folly to keep changing designs and not making all the parts compatible, but from an R&D stand point keeping the same basic design for 30 years is foolish.

Minarelli just happened to have the best design and experienced designers in the mid-late eighties when Yamaha wanted to break into the scooter business and didn't want to try and compete with their tired shaft drive set up that even in those days was slow.

Cool engine for sure. Did those make it to the states at all?

Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

i'm pretty sure i read somewhere that vespa variators will fit those guys, if you feel like going with a performance one.

Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

damn im jealous i want one on my citybike ed you always have the coolest minarelli shit fer sure!

Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

) Cupermcnewbster ( /

I want one.

Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

Hmm dean,

The crankshaft has to wooduff keys holding each side of the vario pulleys.

The engine came on this bike.

Harvey, They came it the variomatic with this engine.

Finding and getting the parts was the hardet thing ever. Many hours of research went into this build looking for high performance parts.

Anyone have a 49-50mm bolt spacing 24-28mm take laying around?

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Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

oops too early,

2 wooduff keys

Harvey, They came on the safari variomatic with this engine.

Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

There is a pedal shaft .. :) so its all moped.

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Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

Taking this apart was easy with the old spring reassembling was fun.

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Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

aftermarket contra spring

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Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

I never thought it would be complete as the parts are so rare to find.

I forgot

UTM aftermarket connecting rod.

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Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

The z12 came on the bike. They make z13,14 for it, not much room for bigger sprockets.

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Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

Pretty neat fan.

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Exhaust port

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Intake port

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UTM connecting rod.

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Done with the transmission.

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Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

4 speed pedals :)

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Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

Before I rebuilt the engine.

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Other side before rebuild.

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Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

derbeez ryderz /

is that top end the same as an S5 franco?

Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

morini=minarelli ... not the same.

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Re: minarelli c3 variator engine

Really cool Ed. Have you been able to find an aftermarket cylinder for this? It looks like it would take quite a bit of frame modification to make it fit on other bikes since it has that lower under motor bracket.

So are you saying that the pedal shaft has internal sprockets that allow it to change speeds?

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