Inside the Ducati Factory

Part Two – With Phil Aynsley

Continued from part one last week…

Ducati Factory, Bologna, Italy - 50cc two-stroke Ducati - By Phil Aynsley — Ducati Factory, Bologna, Italy – 50cc two-stroke Ducati – By Phil Aynsley

No records remain for this 50cc 2-stroke design that featured fan-forced cooling. It dates from around 1975.

Ducati Factory, Bologna, Italy - 1975 modofieid Ducati bevel drive 500cc single-cylinder four-valve - By Phil Aynsley — Ducati Factory, Bologna, Italy – 1975 modofieid Ducati bevel drive 500cc single-cylinder four-valve – By Phil Aynsley

This 1975 modified bevel twin motor was used to test a single cylinder 500cc DOHC 4-valve design which didn’t progress any further. An output of around 50hp was achieved. A 350cc single cylinder motor, based on the Pantah, was preferred and came close to production in 1978.

Ducati Factory, Bologna, Italy - 1976 Ducati 1000cc 90-degree V4 SOHC - By Phil Aynsley — Ducati Factory, Bologna, Italy – 1976 Ducati 1000cc 90-degree V4 SOHC – By Phil Aynsley

Despite being forever associated with Ducati singles and V-twins Ing. Taglioni was always prepared to turn his hand to other configurations. V4s were a reoccurring theme with at least three designs making it past the drawing board. The most famous was the 1963 OHV 1260cc Apollo but in 1976 he returned to the layout with this 1000cc 90 degree, SOHC design (a 750cc version was also planned). It was water-cooled and seen here in metal and wood mock up form and fitted into an open cradle frame. A single Dell’Orto 40mm carb was to feed each cylinder bank.

Ducati Factory, Bologna, Italy - 1982 Ducati Pantah like V4 SOHC 2-valve per cylinder - By Phil Aynsley — Ducati Factory, Bologna, Italy – 1982 Ducati Pantah like V4 SOHC 2-valve per cylinder – By Phil Aynsley

By 1982 a more Pantah-like design had evolved. This final version of the SOHC 2-valve per cylinder motor was now a desmo and had very oversquare 78 x 52mm bore/stroke dimensions, weighed 98kg and used a combination of oil & air cooling. A single plain bearing crankshaft was used. Bench-tested at 105hp @ 9,500rpm in touring tune with mufflers, it made 132hp @ 12,000rpm with slight tuning. It is seen here in a scaled up version of the TT2 Pantah’s space frame.

Ducati Factory, Bologna, Italy - 1982 Ducati Pantah like V4 SOHC 2-valve per cylinder as last bench tested with four Dell’Orto 36mm carbs - By Phil Aynsley — Ducati Factory, Bologna, Italy – 1982 Ducati Pantah like V4 SOHC 2-valve per cylinder as last bench tested with four Dell’Orto 36mm carbs – By Phil Aynsley

The motor as last bench tested with four Dell’Orto 36mm carbs. Taglioni intended the motor to be eventually fitted with specially designed SPICA fuel injection – which he estimated would have produced about 150hp.

Ducati Factory, Bologna, Italy - 1960 1500cc air-cooled desmo Formula 1 motor that was never raced - By Phil Aynsley — Ducati Factory, Bologna, Italy – 1960 1500cc air-cooled desmo Formula 1 motor that was never raced – By Phil Aynsley

This 1960 1,500cc air cooled, desmo Formula 1 motor was designed & built by Ing. Fabio Taglioni with assistance from Giorgio Monetti, Carlo Maserati (O.S.C.A.), Rino Gilli & Giuseppe Gironi. Destined for use in an O.S.C.A. F-1 car, the engine was never fitted in a chassis.

Back to Part One