1976 Ducati Mini 3

Ducati 50cc Mini 3

Believed to be made in Spainin 1976

With White Tank and Red Frame 

FrameNo.          384391

EngineNo.          462103

Unregistered so no V5

No odometer so mileage unknown.

Pedals replaced by a kick start.

As you would expect given the below, it runs and rides great.

Recently restored by Ray Petty Mechanica.

Full detail of work carried out as follows:

A.DISMANTLING WORKS

•Removing fuel tank and seat, and storing safely

•Removing storage compartment beneath seat

•Removing front and rear mudguards 

•Removing all control cables

•Removing carburettor and drive chain

•Removing exhaust pipe and silencer

•Disconnecting all electrical wiring for ignition and generator systems, fusebox, headlamp, taillamp, and switches

•Removing electrical wiring harness and all electrical components

•Removing pedal cranks left and right

•Removing rider footrests, with brake pedal on right

•Removing chrome handlebar

•Draining gearbox oil

•Removing engine from frame

•Removing engine side covers right side and left side, including alloy cowling for ducted air cooling to the cylinder on right

•Removing front and rear wheels with drum brakes, removing tyres from wheels

•Removing front forks, and upper and lower yokes

•Removing chrome rear suspension units, red swinging arm, and white chain guard

•Removing centre stand from frame

B.EXAMINATION, TESTING, AND DIAGNOSIS OF ISSUES

Ascertaining that: 

•A compression test carried out on the cylinder showed a satisfactory result

•The engine started easily and ran well

•The clutch and three-speed gearbox appeared to work well

•It did not appear necessary to dismantle the cylinder head, barrel, crankcase, or gearbox

•The engine side covers and cowling were manufactured to a high quality with no significant defects

•Work to the engine could be limited to restoration and polishing of the alloy castings externally, with replacement of gaskets and screws

•The white painted steel fuel tank with original decals was satisfactory and no work was needed except cleaning

•The white painted storage compartment for supply of two-stroke oil was in poor condition and needed to be refinished

•The white painted chain guard was in poor condition and needed to be refinished

•The seat upholstered in black vinyl was satisfactory; the DUCATI logo at the rear appeared to be hand painted, not a printed decal

•The red surfaces of the frame (including the swinging arm and the centre stand) were in poor condition and needed to be fully re-finished

•The pivot bushes for the swinging arm were satisfactory

•The control cables were in poor condition, and all needed to be replaced with new items

•Most of the parts electroplated in chromium were satisfactory or only lightly corroded, and no replating work was needed

•The chromium exhaust pipe and black silencer were sound but of poor appearance; they needed to be cleaned and polished or re-finished

•The chromium plated 12 inch wheel rims showed signs of rust and pitting; this was capable of restoration to an acceptable (though not perfect) standard, without replacement. The spokes, hubs and wheel bearings were satisfactory 

•The tyres were too old for safe use, and needed replacement with modern equivalents 

•The drum brakes front and rear were largely satisfactory and needed only cleaning out the drums, de-glazing the linings, polishing the brake plates, and replacing the cables

•The attachment points for the rear sprocket to hub bolts were in poor condition and needed to be refurbished

•The final drive chain and both sprockets were satisfactory and needed only cleaning and lubrication

•The 28mm front telescopic forks were satisfactory and no work was needed except cosmetically

•The steering head balls were in poor condition and needed to be replaced; the upper and lower cup-and-cone races were acceptable for re-use

•The upper and lower fork yokes were usable but poorly finished in black

•The pedals on the moped cranks were unsuitable, and wrongly sized

•The carburettor and air cleaner needed to be cleaned and refurbished

•The fuel pipes needed to be replaced with new items 

•The speedometer was in good working order

•Many of the rubber parts needed replacing, including the rider footrests and the handlebar grips

•The was no rear number (registration) plate; this could be provided if a UK registration number were to be obtained

•No brake light switches were fitted to this model

•The black headlamp bucket and mounting brackets were in poor condition, including broken mounting threads, and needed to be replaced or refinished

•The electrical system was largely satisfactory, and needed only some connectors, switches, HT lead, and spark plug

C.EXTERNAL SUPPLIERS

•The entire frame was stripped, prepared, and repainted in red, including the swinging arm, the foot brake pedal, and the centre stand.  

•The rear chain guard and the storage compartment were stripped, prepared, and repainted in white to match the fuel tank

D.REFURBISHMENT OR PROCUREMENT OF PARTS 

•Cleaning and polishing the alloy engine side covers and cowling to a high standard

•Cleaning and polishing the front and rear mudguards to a high standard

•Cleaning the white painted steel fuel tank internally, cleaning the petrol taps

•Procuring new replacement parts for the fuel pipes and hoses including adding a fuel filter

•Dismantling the Dellorto SHA 14mm carburettor, cleaning, refurbishing, replacing worn parts, cleaning the re-usable mesh air filter, and reassembling with new cork gasket

•Polishing the chromed exhaust pipe, refinishing the exhaust pipe attachment nut and the existing silencer in matt black VHT paint

•Obtaining two new sets of steering head race balls, upper and lower

•Obtaining a new lighting and dip switch 

•Refurbishing the headlamp bucket in matt black, repairing the mounting points with rivet nuts, obtaining new mounting bolts, and fabricating a pair of bespoke headlamp rubber and steel mounting brackets

•Refinishing the upper and lower fork yokes in matt black

•Refinishing the front fork sliders in matt black

•Obtaining from Messrs Venhills of Dorking a kit from which cables could be made up; making up a complete set of six special bespoke control cables with adjusters, for throttle, front and rear brakes, clutch, and two gearchange cables

•Cleaning and polishing the chromed steel wheel rims, removing surface rust 

•Obtaining a pair of MITAS Monsum 90/90-12 inch tyres with new tubes and rim tapes

•Obtaining replacement footrest rubbers and handlebar grips of suitable types 

•Cleaning and polishing the chromed rear suspension units, removing surface rust

•Procuring miscellaneous parts and materials including wires, tubes, plastic ties, electrical connectors, grommets, sealant, grease, nuts, bolts, screws, washers, spacers, shims, etc.

E.WORK TO ENGINE UNIT

•Re-installing the engine side covers and cowling, with suitable screws

•Installing the left side crank, adapted to operate as a kickstart in view of the difficulty obtaining correctly threaded foot pedals

•Filling gearbox with 30 cc of Rock Oil Gamma oil, to correct level

F.FINAL ASSEMBLY 

•Installing swinging arm to frame

•Installing centre stand to frame

•Installing the upper and lower yokes and fork legs to frame, with new headlamp brackets

•Installing handlebar to upper yoke

•Installing the engine in the frame

•Attaching inlet manifold, carburettor (Dellorto SHA 14), and air cleaner to cylinder barrel

•Installing new throttle cable to twistgrip and carburettor slide, lubricating and adjusting to suit

•Installing new clutch cable, lubricating, routeing, and adjusting for correct operation

•Installing two new gearchange cables to handlebar perch and to gearbox, lubricating, routeing, and adjusting for correct operation

•Installing exhaust system, fitting new sealing washer to the barrel exhaust port

•Installing headlamp shell, lens and reflector, and wiring

•Installing the horn 

•Installing spark plug (NGK B6HS) and HT lead

•Installing new tyres to wheels, with tubes and rim tapes

•Installing front wheel on motorcycle, connecting speedometer cable and drum brake cable, lubricating and adjusting

•Installing rear wheel with sprocket on right side, connecting cable operated drum brake on left side, lubricating and adjusting

•Installing final drive chain to sprockets, lubricating and adjusting for correct tension, installing white painted chain guard

G.INSTALLATION OF BODYWORK

•Installing white fuel tank with taps and rubber mounts, connecting fuel pipes to carburettor

•Installing white storage compartment

•Installing polished front and rear mudguards

•Installing seat 

•Installing new rider footrest rubbers and new hand-grip rubbers to correct specification

H.DELIVERY

•Inspecting all components for fit, tightness, fluid levels, air pressure, voltage, switching, etc.

•Adding fuel to tank, mixing two-stroke oil with fuel to correct proportion

•Starting engine, checking for noises, smoke, oil leaks, throttle response

•Testing by riding a short distance on a private road to check for possible issues

•Final polish ready for delivery