Initially, Scott says, “I figured I’d restore it and keep it for myself.”But instead, Scott responded to an inquiry from Californian Nils Behnke, who was looking for a restored 3C.
At this early stage the motor was basically a 750 twin with an extra cylinder grafted on. It retained the 750 twin’s chain-driven single overhead camshaft layout with the starter behind the cylinders and a belt-driven generator in front. In other words it's like a British vertical twin, with an extra cylinder inserted in the middle and working 180 degrees out of phase. uncompromising. I put in all new bearings. Phil has been a Ducati rider for 45 years and professional photographer for the last 27.
Laverda’s 3C Prototype It was still a single OHC design with the starter behind the cylinders and the belt-driven generator in front.However by 1971 Massimo Laverda and Luciano Zen had massively reworked the design.
“The crank was junk, the gearbox components were rusted up. It wasn’t Laverda’s fault, and plenty of bike makers’ ranges were embarrassed by Honda’s bombshell. “I found the color in an Italian magazine advertisement for the same machine.”The engine has received sensible upgrades from stock specification with a big-valve cylinder head and modified valve timing. All the Laverda triples were very different to comparable large displacement Japanese motorcycles. but the raw muscle and rough running of the earliest 1000 3C placed it even further apart. But back at Laverda headquarters in Breganze, Massimo, together with chief designer Luciano Zen, was already working on Laverda’s next model. The 1000 3C was blatantly loud. It now sported a DOHC cylinder head with narrow angled valves, together with very substantial crankcases.The original 120º crank was replaced by a 180º unit (the outside pistons moving together, with the centre piston 180º out of phase).The new design was first displayed at the 1971 Milan Show, named the 1000C, and the bike I photographed is in fact this prototype, with engine number 1000 001.By comparison to the production bikes that followed in 1972, it is quite unique with sand-cast cases of a different pattern, 750 instruments and handlebar, ignition key placement and even sand-cast Dell’Orto carbs.The 180º motor was replaced by a rubber-mounted 120º in 1982 and after evolving through a total of 16 different models production of the triple ceased in 1986. The only work farmed out was the chrome plating and the side panel/gas tank painting.“The paint color is the only known example of the light metallic green offered only on the early triples,” Scott says. Best of both worlds really! It was still a single OHC design with the starter behind the cylinders and the belt-driven generator in front. Whether or not Massimo and Luciano knew the Kawasaki Z1 was on its way is moot.