Picco 0.050 on ebay, very cool and a story

layback209 Wed Nov 10, 2021 11:27 am

Anyone ever run one of these? Back in the day early 2000s, picco, novarossi and Lamberto Collari dominated the r/c car engine scene. Exceptional motors. I'm still running my collari .21 only have maybe 3 gallons on it.
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/NIB-Made-In-Italy-Picco-P-Zero-0-8Tcc-050-C-L-F-F-Model-Airplane-Engine-/373724795002?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l6249&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0

I had a opportunity to participate in a race clinic ("110% racing") put on by Ty and Gord Tessmann last year. They are world champions, at the top these days, factory xray drivers and fantastic folks. Part of the clinic involved Ty taking your race rig for a few laps and him coaching you on what could help your car set up. So I showed up with my 2004 1/8 buggy setup. The first generation of the xray buggy with slow hitech 645 servos and the collari b7 with jp2 pipe. I passed my remote to Ty and watched him unleash my car on the track. He lapped everyone at least 2 times in a couple minus, I never new my car could do that lol. He pulls into the pit, passes the remote back, has a huge grin on his face and says this thing is fast. Need to tweak this and that. Coming from a pro I'll take the compliment. Probably looked like a "sleeper" to him lol. Man I never learnt so much in such a short period before. I also got to take his car for a few laps to feel the difference between our cars, speed wise about the same, grip was comparible but the modern 2020 chassis made a huge difference with his set up made a significant difference on ability to soak bumps and power through.

Here's the old girl;

Picco 0.050 on ebay, very cool and a story 20201010

Surfer_kris Wed Nov 10, 2021 12:04 pm

The stock crank is very brittle on those engines.
The one in the ad is far from stock though, so if it has a new crank in it too, it will be well worth the money, otherwise it is better to look elsewhere.

Here is one of mine:

Picco 0.050 on ebay, very cool and a story Img_7211

layback209 Wed Nov 10, 2021 2:45 pm

Awesome thanks for the advice. Like how you have yours set up. I have heard of some cranks failing right at the intake port where it's thinned out, but that was on Dynamite branded or LRP engines. Good to know. I think Novarossi absorbed Picco and Collari over the years. I know Novarossi is no more unfortunately, perhaps their equipment will resurface one day.

ffkiwi Fri Nov 12, 2021 1:42 pm

Yes you need to treat the Picco P-0s with kid gloves...the cranks let go with distressing regularity...one point to note though is that MOST if not all of the aero versions have been reduced in capacity to meet US class rules...ie 0.05 cu ins not the nominal standard Picco size of 0.061....so you can potentially find two versions of 'modified' engines...those that have been 'destroked' to come within the stipulated limits-but are otherwise fairly standard internally-and those that have been destroked AND fitted with a beefier shaft...which means a larger OD and obviously matching rear bearing...

What would be quite useful would be someone doing a run of standard shafts in a better grade of steel-or using a better heat treatment-than the factory achieved.... Various people have indicated they were considering this...but little seems to have eventuated in terms of being able to purchase one [I know I'd jump at the opportunity....while I have a lathe and can machine a shaft I don't have access to the precision grinding equipment you need to finish them properly]

AFAIK there was never a factory aero version marketed...only the pull start or non pull start car versions-which required initial modification to make them usable in an aero role...at the very least a prop drive assembly....most usage seems to be for 'open throttle' type classes-ie FF and CL....though I imagine Brad has played around with one or two in his RC speedster models...

ChrisM
'ffkiwi'

1/2A Nut Fri Nov 12, 2021 3:09 pm

Ode to the wee lil Picco,

Here testing one of Mel's new machined cranks / upgraded bearings:

Custom Crank / Picco .0519 ci / .85 cc / APC 4.2x4 / 29,473 rpm
New crank for improved longevity and performance.
165° exhaust timing over stock @ 160° / 4oz break in time results:
Static: 12 oz thrust / 111.3 mph pitch speed / .227 hp / 170 W

Brief peak needle 30,564 rpm
Static: 13.4 oz thrust / 116 mph / .255 hp / 190.2W
34W improvement over stock crank. Thank you Mel!

165° timing / tuned to 9in MRP (Mean Reflective Point)
30% nitro / 20% oil / AP .09 carb / Profi .8cc Tuned Pipe

Here I do a run up of one of Doug's reworked engines:

Doug Galbreath Modified Picco .05 ci. / .85cc / Nelson Plug / APC 4.1x4.1E
27,374 rpm / 9.6oz thrust / .171hp - 128w / 106 mph pitch speed
Profi .8cc tuned pipe AP .09 carb / 25% nitro - 20% castor oil.

Small Cox Logo

Ken Cook Fri Nov 12, 2021 3:17 pm

I owned 6 of them. I'm quite certain that the one in the EBAY listing is a Doug Galbreath rework. It looks like his needle valve assembly. We were using them for 1/2A combat. To many whiners complained it wasn't a .049 due to it's displacement. They ran pretty good but they had some quirks. Props required it's hole to be opened due to the crank size. That was a big pain in the rear. The lugs on the case were very narrow and the holes very small in the lugs. This required a different mount then what most of us were using. What made up for the negatives was the cost. I was purchasing them for $40 a piece. Sending the engine to Doug added $160. He would sleeve the crank and turn the head adding a Nelson head button. He would also make the venturi. I did have one that broke a crank.

layback209 Fri Nov 12, 2021 8:35 pm

I had no idea this engine existed. Never seen one in my local hobby shops, cox options were regularly stocked though. Interesting that it has "non standardized monting and prop hole." Sounds a bit painful.

There was on gent local to me modifying engines and making custom pipes. Robin with Extreme RC Mods is his business name or ERCM. He's no longer doing motor work but still builds pipes. His stuff is beautifully crafted. Very cool time those days when there was several folks performing nitro engine work. There is still a few re-pinching and engines break in service providers around. And the odd moder.

$40, thats a nice sticker price. Basically what a base model cox 0.049 was. I think I paid $350 for my .21 collari and an additional $75 for the jp2 tuned pipe and header. Was totally worth it.

Wow those motors sing nicely. Thanks for sharing 1/2a nut. Dang I must resist urge to bid now lol. Could I inquire about your pipe dimensions? I sorta wanna try and make one to test a few 0.049s with. It looks like 6" long about 70/30 split between the divergent and convergence cones.

1/2A Nut Sat Nov 13, 2021 7:33 am

165° timing / tuned to 9in MRP (Mean Reflective Point)
From piston face to MRP

Can scale the pipe total length to 9" not including the header.

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Picco 0.050 on ebay, very cool and a story Profi_10

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Surfer_kris Sat Nov 13, 2021 11:14 am

layback209 wrote:I had no idea this engine existed. Never seen one in my local hobby shops, cox options were regularly stocked though.

The engine was designed for car use, but I guess the crank didn't hold up for that and they then sold off their stock for about $40 a piece, some +10 years ago...

I think AndyW on the RCU 1/2A forum was one of the first ones to adapt one to airplane use:

layback209 Mon Nov 15, 2021 10:35 am

Wow, thanks 1/2a nut! This Site Rocks!

I like the carbon versions you have too. I actually seen one of the aluminum pipes for sale around here by one of the local pylon racing gents. I'd like to turn some mandrels on my lathe and experiment with some of my engines. I like your cox header arrangements.

Hi Surfer_kris that's a nice running engine! Makes way more sense on the sticker price. Very interesting. So that ebay listing was at $340ish USD last time I checked. Looks like there's lots of interest in it. Woowee! When Novarossi was in full swing they offered broken in rc car engines . They posted a video how they were doing it and it involved a prop, and WOT. Very neet video. Here it is if interested. It's totally different than how I do it lol, or the oil break in methods offered by engine service folks.

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Picco 0.050 on ebay, very cool and a story

Picco 0.050 on ebay, very cool and a story

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Re: Picco 0.050 on ebay, very cool and a story

Re: Picco 0.050 on ebay, very cool and a story

Re: Picco 0.050 on ebay, very cool and a story