by ron bennett » Tue Apr 05, 2005 12:47 pm
Dear Max:
The engine you are asking about is the OPS 20cc 4-stroke. OPS is no longer in business. They were a design, assembly and marketing company providing very stout high performance engines. The three partners went their separate ways when the O partner (I do not remember the Italian names off the top of my head so I’ll just use the initials here) went off to work full time for the Communist Party. The S partner was the financial guy and he went off to another business venture unrelated to the hobby industry. The P partner, the marketing guy behind OPS, gathered together all the sub-contractors to OPS together, chance the casting dies name plates and Picco Engines were born almost overnight.
Like Picco and a few other engine suppliers today, OPS did not build their engines or parts but contracted the parts to machine shops and other engine builders. The OPS 20cc 4-stroke, like its companions, the 30cc and 60cc twin glow engines were made for OPS by Rossi. They are very high-quality engines and have a drum vale system similar to HP and Webra.
Hope this helps,
Ron Bennett