At first, I'd like to suggest about two projects of MOTO GUZZI V-twin, that precede to the one of motorcycle. That would be a good step to understand the story of GUZZI motorcycle V-twin.

In a postwar rehabilitation period of Italy, in 1940-50's, small motorbike was very popular as a cheap transporter that brings carriage and human, and a delight recreation that brings freedom.
Its market was rich, and fed many motorcycle makers, not only the old ones from prewar, but also new ones set up in those days.
Also MOTO GUZZI enjoyed spring. More than 340,000 units of Motoleggera, Calderino, Zigolo, was produced, and they had a good reputation for light, high performance, simple, and reliable.
Those small bikes, which were designed by Antonio Micucci, can be characterized technically with its unique rear suspension system, long life engine like bigger GUZZI brothers, and there was also a management fruit like a joint established in Spain.

 
left : an example of MOTO GUZZI Hispania 65 cc (reference No. 7)
right : Mandello rally in 1949. Most right is Enrico Palodi (seems to be enjoying much), most left is Umberto Todero with sunglasses. (ref. No. 1)

However, those happy days did not continue much longer.
After that period, increasing people's income level, and price of cars dropped. Most of the motorbike market was brought away to cars, and being limited to small mopeds and scooters. Many bike makers were exhausted under that sort of hard situation.
In those days, 1955.
In a design room of MOTO GUZZI, there was a man, who was drawing a big 4 stroke V twin engine. He was Micucci, who designed the dominating moped, Motoleggera.


In 1948, Isle of Mann.
From left, Moletto (chef mechanic), Micucci, Omobono Tenni and Manx cat. (ref. No. 5)

An example of 3X3 (ref. No. 1)

Sometimes it's bantered as a farmer tractor, I'd like to list up this special vehicles feature to aid such a ignorance.

• At the beginning of 1950's, Garbari, later general, proposed it for transport in Alps mountains.
• It has tree wheels, one for front, two for rear. All tree wheels are driven.
• Its driving interface is like cars. It has round steering wheel and a few foot pedals.
• Driver sits on the seat like saddle. The engine is mounted at the behind of the seat.
• Rear tire tread varies. And also the caterpillar can be attached to improve the rough road availability.
• Engine torque is divided 1 : 4 to run front and rear wheel respectively, through special differential gear.
• Its body is constructed with welded structure of big cross-section tube and pressed steel plate.

At this time MOTO GUZZI already has some kind of working vehicles like Motocarro, Ercolino, and the 3X3 structure can be said as a evolutionary version of them.

  One example of Ercole (ref. No. 1)

3X3 is for one person, and since it's applied to the rough road of Alps, It could do quick or small turn, so 3X3 is not so big. It seems to be the same size as the trikes of nowadays.
There were two types of 3X3.
First type appeared in 1955 or 56, which was designed by the team of Micucci. That was a prototype, with 700 cc engine of single camshaft between the cylinders, and crank case was divided vertically. Engine was set as a bit vivace, preferred high rpm. A few or tens of units seemed to be delivered.
Next new was for mass production type, which was re-designed after 1958. Joined Umberto Todero, who was said as the right-hand-man of Carcano, reinforced design team. Engine was a bit extended to 750 cc, with two camshafts beside the each cylinder, and the crank case was a single piece structure with dome shape. It was focused on the durability and tolerance, engine was set modestly, Production started from 1960, and about 200 units were made.
The engine of 3X3 is a MOTO GUZZI's first 90 degree V twin. Transverse mounting and OHV system is same with the later motorcycle V twin, so it could be confused as its ancestor. But they have little similarity, their architecture is quite different. They don't have technical relation. They two are quite different productions.

  The engine of 3X3 (ref. No. 1)

Now, let's see the 3X3 again carefully.
It's quite unique, interesting vehicle (or a weapon?). It has so complex mechanism in those days, and it can be said as a proof of high technical level of MOTO GUZZI.
I also like to point a fact that the Italian army let this project to MOTO GUZZI. Under the world war II condition, almost all of the motorbike makers may have a connection to the army, but it selected just a GUZZI. You can say some reasons, ex., the factory of GUZZI was safe beyond the war, it places near the Alps which is the object land of this project, etc., but it's difficult to say the definite one. I'd say that the special connection between the GUZZI and Italian authorities as a result of long history of the GUZZI may make affect to the vendor selection. Because that relation will affect again to the background of the next V7 motorbike development.
Well, I can't say clearly how this vehicle did work as a weapon. It has produced about 200 units, it's too little against the level of Ercore, over 30,000 units. So it was not much profitable for MOTO GUZZI. But its mechanism and poor production may appeal as a collection item. If you are a true vehicle collector, it is the must one. (Just a joke...)

 
left : 3X3 in Alps (ref. No. 1)    right : 3X3 nowadays (fm MOTO GUZZI user site; already closed.)

MOTO GUZZI racing team stopped GP atcivity at the end of 1957, and next year, some projects were started. The development of FIAT 500 engine was one of them.
I can't say there's any clear agreement between the GUZZI and FIAT at the start of the project. But technically, it had clear consistency, which is the development of high performance engine unit with the original gearbox of FIAT 500.
In 1958 it was started with the shape of OHV 90 degree V-twin 500 cc, air-cooled by the fins driven by the engine itself. One cam placed between the cylinders and it moves all the valves. Some design updates were carried out to achieve good performance, reliability, and easy maintenance, especially after 1960 when the development of 3X3 was finished. After 1961, the engine was tested not only on the test bench but also mounted in a real car. Displacement became 600 cc to cope with the ABARTH, and 36ps 130km/h was achieved at the end of 1963.
After that, some samples were sent to FIAT and evaluated. It was appreciated well, especially for its performance, but that's all. Test car was sent back and GUZZI could not get any further offer.
GUZZI's dream, perhaps it was a seed of next mass production engineering, was shut down by FIAT.
But the engine provides a proof that they could make up a good example for a technical level of car production. Managers may be pale, but engineers was not.

  FIAT 500 engine (ref. No. 1)

This engine has many technical similarity for V7, the motorcycle that comes after it. But it's wrong to conclude that GUZZI reused this widow for V7, because V7 was developed parallel time with FIAT. They were independent project.
So the engine for FIAT 500 and V7 differs much, different displacement, and no common parts. You'll have much difficulty if you want to make V7 engine into the FIAT engine room.
Well, you can image them freely though. It would be amazing that brave GUZZI engine works hard under the bonnet of that pretty FIAT 500.
I've found a good example shown below. It was mounted laterally rotated compared to the Carcano's genuine one. It's wonderful, but seems hardly to be cooled.


see detail to   http://www.mgcn.nl/dameijer/html/fiat500.htm

MOTO GUZZI seems struggled in this era, around 1957 of quitting the GP. Someone says it's because the decreased income after the motorbike market shrinkage. If that was true, MOTO GUZZI might try to get another market.
In those era, MOTO GUZZI made various project, which contains special vehicles that may have some relations to the 3X3, and speed record attackers of special architecture.
All these examples show high capability of MOTO GUZZI design team that had made so many racing bikes for various classes just before that time.

 
Examples of speed record vehicles that MOTO GUZZI dedicated.
Nibbio (1935 ref. No. 4) and Colibri (1963, ref. No. 1)

I can't describe all the development actions of MOTO GUZZI, references doesn't say it clearly. It's because of the long time distance, and a bit of military secret wall, maybe. But I can say that these development was a good deposit for GUZZI.
And again, increasing car market pulled the trigger.

--  next : An actual stage of V-twin development

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