Classic & Vintage - Help identifying old torpado found in trash

Hi all,

New to this forum but I am at a loss trying to idenitfy the following bike (i do not have a digital camera, but may be able to get my friend to take pictures if you can help). It is a flat olive green torpado with the classic script logo on both sides of the downtube. The frame is chrome lugged on the fork and head tube. The rear seat tube lug is painted. Rear internal housing brake cable. The seatstays are pointed like bullets where they attach to the seattube and there is a sticker around the seattube which is silver with a "super" in a red diamond in front of a wheel and blue wings extending out from the top of the diamond. The deraileur guides on the bottom bracket shell arre campy, but I cannot locate any other component names. There are no cutouts on the shell. Also, there are pump bosses on the seattube. The seat clamp is a separate component with the following (OOOOOOOOO) design on the front and an extension for linear pull brakes.

The brakes were ballia (which is a brand I am unfamiliar with). The bike had an old heavy steel three arm crankset. Also, there is a flat kickstand boss welded to the frame.

I do not think this is a super strada or something else from the 70s or 80s because of the age of the components and the logo.

Wow, a three arm crankset! Gotta see that. :)

This is more than likely a late '60's early '70's - lower end (the built in kickstand gives it away). The bike would be cool all restored, although it would be a labor of love...it won't be worth anything much. The most interesting part that you have listed is the seatpost clamp - These things were used throughout the whole bike line and would probably be worth an astonishing amount compared to the value of the rest of the bike...Balilla brakes were a pretty good lower to mid line brake back then.

I concur with Luker, though I would put it late 1960s, by virtue of the seat post collar. The Campagnolo cable guides suggest that it is the model that came with the Campagnolo Valentino derailleurs. The Balilla brakes and steel, three pin crankset are consistent for this model, which was 2nd from the bottom of the line. The hubs were usually Gnutti with quick release.

The bicycles are extremely attractive by virtue of the generous chrome. They usually have chrome rear stays in addtion to the head lugs and fork crown and ends. The early 1970s versions are usually full chrome under the paint. The lugs are typically cut out and the workmanship is generally good. That is one color that I have not seen.

Howewver, it is still an entry level model, and while the components were reasonable for the range and era, it is not a bicycle for a regular rider or one who does not like to tinker to keep things in good, running order.

thanks all,

I trully appreciate the knowledgeable assistance.