Classic & Vintage - Gios Torino Project

I had posted about this frame when I first won it but figured now that I have it I mind as well make it official with a project thread. Anyways, I won this frame a little over a week ago, I'm told that it is a ~1974 Gios Torino Super Record that was professionally repainted and had new decals put on it saving me a ton of work, figured it was a no-brainer for a little over $300 + shipping.

I just got this frame in the mail today, looking it over I'm very impressed with the paint job, looks like they sand blasted it (I need to take the air compressor to it since there's still a bunch of grit in it) and then painted it with careful care to detail, I couldn't find any imperfections in the paint itself. The decals look good with the exception of a small bubble in the decal under the down tube, looks like he didn't quite line it up correctly. The chrome fork also looks to be in great condition. The only thing I noticed is in the top tube, it looks like there are several incredibly small indents in the steel under the paint on the non-drive side of the top tube. You can't even see it unless you get the bike in the perfect lighting and you can feel them slightly feel them if you run your finger across the TT. I tried to take pictures of them but I couldn't get them to show up in the photos. This worries me a bit but if it is in fact a 1974 I suppose it would have a few small imperfections to it?? Should I be worried? The frame weighs in at 1880kg and the fork at 700kg.

Now, as to the year of this frame? After doing some research and thanks to some others here it looks very similar to the 1970s frames (http://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/gios-large/2.jpg), but after seeing an auction on ebay for a 90s Gios Evolution I'm getting a tad worried as it also looks similar (http://cgi.ebay.com/beautiful-GIOS-Torino-Evolution-Brooklyn-type-steel_W0QQitemZ330143438177QQihZ014QQcategoryZ98084QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem). So between the tiny indents in the top tube and this ebay auction I've become a little worried, so please help me identify this frame. Also, one thing I've noticed that may help is that top tube does not have any brake cable hangers which leads me to believe that it is in fact an older frame.

I'm planning on either using Super Record or Nuevo Record components, if I can ever figure out the actual year since I'd like to make the components on this as accurate as possible. I already have a Brooks Swift I'm planning on putting on it :)

Anyways, here's a bunch of pics, hope they help:

Also, I forgot to mention that the steerer tube has Columbus stamped on it. The more and more I look at other frames the more this looks like a 1970s frame... Also, as to the brake cable hangers on the top tube, are those normally welded/permanently attached to the frame? Does that fact that mine doesn't have any mean anything? If I'm supposed to have them is there some place I can get them from? Thanks.

It's definitely a mid 70's frame. My gut sez the top-tube cable guides were rotted and ground off when re-painted. I saw this frame on ebay and asked the seller about that but he did not have anything to say about it. Anyway, I've never seen one built without the guides.

The dents' in top top-tube are nothing to worry about. When you get it built I'm sure one will line up with the handlebar when it's cocked back against the tube. Small ones are typical and not serious.

As for the build, 1970's NR or SR is fine. Gios were only sold as framesets so there is no "correct" build. If you stay with pre 1978 SR/NR you are going to be pretty close to how it was built up originally. Low flange hubs with Nisi, Fiamme, or Martano rims. Cinelli 1A/Mod 64 stem/bar. Cinelli Unicanitor saddle, would all be be period appropriate for the bike. White cloth tape, and don't forget the red booties for the shifters.

The frames were also sold with panto seat posts, stem and big rings. And there is a difference between the panto parts for the pre and post '78 bikes. But the panto bits go for very high bucks on ebay so I would skip them. Honestly they are not that attractive (IMO).

an old log 1R stem would also be correct and if you go super record would be more appropriate in respect to ultimate light weight... The evolution is interesting, I know nothing about them but it has above BB cable guides which seems odd for a 90s bike.. Don't you think?

Always loved that shade of Gios blue back in the day. Saw an original one at the Bicycle Tour of Colorado late last month and it was stunningly beautiful.

Any suggestions as to what I should do about decals? Should I keep them as is or or try to find more original ones for this year?

Any suggestions as to what I should do about decals? Should I keep them as is or or try to find more original ones for this year?

Perhaps do not remove the current graphics until you verify that the stickers which it appears to have have not been clearcoated over, I have seen stranger things.

Gios was an early adopter of brze on cable guides, seems kind of odd that they were removed and other imperfections not repaired/hidden...

Due to where the Gios top tube graphics set, I would go with just two Campagnolo top tube clips, mounted a bit closer together, no since repainting the thing now, as brazing on bits would require.

It looks like your bike has Campagnolo 1010b dropouts which did not appear until 1977.

vjp

It looks like your bike has Campagnolo 1010b dropouts which did not appear until 1977.

vjp

I believe that's incorrect. They're in the "Special Catalog" Campagnolo produced in '74 (as per Chuck Schmidt's timeline on Velo-Retro), subsequent to the publishing of catalog #17, and at least one well-known US frame builder has indicated he had access to them in '75.

Link to Campagnolo timeline is here:

http://www.velo-retro.com/tline.html

Are there 3 TT indents, and do they match up with where the cable guide braze-ons could have been removed? Otherwise I vote for handlebar dents, too.

I believe that's incorrect. They're in the "Special Catalog" Campagnolo produced in '74 (as per Chuck Schmidt's timeline on Velo-Retro), subsequent to the publishing of catalog #17, and at least one well-known US frame builder has indicated he had access to them in '75.

I stand corrected! And I was so proud of myself .... =^(

vjp