Classic & Vintage - Sometimes you have to look closely....

Yesterday, at LBS, I noticed what looked like a steel TIG-welded older bike with DT shifting, older Campy friction stuff, just sitting against the wall, rear rack, etc. No big lettering or decals. The writing on the downtube, in very thin script, was the only clue to it's identity, so I moved closer to this odd 57cm bike:

"Teledyne"

We're talking. It hung here for 15 years in a garage, the owner wants to ship it somewhere because he doesn't want it any more, thought maybe his old neighborhood LBS would want to hang it up or something.

Like I said, we're talking.

Teledyne Titan....a pioneering bike that was one of the first to venture away from steel construction. Frankly, they look kinda look very "clunky" in some areas on the frames, but I guess they had to start somewhere. Definitely a classic and very collectible!
Congratulations on the great find!

Chombi
84 Peugeot PSV

pics or it didnt happen.

which bike store?

Teledyne Titan one of the first Titanium bikes. yes very odd as the tubing was very oversize for a bike at that time. I thought I had read years ago there was issues with the "crimps" where the clamp on parts went.
http://www.classicrendezvous.com/USA/Teledyne/Teledyne_titan.htm
http://www.classicrendezvous.com/USA/Teledyne/Teledyne_B-Guide_article_1.htm
http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-TELEDYNE-TITAN-BIKE_W0QQitemZ300339254475QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item45ed9d54cb&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Teledyne Titan one of the first Titanium bikes. yes very odd as the tubing was very oversize for a bike at that time. I thought I had read years ago there was issues with the "crimps" where the clamp on parts went.
They were also built from "commercially pure" titanium, and had a reputation for failure.

Yes, I noticed through the years that many go for sale in ebay with cracks and other structural problems, so beware when buying one of these. Not sure, but IIRC, a lot of the problems were with the forks(?). It will still be nice to snag one of these for a collection.

Chombi
84 Peugeot PSV

my lbs has one - they say the front forks were prone to fail also.

which bike store?
Steve's in Rocky Mount. Burgundy Teledyne. Being cleaned and packed as we speak for shipment out of town to hang in a bike shop as a display model.

I found out that it was sold as a kit, and it's been painted burgundy (glossy, unlike the Titan's I've seen).
RD is a black Campy model, as are the rings on the crankset. It has black Shimano down tube shifters, and even a black rack on the back.
The decal is in script, but it's clearly the word Teledyne.

My dad called me this morning and said he wanted me to help sell his Teledyne Titan. I said, no way, it can come to my place and hang on the wall with a couple of my others. He doesn't think I should ride it because he's worried I could break the frame at the bottom bracket. I'm not about to part with that piece of history.