Bicycle Mechanics - Wheel question?

I just bought a used bianchi bravo frame 6spd with 126 spacing in the rear fork. What I want to know is if I could use a new wheel with 130 spacing and switch to 8/9 spd. The frame is Cr-Mo and I,m guessing mid 80's if anyone could help me date the bike it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

While you could have the frame spread to fit an 8/9 speed wheel, the cost of getting all new components is high enough that a new bike might be a better deal.

I just yesterday put a new 130 wheel on my old steel frame bike, and used a 9sp cassette and chain. I still have the old Campy NR derailleur on it.

The wheel fits the dropouts with maybe a little spreading, but I don't have to struggle with it.

The shifting using the new cassette with the old derailleur was the big surprise. It is almost flawless. Much better than any of the old 6sp freewheels and chains that I had over the years. I'm using the old friction shifters and just a slight touch gets me up or down. The one problem I have is with the largest cog. When I adjust the der so that I can get to it, the spokes hit the cage. Either the cage or the hanger is slightly bent. I'm not going to worry about it as I still have a lower gear now than I had before.

And the wheels themselves are superb. Light, aero, and free spinning.

If you think the bike is worth it, give it a try. The only hassle is changing the chain, otherwise just stick on the wheel and go.

And one other thing I noticed riding yesterday evening, the shifting is almost silent. I can hear the STI shifters clicking behind me as riders were coming up, but nobody knew I was there when I shifted.

It makes me wonder if indexed shifting is such a great thing.