Classic & Vintage - Help Identifying Vintage Bianchi Racing Bike--Celeste Green

Hi there,
Recently bought my very first road bike! A vintage Celeste Green Bianchi. Guy I bought it from says he thinks it's a 1977, but I'm looking for other opinions. Also wondering what you all think it might be worth?

Columbus Tubing
Made in Italy sticker on frame
Campagnolo downtube shifters
Campagnolo Nuovo Record rear derailleur
Ofmega pedals

Frame says 'Nuova Racing 12 vel.' and handlebars say "Mod Grand Prix, 3TTT"
Serial number appears to be on both sides of seat lug "1N" and "2395"
Has newer 700 Bontrager RaceLite Tires

Has a few scuff marks, but no rust and seems to be in pretty good shape overall. Wondering if this was built in Italy pre 1981 and shipped over, or if it was assembled in Japan...?

Thanks for the help!

I included a link to some pictures. I've got a lot more if those would help....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/veggierunner/sets/72157626705736152/

why would it have to be pre '81"

I am not experienced with '70s models but the decal style says '80s to me. judging by the decals, Universal brakes, Ofmega pedals (are the cranks Ofmega too?) and the Nuovo Rec derailleurs I would say it is a '82 bike.

if your riding it with the seat like that is either needs to be fitted correctly or it is a tad too big.

Thank you!
It does have Ofmega cranks as well.
Haven't had a chance to get the seat adjusted yet, just bought it earlier this week.

The more I read it looks like it might be an 81 or 82....
I had read that all Bianchi's were made in Italy until about 1981... is this inaccurate?

Hmm. This one's new to me. Paging Bianchigirl.

Ofmega headset and Universal Mod. 77 brake calipers, too.

NVM, she's already here. Lol.

your welcome

I believe Bianchi was making bikes in Japan long before '81. but alot of their upper end bike were still comeing out of Italy.

actually an interesting bit of useless knowledge is that the '88 Sport SX in Mint Celeste, was the first non Italian bike to be offered in Celeste.

Not at all useless BG - up until a few years ago, I was under the impression that all the Celeste bikes were of Italian manufacture.

You might find some answers by looking through How Old Is My Bicycle (http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/FREE_SITE_VINTAGE/VINTAGE_1_Start.htm).

Hope this is a help.

Bianchi Nuova Racing: Late 70's/early 80's vintage, main tubes Columbus, fork and stays Falck (Italian for "gaspipe"), Campy derailleurs, cheap imitation everything else. Oh, and some nice Mavic rims, IIRC. Not a bad bike - I sold them back in the day, and owned one for several years until the frame broke. Certainly more character than anything from Japan or Taiwan.

SP
Bend, OR

Bianchi Nuova Racing: Late 70's/early 80's vintage, main tubes Columbus, fork and stays Falck (Italian for "gaspipe"), Campy derailleurs, cheap imitation everything else. Oh, and some nice Mavic rims, IIRC. Not a bad bike - I sold them back in the day, and owned one for several years until the frame broke. Certainly more character than anything from Japan or Taiwan.

SP
Bend, OR

Thanks for the info!! I am curious what exactly you think is cheap/imitation though...? I knew the guy I bought it from had put some newer stuff on it.

The components, decals, and serial number lead digit say "1981" to me, i.e.. made in 1981, could be 1982 model.

Mine is extremely similar:
Columbus tre tubi frame (equiv. to the Peugeot PR-10/PKN-10, which had butted Reynolds 531 main triangles)
Campag. NR derailleurs
Campag. road quill pedals
Ofmega (not-so-bad cheap imitation) hubset, crankset, BB, headset
Modolo Speedy brakeset
Regina America 13-23 6-speed freewheel

Mine is a joy to ride.

Bianchi Nuova Racing: Late 70's/early 80's vintage, main tubes Columbus, fork and stays Falck (Italian for "gaspipe"), Campy derailleurs, cheap imitation everything else. Oh, and some nice Mavic rims, IIRC. Not a bad bike - I sold them back in the day, and owned one for several years until the frame broke. Certainly more character than anything from Japan or Taiwan.

SP
Bend, OR

maybe he should just toss it in a dumpster then

I thought it wasa dead ringer for the '82 Nuovo Racing but I guess it could be a '70s something.

I had one of those for a short time in the late 80's but in red. Used. Pretty nice bike. Not sure of today's value. I sold mine for $200, but that was a long time ago.

It's not a 70's frame, '81-'82 would be about right.

Late 70's up to 1980 used a different lug set (with the sort-of heart shaped windows) for the mid level Rekord frame (which became the Nuovo Racing/Alloro series in the 80's).

Also the pre '79 frames did not have brazed-on top tube guides.