Skip Magnuson

I have a 1972 Italvega Super Speciale (top model) which had a poor red paint job. I stripped and polished the fork and frame but could not find any trace of original colors during the process. I have heard that (maybe) all Super Speciales were a metallic brown or Coffee. My other 1972 Italvega (mid-level model) is metallic green. I am trying to match and repaint to an original Super Speciale color so if any of you can help with information on what colors were available in the early 1970s, I would appreciate it. Incidentally the all-up weight of the bike is 21 pounds. Thanks.

unworthy1

The only one I saw with its original paint was a metallic brown, I'd call it "rootbeer". But I had one briefly that I resold cause it was too big for me that had a nice light blue metallic, but no decals so it might have been resprayed. I don't recall seeing other paint inside the tubes, so maybe it was an original color, it was a quality paint job, IIRC. The only other Italvega I owned (not a SS) had the metallic green paint, it seems like that and the brown were the most common colors for these bikes. Nice bikes, but those enormous BB shell cutouts in the SS always worried me...

TheOtherGuy

Those with the BB shell cutouts were the second series SuperSpeciale, and they did come in a minty light silver-blue. All the first series version I've seen (much different looking frame) were the rootbeer metallic.

dbakl

I only recall the rootbeer ones.

Maybe it was the burning weeds.

Skip Magnuson

Sort of a tag-on question: The Columbus tubing decals on the Italvegas are in French, not Italian. Anyone have a theory as to why French on an Italian bike?

TheOtherGuy

My theory is that maybe Ben Lawee received the bikes without tubing decals, and knowing that Americans were "tube snobs", stuck on whatever Columbus decals he could get cheaply and in quantity....(?) Maybe ItalVega bikes were decaled here in the States? What do Americans know between French and Italian language anyway.... I'm pretty sure the ItalVega tubing sizes aren't the "French" size, like what Reynolds sold so much of to the French market.

P.S.-I'll see if I can get a good pic of that decal to you later today.

Mhendricks

There's a guy in my neck of the woods that's selling one on Craigslist. Thought about taking a look at it. Anyone offer any info or price? Thanks.

https://www.craigslist.org/eby/bik/118241798.html

TheOtherGuy

That's one of the early ones; pre '74, I think. No dents or dings, nothing cracked or broken; ebay would see it go for $350-$550 or so. They're pretty nice bikes, made by Torpado (Lawee spec'd the "designed by Torresini" decal).
Parts are the full kit of Record/Nuovo Record, and will likely have date codes of '71-'73. Offer what you think will work....

Skip Magnuson

Hi Mhendricks,
Nice bike on Craigslist. If you are not interested I could be. I have a 56 cm I-SS and would like the 62 cm. I rode a lot in the Livermore area. Thanks.

Mhendricks

Actually Guys, I saw the topic and figured I'd add a link to one in my area in case someone was interested I could maybe go up there and take a look at it. What I'm really looking for is a TREK 620, 720, or 728. If you guys come across any of those, let me know.

outakontroll

Hey Skip, Robert here, my Italavega that you said was 300 somthing down from yours is blue, sorta a fine grind metalic blue. and it is not a respray!!!! but anyways I'm glad to hear that you are playin with the italvega. have you ridden it before the strip job?

TheOtherGuy

Is yours a "SuperSpeciale" model? Full sloping fork crown, and no cutouts in the lugs or BB shell, or semi-sloping crown with diamond cutouts, and two big D shape cutouts in the BB shell? Just wondering if your bike is a first or second series SuperSpeciale. They were very different looking frames; some have mistaken the second series for similar vintage Pogliaghi, 'cause of those diamond cutouts (and the second series ItalVega SuperSpeciale/SuperLight is no less a frame in my eyes).
First series SuperSpeciale frame here:
https://www.classicrendezvous.com/Ita...ega_br_bik.htm
Second series SuperSpeciale here:
https://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalog...ega-76/IT6.jpg

Second series BB shell: