Bianchi Super Corsa?
#1
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Bianchi Super Corsa?
I recently acquired a Bianchi that seems a bit odd--almost too nice. It's all Celeste green, frame,seat,bar tape, cage, tires. It looks like a repaint, but a very good one. I am intending to keep this as a nice vintage bike and am slowing swapping out some of the mismatched campy stuff for straight Record. I've done the cranks, shift levers, RD, and still intend to swap out the brakes and levers (I think the levers are Athena and the calipers are the ones with Campagnolo in script.}
From what I can find so far it looks like it is a 81-2 Super Corsa. The chromed lugs, the "BIANCHI" in chrome on the seat stays, and the decals seem to support that. The serial is 5.8.384 on the bottom bracket. there is a "made in Italy" decal on the down tube, and Columbus stickers on the seat tube and on both sides of the fork--but the DT and one of the fork decals are mangled.
So I'm looking for anyone out there that can help me on this project. I'm keeping, regardless of what I have, but may alter my planned build depending on the true model here. Any help would be appreciated. See attached photos.
From what I can find so far it looks like it is a 81-2 Super Corsa. The chromed lugs, the "BIANCHI" in chrome on the seat stays, and the decals seem to support that. The serial is 5.8.384 on the bottom bracket. there is a "made in Italy" decal on the down tube, and Columbus stickers on the seat tube and on both sides of the fork--but the DT and one of the fork decals are mangled.
So I'm looking for anyone out there that can help me on this project. I'm keeping, regardless of what I have, but may alter my planned build depending on the true model here. Any help would be appreciated. See attached photos.
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The frame most likely started life as a '80-'81 Super Corsa or Super Leggera model, or sold as a bare frameset as a Specialissima (all three would have been the same frameset). It is the top model Reparto Corse frame. They are truly fantastic riding frames, in my opinion.
I am almost positive that yours has been re-painted at some point. The down-tube decals are for an '83 up, the blue fill on the "B's" and stay top lettering is missing and the top-tube cable guides were originally detailed in black paint.
I need to see a clearer photo of the top of the rear brake bridge, but from what I can see it looks like the 1980 version without the "box" section around the brake hole.
As a Super Corsa it would have built with a full Super Record Gruppo with Ti axles, alloy FW, and pantographed Record post, TTT stem, and Alamarc leather wrapped bars. The brake levers and calipers were also custom milled.
The Super Leggera would have been the same but with without the Ti parts and alloy FW.
Either came with Mavic OR10 gold rims.
Truly a stunning bike in its day!
If there is no clear coat over the decals on your bike I would remove them and use the proper early 80's set available from cyclomondo on ebay. Then start looking for the panto pieces and Super Record parts.
I am almost positive that yours has been re-painted at some point. The down-tube decals are for an '83 up, the blue fill on the "B's" and stay top lettering is missing and the top-tube cable guides were originally detailed in black paint.
I need to see a clearer photo of the top of the rear brake bridge, but from what I can see it looks like the 1980 version without the "box" section around the brake hole.
As a Super Corsa it would have built with a full Super Record Gruppo with Ti axles, alloy FW, and pantographed Record post, TTT stem, and Alamarc leather wrapped bars. The brake levers and calipers were also custom milled.
The Super Leggera would have been the same but with without the Ti parts and alloy FW.
Either came with Mavic OR10 gold rims.
Truly a stunning bike in its day!
If there is no clear coat over the decals on your bike I would remove them and use the proper early 80's set available from cyclomondo on ebay. Then start looking for the panto pieces and Super Record parts.
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WOW that is a beautiful bike. I wish I could find nice ones like that, well atleast ones I can afford. I agree about the decals though they are not quite correct for the bike.
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“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
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“One morning you wake up, the girl is gone, the bikes are gone, all that's left behind is a pair of old tires and a tube of tubular glue, all squeezed out"
Sugar "Kane" Kowalczyk
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Very nice aquisition! Otis is correct on the repaint and missing details--the black detailing on the cable guides, blue fill on the seatstay caps, fork crown and lugs. There would also be a blue line detail where the chrome meets the paint on the chainstay. In addition, the head tube badge on the '80 - '81 would also have blue details rather than the red.
Here is my not so period correct build of my 1980 Superleggera/Super Corsa, serial 7 6.8.410:
More photos here, if interested.
stan
Here is my not so period correct build of my 1980 Superleggera/Super Corsa, serial 7 6.8.410:
More photos here, if interested.
stan