The abandoned part I believe...it happens. My Merckx had been abandoned, although it's clear why and it makes sense. It's the given away three times thing that bothers me...as well as some holes here. He changed the sequence of events in post 7...it could be that he was clarifying, but it's a different chain than indicated previously. He said he was an industry guy, but has to ask what a Merckx is? And how to clean rust? I mean come on now, Merckx has been one of THE bikes for 30 years at this point. I find it hard to believe there is anyone even loosely associated with cycling that doesn't know what a Merckx is. He has a friend into old bikes, with 30 bikes and who gives them away...but doesn't hold onto a Merckx? Or even tell him what it is? Does that make sense to you? Do you know anyone into old bikes who gets this frame and gives it away to a friend without a description of what it is? If he has a close friend with 30 bikes, why would he be asking how to clean it here? He'd ask the guy who gave it to him. He claims it was "verified" as not stolen? Nothing can be verified as not stolen unless you bought it new. Sure, I'm 99% confident in every bike I've bought...but verified? It doesn't compute for me.

The fact that he posted detailed photos and the serial number is the one thing stating this is up and up.