Originally Posted by
SteelCharlie
Just to muddy things for the older bikes, the Super that I have has "C81" stamped on the drive-side rear dropout. The stamp is under the original paint. The tubing, frame construction, and graphics are all consistent with the available "date your Colnago" info here and around the 'net identifying it as a 1981 (+/-). Is it a 1981? I dunno, but I still love it. I would wonder what the motivation to put that stamp on it might have been since it was obviously done at the factory before it was painted?
To the best of my knowledge... The drive side dropout stamp should match a stamp on the steerer tube. It was done to keep the matched pair together. Probably went the way of the dodo a few years later with the advent of generic forks.
Cheers, Eric
PS Rauler (and perhaps some others) used the same pre-painting numbering system.