Progress!
Finding components for bikes of this age does not always come easily. Waiting for them to show up at a price I can afford does not always come quickly, but I'm getting very close. Fortunately my deadline for having the bike in good running order is September.
The open "C" shifter levers were on the bike when I received it, but they were attached to a newer style band. ebay provided the required older style band and screws.
Finding an appropriate saddle was perhaps my biggest challenge. Given the vulnerability of leather to the elements I guess this is not surprising. In
Peter_B 's Olmo serial number registry I found only 3 listings of original equipment saddles out of the 17 bikes that are closest in age to mine, 2 Italia's and one Brooks.
Failing to find an Italia in any kind of rideable shape I settled on a Brooks B-17 Narrow as a plausible candidate. The saddle which I purchased from a seller in England is in nice shape and appears old. How old? I don't know. I could find no date code and I could not match up the badge with any saddle of a known vintage. Perhaps
rhm or
cudak888 can enlighten us.
I have a few Regina freewheel bodies and quite a few Regina cogs in my motley assortment of cardboard boxes, so I chose the body that seemed most likely to be of the correct age. I have equipped it with a 13-28 cog selection in the optimistic assumption that I can coax the Gran Sport derailleur to cooperate. Failing that, I have a 13-26 cog set waiting in the wings.
In the same group of Olmo's from Peter B's registry I found 4 bikes with original equipment Balilla brakes, 4 with Weinmann, 1 with Universal, and 4 with MAFAC. I already had the MAFAC calipers and an old friend sent me some MAFAC levers and some red NOS MAFAC half hoods, so MAFAC it is.
You will kindly ignore the Rigida clincher rims and Continental tires that are only on the bike so I can ride it until I can retrieve a set of Fiamme rims that the same old friend has waiting for me in Santa Cruz.
Brent