Originally Posted by
jdawginsc
Smarter folks than me will chime in and hopefully correct me, but I think a lot of the older derailleurs didn't need a lot of sweep since the freewheels were relatively thin spaced and the wheels dished to place the freewheel close to the stays side....probably to keep the hub bearings from blowing up.
I think...
Right, that's why I was so surprised to see the travel I got out of that 70s suntour U derailleur! It looks like the suntour GT may be the answer, as it is classed in the same family as the suntour U and lacks the thick pivot mount point of the V GT:
disraeligears.co.uk/Site/SunTour_GT_derailleur_1200.html
I actually just passed on one at the co-op thinking it was a V GT so I may have to go grab that.