I have a vintage Specialized frame coming, which prompted me to do some historical research.

As far as I can tell, Specialized is an American company, but their early frames were all Japanese built. How did this come to be? I'm not expert, but I would guess their American competitors like Trek were making bikes stateside at that period? Did Spec have a presence in Japan, making bikes themselves, or was it contracted labor to their specifications? Certainly Japanese framebuilding as an industry was alive and well at that time, so skilled labor would have been available, but it would also have been available in the US.

When did that era of sweet lugg'd Spec bikes end and they became more of a production company?

Sorry for the rambling thoughts on a Monday morning. Put a bid on a bike before heading to bed last night and woke up to a won auction. Who hasnt been there, lol.