retroman57 

I picked up a nice Fuji frame the other day.
Serial No. KK100928 which dates it at 1981.
Brazed on top cable guides date it at not older than 1981.
Chrome plated investment cast crown and Suntour GS dropouts.
No decals at all preserved, but color is a silvery blue...mink?

By process of elimination, I think that this frame is a Finest MkII.

No contrasting headtube color, and no evidence of badge rivets.

Can any of you familiar with Fujis shed any light on the ID?

Thanks,
Robert Hudson

ramzilla

Weigh it. If it's a true high end racing frame then, it should weigh in around 6 lbs or so. Hang it up on a hook. Tap it with a wood stick. Frame should make a bell like sound. Take off the front forks and see if Ishiwata is engraved into the steel. Could also be an Opus.

T-Mar

Based on the serial number, it should be a 1982 model. But if there's no head badge, it might not even be a Fuji.

retroman57 

Made in November...could have been made for the 82 model year

Fuji cast unto the fork crown, and all of the paint matches.
I don't think it was repainted, but it is possible.

retroman57 

Suntour Superbe shifters- braze-on mounted

Also came to me with the oddest mixture of components:
Campagnolo NR brake calipers
Campagnolo NR hubs
The rest of the components are essentially junk.

I don't think that the Campy parts are original, but the Superbe shift levers could be...

The 1981 catalog calls out the make of the drop-outs: Campagnolo, Suntour Superbe, Suntour GS in descending order.
The 1982 catalog is less specific.

pcb 

Nice find!

Until you post a picture, we can't do much more than guess. Fuji US spec differed a bit in those days depending on which importer brought them in. Here in Jersey an '81-'82 silver frame would have been either a Professional or Newest. But a Ritvo-imported New England bike, or Chicago- or LA-imported bike could have been different.

The seat cluster is the quickest/easiest way to determine Pro/Newest vs Finest: Pro/Newest had heavily scalloped, very pointy seatstay cap ends; Finest had plainer flat caps, same as the America. Lugs were different as well, but visually harder to describe than the seat cluster.

Post a photo of the seatstay caps and we'll have a much better idea.

retroman57 

Here are some snapshots of the mystery Fuji frame:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hudson...57675828795856

Frames weighs in at about 7 lb on my cheapo luggage scale with headset and bottom bracket.

Yes, rings like a bell.

Thanks

pcb 

Thanks for the pix! Looks more like a mid-range frame, one or two notches below the Finest. I don't have my catalogs handy, but I'd say maybe an S10-S or Royale. The seat lug and seatstay ends aren't quite as fancy or fussed-over as a Finest or above.

Should be an excellent rider, with very nice tire clearance.

retroman57 

I have 2 Royales in my collection from this era, and the seat stay ends are not even close.
Add to that the different fork rake and lack of chromed "socks."

The S-10-S pre-dates both 1981 and 1982 so that possibility is eliminated.

1981-1982 S-12-S both have forks with an entirely different rake with chrome "socks."

This frame is a real head-scratcher. Single color paint job and lack of badge are not offering a lot of clues.

I spent several hours "up close and personal" with this frame this afternoon stripping it of its collection of non-original parts. Quality and attention to detail are not quite up to the standard of top-tier frames from other makers of the era (ie: Raleigh Professional) but still- not too shabby.

retroman57 

Hard to tell from the low-res images of catalog pages from classicfuji.com, but it looks like both 1981 Newest and 1981 Finest MkII have clamp-on down tube shifters.

Same for 1982 Newest and Finest.

It would be unethical to restore it with "correct" paint scheme and decal set not really knowing what it is- maybe I'll just build it up with nice period-correct Japanese components and call it a day.

willydstyle

With the Suntour GT dropouts and the relatively plain lugs, I wouldn't assume this is a Finest or another one of their high-end frames. Given the weight of the frame and the color, I think this is an S-12-S with a fork replacement.

pcb 

Well, most definitely not a Finest or America or a model above those two. Those frames all had thinner lugs, scalloped seat lug tops, nicer seatstay end treatments and dropout axle adjusters (doesn't look like you frame has those?).

If the fork is original and the fork socks weren't originally chrome, I suppose it could be a Team. I only ever saw those in brown, and the Teams imported by Fuji America only had that one color choice. So maybe either a repainted brown Team, or one from a different importer with different paint?

I remember the Team lugs/stays not being quite up to Finest level, but the seat cluster and lugs on your frame look even a little more basic. Though it's been almost 35yrs since I sold these for a living. Maybe an S12-S frame with a Team fork?

Sorry about the Royale suggestion. I sold a boatload of 'em, but now that I think about it, I can't remember what the seat cluster looked like.

willydstyle

82 Team has the same tubing grade as the 81 S12S LTD. Maybe They built some Teams with excess frames from the previous year?

retroman57 

Hmm- yes, interesting...

On closer inspection, mine are clearly Sun Tour GT ends and not Sun Tour GS ends- no adjuster screw.

In 1981 that would make it an America, S-12-S LTD, S-12-s, or Royale. In 1982- given the fork geometry- most likely a Team.

In any case- I now own 4 Fujis above gas-pipe level, and all of them are impressive in terms of design intelligence and build quality.

Looking for a high-end Fuji in the 62-63cm range if any of you have one you are willing to part with.

Thanks for the informed feedback in IDing this frame- much appreciated...

willydstyle

America has GS ends.