Masi Identification Help
 

Hello,

Im interested in buying this masi frameset. Seller says it is an gran corsa.
Im unsure about that. Pantography looks different than the one I could find on
the web. Also the bottom bracket is pretty weird, no M, just a round whole.
I guess it should be from the mid 80s to late 80s.
Does anybody know what masi this could be?

Regards

Jonathan

Welcome to the forum, pull up a monitor and key board so you can participate. No ideas about your frame, are there any serial numbers anywhere? Please provide some close ups of the lugs and other details so that the true experts here can help you with IDing this one.

BTW, those hand pointers distracting:twitchy:, I kept trying to move them like they were on my system:rolleyes:.:roflmao2:

Bill

Thanks, I only have the pictures which the seller uploaded, two more attached . There is no serial number that I can see on those pictures. Im going to take a closer look at the frame in person on friday. I would really like to buy it (perfect size), but i'm wondering if its not just a good fake.

What is attracting you to the frame in the first place? If you are feeling a need to have a Masi and this is the only one that you can afford, then have at it, but I don't see much appeal to a frame like this.

Well, if it is a Masi, it is probably a good quality frame, maybe Columbus SXL/SL as the seat post is 27.2 mm. I have a Campagnolo Super Record Group from 1979 here and it fits this frame very well, seat post and brase on derailleur fits. And yes condition may not be good, but i why not put some effort in a nice restoration.

This is a frame to ask Jim Allen of the Cyclesmiths in the San Diego area, Vista I think.
There were a number of frames that were contracted for but not accepted.
Not sure, but something is odd.
As investment in a restoration? as CdM wrote, not a real great foundation.

.
...Google up an image search for Masi pantographing. I've never seen engraving like that on a Masi, but I certainly have not seen all of them. I'm trying to think of a good reason why someone would cut that hole in the BB shell where a Masi M would usually appear, and I can think of none.

The big hole in the bottom bracket leads me to wonder about the history of this bike. I have seen big bottom bracket cutouts like this used to remove serial numbers or identifying cutouts (like the traditional Masi "M") from stolen bikes.
Brent

Maybe a prototype contracted out then passed over by Masi, thus the big hole on the BB and absence of serial numbers.....I dunno, just another guess....
The bike could have an interesting history, but unless there is some feature to it that will make it somehow unique (or evidence it was under a master builder's torch because of excellent brazing and lug preparation) to make it endearing to collectors of really rare bikes, it might just end up as a forgotten "Masi", maybe for good reason.
At this point, I can't really see much of the bike in the pics yet, so it comes through initially as being rather plain looking, as other have also hinted at....

Major assumptions made here based upon very little evidence. I would pass as your gruppo from 1979 could likely be better used on a more deserving frame. This may be a Masi, but it is most definitely not a MASI. The people in the know will not be impressed and the people not in the know won't even know what a Masi is. Plus if you are looking for an inexpensive great riding bike you can definitely find something much better for less money.

Pretty ragged looking hole.

So, do you have a buncha money you need help getting rid of?

If the frame was a huge bargain, might be a reasonable runner. As a frame to invest $ or time to restore, not a good foundation.

Channeling T-Mar here - the presence of portacatena-tapped drive side drop out indicates 1978-1982, unless old stock was used at a later date.


SL should have rifling in the head tube, and should be obvious. SLX will also have rifling in the seat tube, which can be seen/felt through the BB. The seller should be easily able to verify this, I would think.

EDIT TO ADD: For an Italian frame, I think an original braze-on FD tab would indicate a 1982 build at the earliest, unless it was added later and the frame repainted. If it's original, then you're looking at a bike from 1982 or maybe 1983, unless an older DS drop out was used.

Also, I know nothing about the practice of widening BB holes to obliterate distinctive brand cut-outs and serial numbers (except what I've read in this thread), but I'm struck by the seeming irregularity of that cutout, and the size. It is so artless that I can't imagine it being the original cutout.

If that's true, that there was a distinctive cutout that was cut away, is that hole big enough to obliterate the Masi "M" of that era? And didn't Masi put their serial numbers outboard of the cable guides? Here I'm just going off a few google images, but that BB doesn't seem to fit.

Since we are making guesses about the crude hole in the BB shell, here's my 2 cents: don't think it makes sense as a ploy to obliterate a serial number, but does seem like a possible kludge in order to get a long tool up (or down) the seat tube to hammer out a stuck seat-post.