Thanks. I purchased the bike from the original owner, he told me he purchased the frameset and built it up in '88, consistent with your statement. However, doesn't the "A" on the BB shell indicate '87 as the production year? The last time I checked, the Team ADR livery could be found in both the 87 and 88 catalogs. I always found it interesting that during 1989 Greg Lemond raced for Team ADR, a team based in Belgium, winning the Tour de France on a Bottecchia.

I am afraid that this indicator may be unreliable: I have a 1983 team frame with a digit designation and no letter designation (left side of the BB cover) and a 1985 frame (certainly not a team) that has no digit designation, but has a letter designation ... No number can suggest the "custom" or "team" frame, but nothing proves it, unfortunately ...

"A" is the designation of the next production series, it does not mean a specific year of production. Approximately "A" covers the period from autumn 1986 to autumn 1988. The only known catalog showing the ADR frame "camo" is 1989. Team ADR was strange: great riders, excellent results and ... no money; Planckaert won the Tour of Flanders, and Demol won Paris - Roubaix ... not bad.

Here's my EM Team Panasonic. Bought the frame a few years ago and built it up how I wanted. I don't know much about it really, its Columbus SLX tubing and I think its from 1985?
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c58ef957ed.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d25f26bf98.jpg
The numbers and letters on the right side read 4617 and Z. And the ones on the left are an X above and 8, and also an A.

Mine differs from many Team Panasonic frames by having a full chrome fork, and both the seat-stays and chain-stays are also full chrome, the seat stays are chrome up to the seat post. I did wonder initially if the rear was only partially chromed and that the previous owner maybe rubbed the paint off , but I don't know, it does look like its always been like that, and I have seen another similar frame online in a smaller size that also had the full chrome rear and fork, so wondered if you knew anything about these versions? And would be grateful for any other info you may have about it. Thanks.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...400eb0462d.jpg

And here's a wider angle out in the wild in central London today:)
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8e0d55c0c0.jpg

Beautiful and interesting frame; this is the EM Pro SLX (model later renamed Corsa Extra) from autumn 1985, one of the initial Panasonic "camo" (two track frames for Panasonic cyclists - Hans Lubberding and Bert Oosterbosch - for the 1986 season were marked Z4586 and Z4590; your frame was built the next day - probably :) Additional chroming of the frame elements was an option (similar to the brake cable inside the top tube ... and number hanger btw). The "narrow" geometry of the rear triangle (without seatstay caps) and v.1 Silva brake bridge with v.2 inscription Eddy Merckx - everything fits together perfectly.

Interesting.

One of mine is Z 566, has the same Silva brake bridge and seat stay treatment, also SLX, also fully chromed rear triangle, also chromed sloping crown fork, but additionally has chromed head lugs. Cable guides are old style, not hidden.

Based on serial, was under the impression that it was made in mid-late 1984.

Thanks a lot, very interesting:thumb:

On ebay (German) all the time hanging (for serious money) EM bike with serial number Z847 with proof of purchase on November 23, 1984; taking into account the production cycle and the average monthly EMC production, your frame was built in September 1984 at the latest - you could say that it belonged to the Pro SLX prototype series (the X designation for Columbus SLX EMC was introduced in mid 1985 ~ Z4000)

This is my Merckx Corsa Extra in 7-Eleven colors. As close as I can get on the info is 1989 or so?
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9ff880a8f6.jpg



https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e815729df8.jpg

Thanks for confirming my thoughts. I am the third owner, had it repainted 8 years ago (see pic below). Now out for full paint and chrome restoration as the chromework was getting very tatty, should have it back at the end of the summer. New paint will be a darker pearl red, using period correct block letter decal set without Corsa Extra designation.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...28df113efc.jpg

A beautiful bike - it's not good that it will be even nicer ... :) "Eddy Merckx" should have large, thin letters, and colored stripes with the contours of France and Italy, the inscription "MEXICO Km 49,431" (the inscription disappeared in 1985 ~ Z3500 ); this configuration is shown in the catalog for 1986 (a bike with a yellow frame or Team Lotto 1986 with an older one - SR - Campagnolo group). These chromes are amazing ...

Corsa Extra 7-Eleven: the series marked B and C are unusual, from the end of 1988 to the end of 1991 (average monthly production increased), but the most likely time to build your frame is late spring 1990. A beautiful bike.

Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge :thumb:

Does anyone know what type of Merckx framework this is and from what year?
Left up Y
Left Down X5
Right up A
Right down 6488

Thanks!

Corsa Extra (Columbus SLX) 1988

Thanks a lot!!

Does anyone know what this bike might be?
It was gifted to me by a friend some years ago and I don't know any details about it sadly. (nor what it's worth)

Left top: P
Left bottom: OWW (not sure if it's an O or a zero)
Right top: D
Right bottom: 7588

(I have some photos too but the forum didn't let me post them, my apologies)

Eddy Merckx Strada 1993

Thank you!

Dating this Merckx?
 

Hello would love your thoughts on this one...https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...9cc754324.jpeghttps://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e55f8e7f9.jpeg

Corsa Extra 1989, repainted (rather in EMCycles) after 1992 - it was called "Rainbow" (definitely striking painting - rare). A beautiful bike...

https://i.imgur.com/1nGO5bE.jpg?1

The G character looked to have been overstruck with a "." perhaps.

Not really, the "disturbance" area is too irregular, it's just G5. Frame no. 922 of the series "no letter" - 1980 (I have "no letter" no. 928 - with a bit of luck they built it the same day :)

I'm guessing 928 has the early goodies, like the BB shell and signature seatstay caps?

Yes, all "early identifiers"; SSC "signature" disappear ~E500-600, similarly "long lugs" and early BB shells (later these elements can be found only in single copies)

Here is my 62cm Stuttgart Corsa Extra. What can you tell about it?

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...925ee58c4c.jpg

Nothing like a rich photo documentation :) Two remarks: this would be the oldest "Stuttgart" I know (1988); it would be, because the EM cutout should be in pink/fuchsia color, and it seems to be black - it might suggest a repainting. More photos could help.

Actually, being made in 1988 makes sense. The Stuttgart team started in 1989 so the frames were likely made in 1988 to be ready for the start of the season. I don't think its a repaint.. It's got chrome dropouts and chain stays with pin striping where the paint meets the chrome. I've chipped the paint in a few places and there is no other color underneath, The Corsa Extra sticker looks original too. Maybe the black lug cutout was a paint error?

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d48e8ecb2f.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8a7abaa45d.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d95cb55b4e.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8ee58d34f9.jpg

The colors, the painting scheme and all the stickers are flawless and look like EMC (could you add 1 more photo? seat stay back, where there is a transition of colors: green, blue, fuchsia, white; this is the most difficult motif in painting EMC 3color, the hardest to copy it). Facts: 1) For the 1989 season, EMC has prepared a few novelties: the Century model (R653) and team painting - Domex Weinmann, Stuttgart (or German Pro), La William and 7-Eleven. 2) the oldest known serial numbers of all these novelties (except Stuttgart) are in the range of A9xxx-B0xxx. 3) Team bikes are built in the autumn of the year preceding the season (and are the first to have new painting patterns on them) 4) Similarly: photographs for catalogues and catalogue printing take place in the autumn of the year preceding the season. 5) There are at least 3 EMC publications for the 1989 season: Gita for the US market, 4-page (German) and 4-page (English - modified) - there are very interesting differences in description between the latter. 6) Stuttgart's painting is particularly early - A81xx-85xx. 7) EMC stopped production in the summer of 1988 for at least 6 weeks. Conclusion or pure speculation: your frame could have been produced before the "summer break", "wait" 2-3 months (however unusual in size) and then be painted by Stuttgart (then described as German Pro by the publishers, only in the latest "English modified" appears the name Stuttgart), and since it was the beginning of the use of this scheme, filling in the cutout was painted with "just anything". (as long as it's contrasting) instead of the later catalog pink/fuchsia. This beautiful story is only probable... but it's pretty good :)




Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator

Here are a couple more photos. Both lug cutouts at the bottom bracket are black. Upon closer inspection the black has an almost matte look. I wonder if the black was primer that the painter forgot to cover with fuchsia.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...88504140a3.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8b24f1ab17.jpg