An actual team bike? Team Stuttgart 1989? "Corsa Extra" in 753. Presumably original Suntour Superbe headset (Team Stuttgart used Suntour Superbe).

... it's getting harder and harder I can not say much on the basis of 2 photos, but ... it's not made for the 1989 season - the biggest "concentration" of frame production in 10th Anniversary "camo" occurred just around B6xxx, and that means the end of 1989 (certainly not 1988). Your frame, if it is really Team Stuttgart (which I can not confirm), was built for the 1990 season. The earliest (confirmed) frameworks of Stuttgart "camo" have the markings ~ B0xxx / 1xxx and they were built for the 1989 season.

My 1987 62CM Corsa Extra (SLX) ADR livery has D 1X A 8135

My favorite 3-color "camo" (Team ADR 1988) - beautiful ... your frame is also from 1988 btw.

Jacek, two frames in this thread have been presented/ questioned as actual team bikes. Both miss the digit on the left designating the size. Is this a hint for a custom built frame and hence one pointer towards possible team bike?

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?


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.


And here's a wider angle out in the wild in central London today

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

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?

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.

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

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!

Hello would love your thoughts on this one...