JBCIII

I had an Allegro Special that was my first road bike at 12 yrs old. A family bike that got passed from uncle to dad then me. I’ve always had a soft spot for them. When I saw this one available in my size, I had to have it.
Not typically I bike I would buy—as you can see it’s been neglected, pretty badly. It appears to be all original though I haven’t had it apart yet.
I have had the axle nuts off and the rear is stamped 58, front 59. This will be a PROJECT.

nlerner

That's pretty awesome!

SJX426 

What is not to like!? Really like the fork bend at the bottom! Nice lugs too.
Plans?

JBCIII

Thanks a bunch.

Realsteel95 

Wow complete with a Campangolo Gran Sport derailleur. That is sure to be a cool project.

JBCIII

Keep as much original stuff on it as possible. But, I want it to be reliable. Reading a few threads on some of the other similar era Allegro builds here, as noted, and from my experience on the first on—those bar end shifters are ‘difficult’.
As far as configuration I’d really like an upright handlebar. Similar to this....

obrentharris 

Very nice.
Complete with the clamp-on cable ends, tire scrapers, and the old style Stronglight dust caps!
Does it have the domed Stronglight crank bolts also?

Perhaps @juvela will be able to tell us who made the tire scrapers. I don't think I've seen others like them.
I'm envious of your original seat binder nut. Please let me know what size wrench fits on it: Maybe I can find some metric hex stock of the correct size and have one of those nuts machined from it.
Brent

SwimmerMike 

Congratulations! It looks like a cool project.

I was looking at a couple Allegro's recently and compiled some dates vs. serial numbers based on different posts on BF. Someone had S/N 154152 an had it as a 56/57. With yours being a few off, it may be older than you've dated it.

retyred

I owned the Allegro S/N 154152 back in Nov.2009. At that time I dated it as a 1958. I later sold it to Craig Griffith. The rider pictured on the seat tube of that Allegro was a Swiss cycling champion. In addition the date on the 3- piece Campy hubs was CAM 58.
Beginning in 1959 and ending in 1961 the rider pictured on some Allegros was changed to Bobby Kemp, an American rider.

unworthy1

That's got loads of potential, but yes it WILL be a project. Bound to pay off though so have at it! Only problem with that style of bar is you won't want to use the barcons, and this frame was meant to have them (or something other than DT shifters), maybe stem shifters? I can't see that but it's not MY project. I would suggest if you do keep drop bars and barcons use something other than Campy: SunTour, Simplex, Shimano may not be "correct" but all shift better than Campy (in this case). I also don't recognize the tire scapers...it all looks really cool, nice score!

thinktubes 

Extra -cool!

JBCIII

the binder nut takes a 12mm, it’s 24.5mm long.

obrentharris 

Thanks!
Brent

JBCIII

unworthy1 After the pics I took today I was checking it over and noticed the right side of the handlebar is bent down a bit just beyond the stem.
I’m 6’2” and that seat height is approximately where I’ll be, with the bent bar observation I think an upright “speedy” style of bar would work for me. And, actually, yeah I would love a pair of stem shifter’s with said bar. I’ve never seen a Campy stem mount. With hope someone can shed some light on such a mount.
Thanks all for the positive comments👍🏻

squirtdad

velo orange postino bars would be ber similar fun project

obrentharris 

Here is the very crude version that came with my Carlton project.



The home made aluminum shim was so thick that the Campag clamp could not properly tighten it, so it slid around a bit. Your best bet might be shifter braze-ons mounted to the stem.

Brent

krakhaus

Why not just use MTB shifters?

JBCIII

squirtdad I looked at them, they’re 25.4. This stem is 25.....French Lol

JBCIII

Well, I feel pretty safe concluding this is a ‘59 model bike. I’d kinda like to keep with the spirit of the bike.
So try for something that’s older looking, you know?
I have been looking at modern stem mount kits from V/O, IRD, Rivendell just to see what’s out there.
I may experiment with a mash-up of Japanese mount w/Campy levers. We’ll see.

JBCIII

That’s a curious one! The builder had housing stops in there too?

Steelman54 

Cool bike, I love my Allegro.

obrentharris 

The housing stops are part of the older Campag shifter clamp.
Brent

rustystrings61 

I love my '74 Allegro. This one is lovely, and I am already adding your bike to the Allegro database I've been assembling for a while - what size is this one?

EDIT: Interesting. This one, sn 154188 appears to be identically equipped to rhm's green Allegro no. 165167, down to having hub locknuts dated '58 and '59. Same graphics, too. That's a pretty big gap between serial numbers, too. And they're both before the switch over to Bocama model 14 type II lugs, too.

JBCIII

rustystrings61 how did Allegro record their sizing?
I measure 59.5 C-T, 58.5 C-C seat tube.
59.5 top tube.
Cool data base you got going there!!

rustystrings61 

Here is a link to a collection of catalogs - it looks like they did even cm measurements, but catalogs and reality frequently diverge. Mine, no. 241247, is 60 cm to top with a 59 cm top tube (which requires me to run a 9 cm stem instead of my usual 10).

No matter what, you want this bike up and running. Even with questionable entry level Normandy Sport/Weinmann 27-in rims and IRC clinchers, there is something magical about the ride of my Allegro. It just has this smooth gliding quality that is hard to describe. The bike just WORKS.