Need help with frame identification
 

Bought a bike from an 80’year old the other day. Story i got was 40 years ago . He bought a frame and fork for around $700. In a CA shop. Had it custom painted . So there are no stickers or identification tags at all. Bottom bracket has serial number (78C92667)
stamped the length of the bottom bracket across .
drop outs say Suntour GS . In a curved logo around drop out. I’m a newbie soI can’t post photos yet.

the components I think are good quality. It has campagnolia shift selectors on the frame rail, SuntourVx de railer at wheel, shimano hubs, shimano 600 breaks, shimano 600 levers on bars , crank sprocket says sugino , the handle bar mount or what I would call neck is stamped Technomic.

any help will be appreciated thanks in advance

Any Help
 

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ed5988561.jpeg

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1997ba957.jpeg

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f5d11f877.jpeg

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...429ce21cf.jpeg

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d248c0468.jpeg

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...435943e84.jpeg

Their Album.

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frame not at all artisanal, appears very much production

complete absence of braze-ons consistent with an early seventies date of manufacture

serial placement and format may be a helpful clue toward identification for our Nippon experts...

if someone paid $700 for the bare frame BITD they overpaid by at least thrice


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I'll throw my money on it being a Nishiki. I'm almost certainly wrong. Come to think of it, it looks a heap like a Japanese production Raleigh, very much like my Competition GS, down to the dropouts, just slightly different fork crown.
Phil

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Nishiki bicycles of this time usually exhibit a "WCCS" marking on the shell for West Coast Cycle Supply Co. -

Howie Cohen's enterprise

have never seen a Nishiki model of any date to express this model of fork crown


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Seat stay tops have very Gitane-like swedged and bent finish, an expedient and cheap bike boom approach. Fork crown also looks Gitane but the Suntour dropouts would seem to preclude a French bike.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...def3c2e88.jpeg

Shell?
 

Is that the bottom bracket you are referring to?
The WCC logo . I haven’t seen any other logos on the frame rather than the serial number on the bottom bracket.

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statement made in response to suggestion that frame might be a Nishiki

in the context of bicycle frame discussion "shell" is shorthand for "bottom bracket shell" - where the bearings live on which the cranks turn


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you may be able to identify manufacturer on your own by visiting the "asian serial number" thread and comparing frame's serial to the ones detailed there with attention to placement and format

​​​​​​https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...ber-guide.html

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What is the diameter of the seatpost?

It is a Fuji. Google "1978 Fuji catalog" and you may be able to identify from pics.

Let's check it out: https://labibleduvelocataloguesfuji....fuji-1978.html

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note how all the better models shown in catalogue exhibit downtube water bottle mounts and braze-on chainstay stops; & perhaps other braze-ons not visible due to perspective of lone image per model

​​​​​https://blogger.googleusercontent.co...25282%2529.png
​​​​​​https://blogger.googleusercontent.co...25283%2529.png
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https://blogger.googleusercontent.co...25285%2529.png

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I think I figured it out
 

So after becoming obsessed with figuring out what frame I have and reviewing all the info on the forum and calling a shop in Arlington that sold these bikes in the 70s. I've become convinced that I have a

1977 Sekai 2700 Competition model. I was told the first number in my sequence serial number designated the year. and that the frame having no braze ons was consistent of frames of that year range.

Ive found at this point many other Sekai's 1977 / 76 that carry identical dropouts and share the exact same fork and crown. The bike rides great so none of this really matters but its fun to figure out. and I will probably do some restoration in the way of paint and decals.

I looked at T-mars data on serial #s and it was a little confusing for me but I've seen many of his posts and they also have helped in my conclusion.

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fine detective work on your part; you did just fine on your own without any interference from us kibbitzers ;)

there are forum posts which give the history of Sekai and identify the manufacturer(s) of the cycles

recall it was begun by a retail shop owner in the Seattle area

seems to have been active only about four year

REI was a major stockist for them back when the marque was in operation

there seems to have been agreement of folk in the trade that they represented excellent value


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Could be, it would be a Hi-ten tubing. A newer model would be Tange 2. Having a painted fork muddles the water between models. They may also had different designations of 2700.

If I recall correctly Velocipede was the major distributor, with an association with racer Mark Pringle on the top of the line model 5000. They may have both had a common owner, I used to shop at Velocipede, REI was just around the corner from Velo.

The REI connection, I don’t recall that as well. REI was a coop then whose value exploded with the K2 expedition of Wickwire and Whitaker.

thanks
 

Honestly I forgot to say thank you. Being a newbie with limited access per day in the way of posts many of my responses got canceled containing links. because I had to wait 24 hrs to post again. I think I'm in the clear now. with that said Thank you for your input. all the responses lead me in the direction of figuring out what I have. this forum is really cool. its just packed with info. and all the people are very interactive and helpful. I have to say one of the best forums i've encountered. I kinda feel like I struck gold. the hunt was fun trying to figure out what I have and I like the story of the company and its routes bike rides great I'm super happy best $100 i've spent in awhile. my 18 year old son and I scored him an old 70s Raleigh Grand pre the other day and wife rides her steel framed Bianchi from college so just a fun journey all around.

link where I found decals
https://www.yellowjersey.org/sekai.html

T mars data is insane this thread is eye candy for the Sekai enthusiast
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...atabase-5.html

I found this a good read many similarities frame wise
https://www.dougbarnesauthor.com/201...mpetition.html