Identifying a 1980s Italian Frame
 

I'm considering purchasing a frame and am trying to figure out what company made it and whether it is good quality (it was repainted and all decals were removed). Here's what I know:

I purchased a Pinarello Treviso in 1987. This frame had a campy gran sport component group except that it had a nouvo record rear derailler. The frame I bought had short point lugs with a "T" cutout on the lugs. I tell you all this because the frame I am looking at is similar to my Pinarello. And the gran sport components that come with the frame are the same as those on my Pinarello, so I assume this frame is from the same era.

The frame in question was purchased new in Italy. It is fully lugged, and its most distuishing characteristic are long point lugs with cross-shaped cut outs. The bike came with a campy gran sport groupo (the seller is including the seat post, bb, cranks and deraillers, all of which are gran sport.) The frame has campy drop outs and fork ends, a slotted bottom bracket and is 58 cm, center to center. I measured the head tube and it is also 58 cm (measurement taken from the middle of the seat tube to the middle of the head tube. The bottom bracket is Italian threaded, the seat post is 27.2 and it has a braze-on front deraileur.

What do you think?

What we think is we will need a lot of pics before we even give a WAG. Get pics of all the points you have described, lugs, BB, dropouts, rear seat stay attachments, etc, then we can go from there. Pics ARE worth a thousand words in this Frame guessing business!

Should have brought the digital camera to the seller's house, but did not. He's asking $150 for frame with assorted parts (includes a working bottom bracket and headset). I suppose if I can get it for $75, it's no great risk, even if the tubing/manufacturer is mediocre.

I would hazard a guess that a bike with campy dropouts and nice lugs is worth $75 to $100, no matter what the frame material. However, it is a safe guess that a bike with campy dropouts will be made from something other than gaspipe tubing!!

That's my theory and the current owner's theory - three bike numbskulls can't be wrong! Thanks for your input on the subject.

I'd buy it

The cross-shaped cutouts sound unusual. I think they will be the key to identifying the frame manufacturer. As you said, it is an Italian frame so that will narrow the field down. I have confidence that someone will be able to identify the builder. Most cutouts I have seen have a fairly distinctive heart shape that seems to follow the outside shape of the lug - a cross-shaped cutout is distinctive.

I think the frame purchase price is quite reasonable especially with the Campy. components.