Dull-finish Super Record RD?
 

Just got this Super RD in the mail today - the one I won off of eBay.

Second-gen, no patent date, and an entirely flat finish on the parallelogram body - it looks like someone shot it with Testors Dullcote. Feels like it too.

http://www.jaysmarine.com/SRRD_testors1.jpg

http://www.jaysmarine.com/SRRD_testors2.jpg

I've never seen such a thing. Before I bring this up to the seller (or resell this thing) - is this a known variant? Or have I been screwed?

Leave it to Murphy to drop this thing at my door after going nuts trying to win one on eBay :cry:

-Kurt

Sorry about the delay - I had trouble uploading the pictures at the very moment I posted this discussion.

-Kurt

Oxalic acid will dull/tarnish polished aluminum but then again the pully cage seems to be shiney.

As long as the seller didint mis-represent the derailleur your stuck with it. Think about it, if you dont know of a variation would you expect the seller to know?

Whatever happened to the parallelogram body did not happen to the pulley cage, that's for sure.

He didn't disclose a flat finish, that's for sure.

-Kurt

where did it come from? did the seller live on the coast somewhere? does it function well? after all it is what almost 30+ years old I am sure your surface has gotten a bit rough over the years. be nice to the seller. there are alot of people on ebay who know nothing about bikes and parts. they just know Campi is susposed to be good stuff. I am sure he did not intentionally cheat you

Granite Bay, CA. Doesn't prove a thing - I cannot tell you how many local Super RD's that I've seen, native to Miami, Florida for the last 30 years, without such dulling.

For that matter, the last five I've been after were noticeably high-shine. The only reason I didn't catch onto it in this case was because of the bad lighting the seller had in the photos.

Never said he did, but all the same, I intend to ask if he will take it back.

-Kurt

Kurt,

I have a patent 81 2nd gen version and that too has a rather dull finished. Could the
tackiness you feel be 30+ years of gummy lube fused to the body? (think oil on an old
fry pan )?

Marty

Nope. The moment you touch the finish, the oil in your finger is sucked away onto the finish (the only time the finish becomes glossy).

Incidentally, the screwed-with Pat. 82 that I have shines like mad:

http://www.jaysmarine.com/SRRD_drillium1.jpg

http://www.jaysmarine.com/SRRD_drillium2.jpg

-Kurt

One more:

http://www.jaysmarine.com/SRRD_comparo.jpg

EDIT: I just noted that the eBay SR RD has a non-removable parallelogram spring. I've seen that revision on the '85 NR's. Perhaps this is a legit variant?

-Kurt

Kurt,
the 1st generation version appears to say 'NUOVO RECORD' on the parallelogram face (drilled)
is that correct? Almost looks like a Nuovo record parallelogram on a SR body.
I'm not sure you can compare the 1st generation with the 2nd in terms of finish etc.
This is 2nd generation photo from Velobase, looks like your ebay version
http://www.velobase.com/CompImages/R...583FB1822.jpeg

Marty

edit, okay comparing the photo's it does appear that Kurt's Ebay RD is a duller finish than the Velobase
version. Not sure what's going on with this.

He doesnt have to disclose a flat finish if he wasnt aware a flat finish wasnt OEM spec. As long as he didnt lie or use doctored photos he's not in the worng. you never know, it could have coe from Italy that way.

Whats the finish like on the inside of the parallelogram?

It is. It's a Pat.82 that someone changed the plate on. Second-gen.


After looking at the parallelogram spring setup, I'm convinced that this is a late '84 or '85 RD (explains the lack of a patent date as well).

Something tells me that Campag might have changed the finish somewhere along the lines, as Jim mentions.

-Kurt

Am I missing something here? All this talk about the appearance of a derailleur without any comment about how it works? If it works, what difference does the appearance make? Especially as it is quite evident that the derailleur was not sold as NOS. Everything changes appearance over time. The one that you bought has obvious scraping on the pivot bolts so has seen considerable use. I always suppose that you get what you pay for.

One on the right has been worked on and the pins are the give away, later stainless pins with the countersunk ends and the early body spring configuration.

The pulley cage is polished aluminum, right? The parallelogram body looks anodized to me, without a clearcoat. I've got some anodized fenders without clearcoat, and they feel somewhat grainy to the touch. I think it would be fairly difficult to replicate that Campagnolo silkscreen, so I doubt it's been refinshed.

Anodizing will not be the same if the alloy is a bit different, there has always been some variation in the Campagnolo finishes, cranks, brakes, (I have some that are very bright, others dull and satin, so it goes)

How many carbon bikes do you own, Citoyen? I think we're all in it, to an extent, for the way C&V machines look.

Doesn't mean finishes have to change. I've yet to see an anodized Campagnolo part that has changed its entire finish, in whole, without having had some kind of treatment (e.g.: Dobbinizing) to its finish.

I could have paid $75 just the same, as someone did for an SR with an NR pulley cage. I don't think that would apply in such a case.

-Kurt

My initial guess was that someone took it apart and sprayed it with Testors Dullcote hobby enamel. Since this is a later variant, I'm inclined to believe that it is some oddball change that Campagnolo did to the SR RD somewhere down the line.

Between parts, yes. Between the same component, not as common - but I have seen a distinct change in finishes between the same parts of certain eras. Case in point, look at a last-gen Record crankset VS. one from the early 1970's. Same thing for the chainrings. Later generations have a more silvery sheen.

-Kurt

Even if we stipulate that someone used a grease remover or other cleaner on that derailleur, or otherwise damaged or tampered with its finish, we don't know who, when, why, &c.

We really can't judge seller's intent without reading the exact text of the ebay ad and his ebay reputation. Is this someone that sells a lot of old Campy stuff?

This.

It sucks that you didn't get exactly what you wanted, but you shouldn't expect the seller to compensate for your mistake.

Kurt, it's hard to tell exactly how matte your finish is from the photos, but I have seen at least one other SR derailleur from the mid-80's with a non-shiny surface on the parallelogram. I'm not the expert you are but from my memory of having thought it was odd-looking, I think you have a legit piece there. It was in the cabinet at an LBS awhile back and I had them get it out so I could look at it. Much more beaten up than the one you have there.

Karl

Exactly the reply I was hoping for. Thanks, Karl.

-Kurt

Had the derailer been obviously shot with a clearcoat, I would have taken issue with it.

As it is a legit variant, obviously not.

-Kurt

Subscribing so I remember to look at mine when I get home.

Jim

10-4.

I've mounted this one to the Superior in the meantime - dull or not, its an improvement over that drilled monstrosity.

-Kurt