ambroz

First off.. I'm totally new here, and new to the bike-interest as well.
And sorry if I don't know what all the parts are called in english. Just correct me..
I'm from Denmark.

But I found this Legnano Gran Premio frame a week ago in a dumpster..

No wheels, no saddle, non-original handling-bars.

I had been thinking about trying to build some sort of bike, probably fixed gear, as i feel I need a lighter bike to get around town.
So i took it home and started to find information about the bike.

Saw alot of interesting info on these forums, and now I am quite excited about it.

I got the seat bolt custom-made at a local bikeshop. A small DIY kinda-place.. That was great. At least it works for now.

Then i just put on different stuff that i got from a friend and the shop, just to get it rolling.

It need to get fixed in a couple of places, of course, but i have a limited budget, and it has just been 1 week since i found it.
I plan to make it appear more original with time, and looking forward to fiddle around with it.

Any suggestions to what parts would suit it well, is more than welcome!
Of course, real old vintage stuff, or even the original, would be optimal, but, hey, i think i gotta be realistic about it to start with..

Here's a few pictures i snapshotted. Not the best quality. Better can be posted, if there's any interest..

Oh yeah.. how about the age on it? What do you think?

cb400bill

Welcome to the forum. Great save from the dumpster.

Wonderful looking bike you have there. With the brass head badge, and the style of the Legnano down tube logo, I would guess your bike frame to be from the early to mid 60's.

Can you find a serial number on it?

ambroz

Thank you.

Serial is WAK4748X

retyred

I've never seen a Legnano with the serial no. on the downtube. It's probably a personal ID number. Check at the top of the seat tube for a serial no. Also check for a small threaded fitting brazed to the back of the seat tube at the top. If it's there your Legnano is 1961 or newer. If no serial no.stamped into the seat tube check underneath the bottom bracket for a serial no. Around 1966 the serial no. appears to have disappeared from the seat tube. Very nice find, consider yourself extremely fortunate as that Legnano looks great.

ambroz

Hmm, I can't seem to find any digits, letters or anything else on the frame.
But then again, i'm sitting around enjoying a couple of beers, so my eyes might screw me over..

But as a detail, it has Magistroni fittings for the steer ( correct term?? ), and Magistroni crank.

cb400bill

I've seen them all over the seat tube cluster area. I don't know why they used so many different places.

retyred

That's interesting re the pic from cb400bill of the blue Legnano with the serial no. lower on the seat tube. Must be an 80's Legnano?

Ambroz, can you take some pictures of the entire seat cluster area?

ambroz

Like this?

longbeachgary

Wow they throw away good stuff in Denmark.

retyred

OK, your Legnano Gran Premio is definitely unique when compared to every one I've seen. No standard serial no.( I can't believe that the factory would deface the down tube as shown by your Legnano.) No threaded, brazed fitting to support the cable guide for the Universal Mod. 61 centerpulls.

However, since 1961 or 1962 was the first year for the Gran Premio model I'm going to stay with a manufacture date of 1961 forward. Your bike could be an early Gran Premio, perhaps made during a period of transition when the Gran Premio was first introduced and Universal sidepulls were still in stock. Or maybe the workers were on strike and management took over....or maybe Sophia Loren toured the factory the day this Legnano was being made....or maybe I don't know what the heck I'm talking about. Still a darn nice Legnano for a trash bin find.

love2pedal.com

Your country has very nice dumpsters!

old's'cool

Hard to fathom the chain of events leading to that bike frame in the dumpster!

dbakl

Isn't that the seat tube with the number?

I've had a number of Legnanos, some with the centerpull mount, some without. You really think there was a set pattern?

retyred

Darn it dbakl, I was on a roll, kind of like Belushi in "Animal House" when he said the Germans attacked Pearl Harbor. You are 100% correct, I mistook the picture as being the downtube. Now I'm totally confused. I need to mull over this Legnano. I'm still certain it's an early 60's Legnano but the serial no. location and sequence is unlike any I've ever seen.

mudboy

So, in addition to having some of the most beautiful women in the world, Denmark also has some high class dumpster finds!

bikerosity57

You should build it up with all campy gran sport from the sixties. It's a fine bike, and it looks good too!

dbakl

Does look like 60s, but my Roma Olympiade has the centerpull braze on...

jebensch

ambroz

Thanks for all the replies, and yes, I do feel fortunate finding it. Especially since I had no idea what the heck the thing was. To me it was just an old bike..

It's been very fun and interesting finding info about it, and thanks for the help.

I think the dumpster it was in, might have been some apartment-complex clearing out cellars / attics. There was weird stuff in there..
Some other bike parts too, but the dumpster is gone now..

So now i need to get the stem fixed without ruining the Magistroni parts, and the crank too.. It's not running very smooth..

ambroz

For those who might be interested, I have info on the serial / frame number..
This is based on the danish numbering system for bikes.

"W" indicates it's imported.
"AK" indicates Aage Krĝll as the importer.
The numbers, i guess, is just the "running" number of the frame. (Directly translated from danish term. Don't know if it's called the same in english, but i think you get the point.)
"X" is the production year, with 3 options: 1962, 1983, 2004.

So i will put my money on 1962.

Not much have happened to it since the pictures posted, except new pedals, another dropbar, saddle and a front brake.
Still looking for / acquiring goodies for the final build.

Cheers.

dbakl

Yes, 60s.