Fiorelli built Coppi
 

I think, not sure. Just picked this up locally. Any ideas on the model? Campagnolo drops, mix of Campy/Gipiemme components, Universal brakes, and what I'm fairly sure are not the original 27" wheelset (mismatched Maillard/Ofmega hubs, Fiamme/Alesa Schrader rims). Lots of surface rust, but the seat post and stem are free, and it's my size, so it may be worth a little love.

This catalog I found does not list a model with Campy drops and Gipiemme cranks.

http://www.equusbicycle.com/bike/fiorelli/
http://www.thejennifers.com/Bike_Pic...i/P1000896.JPG
http://www.thejennifers.com/Bike_Pic...i/P1000892.JPG
http://www.thejennifers.com/Bike_Pic...i/P1000893.JPG
http://www.thejennifers.com/Bike_Pic...i/P1000895.JPG
http://www.thejennifers.com/Bike_Pic...i/P1000897.JPG
http://www.thejennifers.com/Bike_Pic...i/P1000898.JPG
http://www.thejennifers.com/Bike_Pic...i/P1000899.JPG

What a shame it's been neglected. It's a beautiful bike. I'm looking forward to seeing pictures of it after you clean it up.

I have one from the 60's. With the fork crown style and what appears lack of "C" engraving on the top of the crown, my guess would be mid 70's. The pairing of the front derailleur with the rear is interesting. I would not assume the cranks are original.

Mine has its original Stronglight cranks.

The top end Fiorelli made frames are pretty darn nice. I would inspect the seat lug ears. If they are filled solid with brass (appearing investment cast) then you have a top level frame, they were dressed with different groups to achieve a price point.

Some lug shots. Nice lugs, but not the cleanest finishing on them.

http://www.thejennifers.com/Bike_Pic...i/P1000901.JPG
http://www.thejennifers.com/Bike_Pic...i/P1000902.JPG
http://www.thejennifers.com/Bike_Pic...i/P1000904.JPG
http://www.thejennifers.com/Bike_Pic...i/P1000905.JPG
http://www.thejennifers.com/Bike_Pic...i/P1000907.JPG

The chrome on some of those lugs looks like toast, sadly. I hope the pictures are slightly deceiving.

Nope - chrome is definitely a goner.

I don't have info on model - but if I were you, I'd try taking it up to speed on a few descents to see how it behaves. Yes, it's rough and pretty sadly neglected. But if it rides stably with no shimmy, it may be a good project, if you want to spend the time and money. Clearly not worked much after brazing. Might be a tretubi frame.

one U.S. importer for these machines during the 1970's was John [Jack] W. Murphy Co. of San Francisco. iirc they closed about thirty-five years back. there were also juveniles done with this badging.

Great frame, but that rear derailleur is almost as ugly as my hideous 980. :)

I guess appearance was part of Campagnolo's market differentiation strategy.

Fiorelli built Coppi
 

I think the brakes and maybe the stem/bars are the only thing original on that bike. Looks like the Coppi's that were sold with full Campy NR and Universal sidepulls in the early to mid 70's.

I like the 980/990 better. When I was a poor college student and piecing together a road bike I bought a 980. Worked just as well as a Nuovo Record. Not the same aesthetic but I just could not install a Shimano. I thought about a Suntour, but as the 980 was lingering in the display case I got it for dealer cost, done.

I have a similar frame in silver, just as rough. They seem like nice frames.

I hope to get it rideable enough for a test ride this weekend. So far the bearings all seem fine. I think the chrome on these Italian jobs is pretty thin and rustophilic compared to say a Raleigh of the same era, which will polish right out 9 times out of ten.

I finally had a chance to get it cleaned up, lubed, and road worthy, and I put on some 700c wheels and took a spin. For a bike with the steepest angles and tightest geometry of any I have, it rides very nicely. Stable and not twitchy at all. The headset and BB were in surprisingly great shape (now re-packed), and the paint actually cleaned up fairly well, though it'll never be a beauty queen, and the chrome is history. I can just make out the "Coppi" logo shadow on the downtube. At this point I plan to get a decent saddle, bar tape, cable clamps, trim the brake housing, and just ride her as-is.

http://www.thejennifers.com/Bike_Pic...i/P1000949.JPG
http://www.thejennifers.com/Bike_Pic...i/P1000947.JPG
http://www.thejennifers.com/Bike_Pic...i/P1000948.JPG
http://www.thejennifers.com/Bike_Pic...i/P1000950.JPG

Fiorelli built Coppi
 

I think it looks great!

There's a late 60's Coppi auction just ending on feeBay this evening. It's nearly identical to the frameset I have, with the exception of the stamped no-name dropouts where mine are forged Campy. Unfortunately the chrome on my frame was in the same condition as the one in the auction, so I had it powdercoated. The best chrome plating uses a three-step copper/nickel/chrome process, but these Fiorellis show no evidence of that.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=357227http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=357228

Interesting. And it has the same slightly pearlescent, but not very sturdy paint as mine. If I do get a re-paint done, I will not renew the chrome. I wish chroming wasn't so expensive.

BTW fellow forum member AndyCapp has a frameset that's nearly identical to yours.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=357281http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=357282

Yes - very close. Same lugs. Mine has bottle bosses but no top tube cable guides. Same seat post, shifters, and calipers too.

Not sure what your plans are but if you are interested in getting the chrome fixed, you might want to check out this.

WOW... wish I had seen this post before powdercoating! Looks like a cost-effective way to replate frame/fork portions, plus many small steel parts! I'm certainly willing to invest some sanding/polishing elbow grease to save a few hundred bucks.

Veeery interesting. Now there's a winter project idea. Thanks for the heads up. I had assumed chroming would be cost-prohibitive.

Wow, that looked really good, until I saw where you can't chrome over chrome. ;) I was thinking about touch-up chroming in a few areas, on my fully chromed Frejus, but it looks like that wouldn't really work, without stripping the whole frame. Which would obviously be overkill. Mine's not all that bad, so I'll live with it. ;)

Update. Looks like a Coppi Tour De France Super model, and that the components were original. There is a bike now on LA Craigslist that has identical lugs and components. Also a 531 frame, which I would not have guessed. Wish mine were this clean:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...3550871&type=3
https://scontent-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/...10025817_n.jpg

Another update. Now with proper seat, top tube clips and tape. I've ridden it a bit this spring and it is surprisingly stable, even on hands-free descents. Still not sure if I'll leave the paint as is, or what. Liking the ride, and kind of digging the weathered chrome vibe.
http://www.thejennifers.com/Bike_Pics/CoppiAfield.jpg