xiaoman1 

Hi,

I picked this a few weeks ago frame with a few Campagnolo parts included. The seat and the rear wheel were also there when I bought it.

The frame and decals are quite nice with very little paint chipping on the frame. L.A. 84 bars with the Cinelli stem and a Concor Sprint saddle with the Campy Aero post along with the rear wheel with a SACHS New Success rear-wheel

No 650c wheel to be found for the front, but I had already sourced a tubular a few months ago when I heard this frame was going to come up for sale. I just missed a “curvy durvy Bianchi” a few months back while looking for a front fork for it, perhaps I should have bought it and looked for a fork.....but when one door closes another opens. This was on my radar too.

I have been told these never were never frame sale only and that Shimano 600 was the group spec’d and, the Campagnolo.

If that is the true then I feel free to build it the way that suits me…..maybe an older record group rather than the 80’s Chorus

As is usually the case, in my rush to clean I started cleaning before I took any pictures….suffice it to say that the entire bike was worse than the Sachs wheel that I am showing.

The original owner said it had been hanging in his garage for nearly 30 years before he decided to let it go.

The entire bike was "worse" than this.



The bike looked like a basket case...really dirty but "no" dents, but cleaned up very well, I have not waxed or polished it yet, Bianchi paint really seem to come back after a clean and polish malcala622

L.A. 84 bars

Gran Comp Levers Lattz

Concor Sprint with Campy Aero Seatpost, no tears, just a few nicks.

I am trying to source some parts and MH said he has an orange tire that might be useful in my quest.
I am not in a rush to finish,with COVID still with us, I am taking my time and enjoying the "non" ride
Best, Ben
Mad Honk

AJI125 

Excited to see how this gets built back up into a fine machine! Build it up however you want as long as it's late 1980s/early 1990s Campagnolo (just kidding). Headset looks like maybe the Chorus threaded race and something else locknut?

xiaoman1 

AJI125,
Good eye on the headset....I replaced it because the nut was mangled.
Yes, I'm going to take a little time with this, I mentioned that I found a 650c wheel a while back with an almost new Orange Conti on it and would like to use that for the build Mad Honk found me a tire and that will complete the wheelset.
I might leave the levers in place or do a change out for something in silver. The Concor Sprint is nice but not my cup of tea, so I am on the lookout for something a bit different.
Anyway thanks for the feedback.
Best, Ben

malcala622

Nice buy Ben. Those LA 84 bars aren't an easy find and I'm so glad they weren't cut shorter. The only sets I've found were cut.

I'm wondering if the made in italy decals were added to the frameset at some point. I can't find a match online with those decals.

xiaoman1 

Hey Miguel,
Nice buy but IMO not as nice as the Bob Jackson....made me wonder about the decals so I took a picture they appear to have been on there as long as the Columbus decal and look original to me but anything is possible. If there were placed there later they have been there for a long time based on the similar top dirt creep on both the made in Italy and the Columbus decal...It has a combo of Bianchi and Gipiemme drops. Does yours have the same drops or something else?
I am happy about the bars, didn't notice if they were cut but they work fine. I wasn't aware that the seat was also a tough one to find and after doing a little research discovered it was banned from competition...go figure.
Where were these made, Japan or Italy?



Anyhow the price was right and it's nice and clean.
Best, Ben

malcala622

Same drops by gipiemme.

My Italy decals are also crooked but not that much like yours. The seat tube one over the lug edge concerns me but It just my opinion.

xiaoman1 

I have seen decals placed with different levels of care.....slightly off from one frame to the next, none of my others are perfectly aligned either, I don't see much to worry about.
Best, Ben

Ferrouscious 

Please don't install orange tires.

xiaoman1 

Thanks for your support and advice.
Best, Ben

xiaoman1 

multiple post

icemilkcoffee 

Dirt can be washed off... rust can't. And this one looks rust free! This will be an awesome build!

Jmpierce

My CdI has the same "Made in Italy" sticker.

Nice bike Ben.

xiaoman1 

Joe,
Not as nice as yours. I am planning on putting this on the front. I picked it up a while ago when I heard the TT might be up for sale, out later today to detail a few things seat post cleaning and some painting.
I am not sure if I will do any touch-up on the frame, I might just leave it as is with a good polish.
Best, Ben

Excited to see how close a color match the sew-up from Mad Honk will be to this Conti.

xiaoman1 

A little more detailing....I can't use the Campy Aero seat-post and for now, I can't find my other SR seat-post so the Laprade will be a place holder.

Pretty rough after many years in service.

A little polish and paint.

Good at 10' and good enough for me......free handing leaves a few imperfections, but overall happy how it turned out.
Some have said Shimano 600 was original, and it came with some Campagnolo, so Campagnolo it will be! The only question is, Chrous or SR.
Best, Ben

xiaoman1 

Well, I decided to go Campagnolo since some campy was included in the sale and I liked the looks of the more aero stuff anyway. I am not a Campy expert so I don't know if the cranks are Chrous or Athena....In any event, they had some wear so I decided to strip the anodizing off with oven cleaner-off and sand it with wet-dry 400 grit. I will polish it tomorrow. Pics are below.
MH sent me a sew but alas a bit too narrow so I am still looking for one in orange that is a better match size-wise and some newre downtube shifters....any help on sourcing any of this is appreciated!

clean but need a little work

oven off is nasty stuff, but it does the job....out in the open air with a mask and glasses on

turning the anodizing black and almost ready to wash

Sanded with 400 wet/dry and ready for a hand polish with my favorite, "Blue Magic".

The brakes and general cleanup tomorrow....luckily the paint is in exceptional condition just a few nicks but no crazing at all....I am thankful it was hanging in a garage for almost 30 years.
I am now in the hunt for a seat as well as the rear 700c in orange.
Best, Ben

xiaoman1 

This morning I made some progress on the cranks and I think they turned out well....I wanted to add a bit of pop to the rings so I applied a light coat of lacquer to them.
I haven't decided whether or not to go with aero brakes or something similar to the way I did them on the Bertoni awhile back, so brakes will need to wait.
I also may change the bars to a bronze Moscow but not certain yet.

First pass by hand...

Painters tape was my friend with this

before

Installed!
Best, Ben

John E

My 1982 Bianchi put my 1980 Peugeot to shame on fit and finish, everything from brazing debris to decal alignment.

xiaoman1 

John E,
You are correct, my PX-10 has messy lug brazing on a few of the lugs....so much so that it would be hard to do any lug lining without creating more of an eyesore, but that doesn't take away from the riding experience.
Best, Ben

AJI125 

Looking awesome! I wouldn't mess with touch-up either. I think that's a Chorus crank or possibly Croce D'Aune. If you check the date code on the back and can decipher, I think you can get an idea of which based on year and since it has the self-extractors.

I got some Campy retrofrictions from a forum member through the ISO thread. Boulder has some Triomphe shifters in stock, cheap and look nice, but not sure how well they operate. Campagnolo Triomphe Shift Lever Set Braze-on NOS gorgeous!

Just in case you're a logo guy, wanit has some Campy crank shield decals. They look pretty good, have some in a drawer somewhere. But when I ordered there were two sizes and I got the smaller (13mm). Appears to only be one size listed now, I think these would be bigger than what was on my Croce cranks. https://wanit.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d79.html



I found my crank stickers if you want any, let me know and I’ll mail you a couple for free. I must’ve cut one off to compare to the other crank arm logo size (matched up if I recall correctly). I never installed it (NDS arm had one missing on a crank) as its darker/brighter than the original, but might look ok on something newly polished. Just PM me if you’re interested.

xiaoman1 

AJI125,
Thanks for the kind words, yes no touch-up just the wax. Campagnolo always confuses me, it is hard for me to tell the difference between the groups. The markings on the back of the crank are in a rectangle and it looks like they read 99? but I am not certain...so what are they?
How can you tell the difference between them, the early record had the are in line with one of the chainring bolts but other than that it is a mystery to me. I did a little work on the RD to match the cranks and will start the cleaning on the brakes in the next few days.
Not certain if I will leave the Royal Gran Comp brakes on or not, but the white is growing on me....so maybe they will stay in the build.
I have been having a heck of a time finding a match for the orange Conti on the front wheel so I may need to go mixe-matchy or gum walls.
Best, Ben


Got a bit too excited and didn't let the paint dry, so a little touch up will be needed

Mad Honk 

Ben,
Try putting the orange tyre on it and see. It looks like it will be a comfortable fit in those seat stays. smiles, MH

xiaoman1 

MH,
Will do, but I need to source an "English" wheel for the "tyre" first......The Boat Anchor is in the mail.
Best, Ben
BTW enjoying your P build as well as the pullies on the RD's.

AJI125 

According to this and similar write ups, I think 66 would be 1990 https://astrocycloalpine.weebly.com/campy-notes.html

I have the 1991 catalog digital and it looks like Chorus has no self extractors, and this is the Croce that looks just like yours to my eye. And you’re right, Record has the hidden 5th bolt throughout the era.

xiaoman1 

Alex,
Thanks for the information, I did a search on Croce and found it interesting...never understood the nuisance between the groups.
It's raining and cold in SoCal today so no progress on the TT....And yeah I know Californians are wimps when looking at the weather across the US, but hey I was in shorts in my driveway yesterday when working on the TT.
Best, Ben
AJI125

Jmpierce

I like what you are doing with this build! The work on the crankset looks great and the seat post is very nice. Can't wait to see it finished.