WGB 

I have to clear somethings out (so I can have more room to store more things). I plan to sell these here but want to be sure what I have first.

To start I have three sets of similar downtube shifters. At first glance they are the same but on closer inspection they are different. The first three were labelled the way i have them labelled but in plastic bags so I have no idea if they were correctly labelled.



So is this one the Sport model?




Is this one the Gran Sport



And then is this either a Record or Super Record?




This one seems rather unusual because of the lever on the rear. Based on the lever on the rear I believe it to be a Portacatena model? I understand they were an idean that didn't quite take off.

Front view



Back



Lastly I have an unopened set of shifters (presumably for braze ons). They are also Campagnolo and only marked 0331-683490. Any ideas? Were they just Record shifters without the band?

bertinjim 

WGB-

The second photo is Campy Gran Sport shifters. The one with the spoon on the bottom is actually a Portacatena lever see here: VeloBase.com - Component: Campagnolo 1013/6 Porta Cantena, Record The others are Campy Record levers.

Kuromori

I think different campy tiers basically had different screws?

WGB 

Just don't want to list items under wrong name or model and get a bad reputation. I thought the Gran Sports were 1950's production??
As for the Portacatena set, do they work without the fancy rear end?

RobbieTunes

They all look alike to me. Wrinkly.

SurferRosa

"Ma'am, we think it's just a huge tumor and we can save him with a hacksaw and some 600 grit."

deux jambes

cinco

No, GS shifters had aluminum (edit: I think they were actually zinc, but it's been a while) "nuts" shaped like little sombreros.





They're Valentino shifters.

bertinjim 

Later GS shifters had the rotary knobs as illustrated, such as on the Raleigh Competition GS bike of the 80s but early GS shifters are as shown by WGB, Probable overlap with Valentino. Velobase pic here: VeloBase.com - Component: Campagnolo 1014, Gran Sport The Portacatena needs the curved dropout attachment to accept the chain when the lever overshifts it otherwise, I think the chain would simply derail into the gap between the cluster's last cog and the inner face of the dropout which would be really ugly.

rootboy 

As for the Porta Catena gizmo, here's a link on Retrogrouch's site which should tell you everything you need to know about how it worked.
The levers with the little domed sub-lever need the chain carrier for the rear dropout, for them to work.
The Retrogrouch: Campagnolo Portacatena: A Neat Idea Whose Time Never Came

T-Mar

All four sets appear to be variations on the Record shift levers, with one being the Portacatena version. Both the Gran Sport and Valentino variants used a a cover plate (items 3393/37 & 1203 in the above diagrams) with a right angle tab that engaged a slot in the mounting band. This tab prevents the cover plate from rotating and affecting the friction setting when the lever was moved. On the Record variants this is achieved by a utilizing a cover plate hole having two flat sides (i.e. obround) and a mounting stud with a similar shaped end. I don't see the cover plate tab on any of the subject levers. If you remove the thumbscrews and see a cover plate with an obround hole (see pic) then they're Record variants.

Edit: Until the mid-1980s, Record levers were the only ones that would work with the Campagnolo brazed-on boss, so Record levers were often paired with lower level derailleurs. In the mid-1980s Campagnolo brought out new levers sets (i.e. Triomphe, Victory, etc) that were compatible with the brazed-on boss.

WGB 

Thank you!

I checked and all three of the band sets have the obround hole (see pic).



The NOS set in the bag have recessed lettering so I believe I found them on Velo Orange as a late 80's model version.

Lastly, I guess that I had better clearly describe the Porta Catena when I list it to save someone trashing their spokes.....

Thank you again, WGB

Road Fan

From the day, I recall there was for road (pre-Super Record) 1. some remaining Record, 2. Nuovo Record, and 3. Grand Sport. I'm not sure how the Valentino fit in, time-wise or status-wise. Certainly other older fans recall them vividly, but I don't think they were common in my Chicago shops. Some touring components, perhaps Gran Turismo was the only one, also existed at that time. Here I'm talking about 1967 through perhaps 1971. Then I went off to university and didn't pay so much attention to what's in the shops.

Campagnolo seemed to have barely started their concept of a "gruppo," much less having a half-dozen well-defined and well-coordinated levels. The company was mainly focused on parts for racing at the top level, and sometimes it took them a while to get new manufacturing up to the point where they could supply the keen amateurs who wanted to ride "what the big boys ride." I think they had trouble transitioning into being a desired consumer supplier.

Refinements appeared to be on a running basis, and I assume they resulted from listening to the racers and leading team managers, who perhaps did not care if the name or the part number had been updated, but just "need 250 pairs of your best road pedal by the end of February, the teams need their bikes rolling by then. By the way, that toe strap loop on the Strada pedal is getting in the way of the riders. Is it really necessary?"

fietsbob

One with the button was for a shift past the high gear .. onto a piece on the frame, to speed rear wheel changes in a race...

of course you need that Too ..


"Porta Catena "? yes it is ... Portacatena








..

T-Mar

The Valentino derailleur system was introduced circa 1964 and was then updated to the Valentino Extra circa 1968. It was typically, 2nd from the bottom of the line, originally just above the single pulley Sport variants, then later just above the Velox at the peak of the boom. Valentino Extra was popular during the early 1970s boom with the mass produced Italian brands on their upper entry level models and lower mid-range club racers. They were spec'd on bicycles like the Atala Grand Prix, Bianchi Rekord 71/74, Chiorda 030, Bottecchia Special, Fiorelli Corsa, Legnano Mezza-Corsa and Torpado Luxe. Occasionally, you'd see them on non-Italian models like the Falcon Black Diamond. I found them them heavy, clunky and they did not hold their setting well.

repechage

The black backing plates basically departed the scene after 1970. Keep in mind that these things really did not habe model years per se.
The Gran Sport shifters (with the minus topped screw heads)... were very early on and moved down the model line as the ringed screws arrived.
The late banded shifters dispensed with the cable stop plates, those are uncommon as braze on shifter mounts were the common thing by that point. along with the inferior plastic compression parts...