tarsi 

Using just aluminum foil I've managed to remove quite a bit of rust already (see below). These photos are not "photoshopped". The problem I'm having is the small crevices of the letters. The foil does not reach into them. I was planning on buying some vinegar today and putting a few drops over the letters and letting stand for a bit to see how that works unless somebody here has a better idea.

PS - I have sent Laura my "serial number" to see if she can provide some history on frame. More info to come as it becomes available.

tarsi 

Response from Laura.

Hello Ron,

this should be a Super of mid 70ies

Unfortunately we don't have records of serial numbers of 70ies/80ies frames

Best regards
Laura

xiaoman1 

HUH**********
I am not sure what you are implying...I have seen many chrome parts that were scratched by using steel wool no matter the grade. Maybe the plater that does the restos on my cars is also incorrect but he never recommends steel wool to "clean" chrome...steel wool will clean the rust but I have seen it leave micro scratches that the "lessen" the shine on the chrome plating.
The chrome plating is applied over the nickel and perhaps that is what is scratched.
Others may use steel wool but it's not my go to.
The Colnago fork that you cleaned certainly removed the rust but the rust had already destroyed the chrome..it does, however, look acceptable.
TETO, Ben

verktyg 

Here's a link to Ray Dobbins website showing a Colnago catalog from the late 70's - 1978-1980?

https://www.raydobbins.com/misc/Colna...go_catalog.htm

Ray is a well known authority on C&V bikes - nice eye candy: Ray Dobbins Bike Photo Gallery

He mentioned was that Colnago started stamping their name in the chain stays and chrome plated the right side in 1981 plus they switched to braze-on front derailleur mounts in 1982. The also went to the full slopping crown on the Super around 1982

My 1983 Super:








1983 Colnago Super catalog page. This shows straight seat stays with fluted plugs with Colnago cast in. I've seen very few pictures bikes with those style plugs. That was most likely a transitional change. Most from Colnagos from that era have bi-conical stays and flat plugs with Colnago cast in like my bike.



A few last comments, Colnago was known farm out frames to other builders when they were busy so that accounts for some variation in specs. Also, there were no rules demanding adherence to any specifications. A lot of frames were built to order:

"Le specifiche sono soggette a modifiche senza preavviso"

Without stripping the paint, there's no telling what changes CycleArt made to the frame (or repairs)! They did good work but took liberties. I've heard tell that they never wanted to reproduce exact features so they added their touches to the frames.

I bought my Colnago to ride and enjoy rather than a work of art. I like that is has a few warts. If it were concours, I wouldn't ride it for fear of getting dirty or scratched up.

After a few rides, if you like it, most of the flaws will disappear, especially once you get some shiny bling on it.

Enjoy. I'd like to find another Nag in that color.

verktyg

verktyg 

Just stating physical facts. The actual hardness of pure metallic chrome is 80Rc but because of it's mechanical and other properties, it's not usable in it's pure state.

Chrome is primarily used as an alloy in other metals, in abrasives, pigments, as a catalyst, and for electroplating. The red color of synthetic rubies is due to chrome. Many yellow, red and green pigments contain chrome and so on.

Chrome plating is softer than the 80rc hardness of chrome itself because of the nickel underplating. The thicker the nickel (and copper) and the thinner the chrome plating, the softer the surface will be.

I'm not sure why your plater said not to use steel wool but I suspect the the chrome layer he does is very thin and can be easily abraded away.

When I was in Japan in the mid 60's chrome plating was dirt cheap. We got everything made of steel on our motorcycles chrome plated plus lots of other things. The problem was they used very little nickel or copper plating under the chrome layer which was very thin so after a short time the stuff would rust badly!

Much of the chrome plating on my Colnago Technos fork has been polished away and the nickel shows through the surface (I got it that way). Nickel appears slightly yellowish compared to the bright blue white of chrome plating.

XX or XXX steel wool should not damage quality chrome plating, even heavy anodized aluminum.

"The Colnago fork that you cleaned certainly removed the rust but the rust had already destroyed the chrome..it does, however, look acceptable." I Photoshopped the picture, it looks pretty bad up close.

Oh, BTW, the reason why aluminum foil works is there is a thin layer of aluminum oxide which forms on the surface. Aluminum oxide is abrasive and acts as polish. If you expose pure virgin aluminum to the atmosphere it will immediately start to oxidize which forms a protective layer that slows down surface corrosion.

verktyg

tarsi 

I thought the reference was to my fork but I could be wrong. If it was, I'm more than happy with it so far. When polished and not super zoomed up it is more than acceptable, to me.

While we're on the topic, what are some opinions on painting the clover/logo? I've tried outlining lugs on other frames myself and wish I hadn't afterwards. Seems like a decent job requires a professional hand. Has anybody done it themselves?

xiaoman1 

verktyg [/QUOTE]

VK,
You are correct if the chrome layer is thin this could cause scratching and since the thickness of the plating can vary widely, I stay away from steel wool for polishing chrome...since there is already rust to me it would suggest that the plating was weak and abrasion could cause scratching
Best, Ben

tarsi 

So based on this, mine would have to be a 1981 (stamped chain stay + clamp-on front derailleur + flat crown). Strange that Laura dated it from the 70's. I asked her what assessment was based on but haven't heard back yet.

Hear, Hear

verktyg 

I see a Colnago frame.... It's getting clearer now.... It's from the 1970's or 80's....

1981 seems about right but there were so many variations that it's hard to tell for sure.

I found a flat top crown Colnago fork in the UK, just like on your bike. I like them so much better than the newer full slopping ones. Not sure why I never switched???

Encountered my first Colnago in 1973. It was orange with a light blue panel on the down tube and Eddy Merckx picture decals on the head and seat tubes. Never saw another one like it but it was a real Colnago with the logo paragraphed in the chrome fork crown. One of the guys who worked at a shop a few blocks from ours owned it. He let me ride it a few times. Even offered to sell it to me but it was out of my league at the time (his too).

I finally got my grail bike in 1978. I bought an orange frame and a blue one like yours. I couldn't decide which one I wanted. Finally picked the orange one and hung the blue one up for sale.

It got stolen in SF in 1981. For years I looked for another orange one in my size. Got away from road bikes for about 25 years. When I got back to riding on the road in 2006 I started shopping for the grail again. I found my 1983 red frame instead and it was so nice that I couldn't resist.

BTW, great job on cleaning up the forks!

verktyg

tarsi 

Before and after of fork crown only. Lugs and paint still need touch-up and headset will be swapped for Campy Record Headset.

Drillium Dude 

That looks great! You know, looking back at the pics in the first post, the rust didn't really look too bad - not to the point of pitting and/or flaking, so your result isn't too surprising.

DD

Mackers

I think the frame itself is circa 81, 82, quite possibly a Superissimo, which would explain the chromed head lugs.
The fork to me looks like an earlier '78-ish model.

This might also explain the respray.

tarsi 

Nice call! I've found multiple photos of 1982/83 Superissimos which aside from the 2nd set of cage mounts match mine exactly (ie. chrome lugs, flat fork crown, flat seat stay caps, painted DS chain stay and underneath bb cable routing).

Links:
https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=127574
https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/19...issimo.115440/
https://www.******.com/r/Bikeporn/co...2_saronnipr82/
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...perissimo.html

tracerider

My Colnago has a mixture of the features of '81 to '83 dated frames. It has the fluted seat stay plugs with "Colnago" cast in, Chromed right chain stay with "Colnago", no front derailleur braze on, sloped crowned all chrome fork, chromed frame lugs on the steering tube only. The black anodized 3T stem is engraved with "Colnago" along the sides and the "club" on the front. The original non aero brake levers were drilled out and a "C" encompassing the "club" engraved on the front of the brake lever just below the hoods. The Colnago decal on the frame was just yellow letters without the white background.

Gary Fountain

About the chromed features on your Colnago frame:

Back in the 80's and 90's I was quite good friends with a local Australian bikeshop owner who imported a few brands of Italian bikes for sale in his family's bikeshop such as Pinarello and Colnago. His family had been in the bikeshop business since the 1930's both building and selling bikes. His main Italian frames were Colnago and he travelled to Italy each year to deal directly with each manufacturer. At times he dealt directly with Ernesto Colnago and Giovanni Pinarello through interpreters but mainly with other company executives.

In the very early 90's I recall a conversation I had with this bikeshop owner regarding Colnago's. I vividly remember asking him about the chromed features on Colnago frames and whether the amount and location of chrome on a frame meant anything? He told me that it didn't matter what the frame was, he could order any model with chrome in any position on a frame he desired. The Colnago factory could deliver his requirements. He didn't really expand on that statement only to say that the chrome really didn't indicate the model of frame it was featured on. (I guess his ordering would be based on models with the same frame finish to make it viable for the factory to produce.)

I know Superissimo's of that era have chromed head tube lugs but other frame models could be ordered with the head tube lugs chromed as well. I do have a mid-eighties Superissimo (SLX tubing) that doesn't have any chrome on it but it has been re-painted.

I'd be guessing that 1983 would be a good place to start investigating the build year for your bike. I think 1984 is too late for what you describe - but who really knows?

tracerider

Thanks for the info Gary, I bought the bike new in either '82 or '83, probably the later.

Gary Fountain

Hi tracerider, in '82 / '83 I was only dreaming of owning a Colnago. From your description of your bike I guess that it would have been at the very top of my wish list. I just love the 3ttt engraved stems and the engraved aero brake levers are the 'icing on the cake' as far as I'm concerned. Do you have a photograph of your bike within this forum?

I've had heaps of great bikes over the last 50 odd years but only one new bike - a Colnago (frame only). I still have it and it's really special to me. I can only imaging your connection to your Colnago.

tracerider

No pic on file yet of my Colnago. It really needs some attention, chromed fork is badly rusted but the rest of the bike is in fairly good condition. Unfortunately, the original brake levers are no longer on the bike, swapped out for aeros long ago and one of the originals is not to be found. I will try to clean it up and post a picture later.

SJX426 

Interesting thread all! I dated my Colnago from the rear RD, 1983. More often that not I am thinking it is either '83 or '84.
I know it is a Superissimo as one of the labels/decals survived.

P9161245, on Flickr
It has flat ST caps

P1000527, on Flickr
Chrome fork, head tube and lugs, CS only (paint chips near the stamping shows chrome).

Low Gear, on Flickr
Stamped "Colnago" in the CS's

P1000536, on Flickr

Original paint and decals.

1983 Colnago Superissimo, on Flickr

tarsi 

Beautiful bike! What size cassette is that and any issues with the short cage derailleur?

SJX426 

@tarsi - That was the limit for this configuration. I could only use the large sprocket with the small ring! It worked well while I got into shape!. I don't ride this bike as much since this picture. IRD freewheel, BTW. Now sports a Regina with much smaller large sprocket.

Thanks for the comment too!. It looks pretty good from 30 feet!

tracerider

tracerider

Don't know what's going on with my pics, they double load , disappear, reload, etc. If a moderator could delete the extra photo, that would be good.

IndianaMitch

I always liked Colnagos!

tarsi 

Below are photos of completed build. Looking for tire suggestions. Would love to go as wide as possible (25 or 28's?).