oldbikenewbike

As far as I know from looking online, 1983 and 1984 were the only two years this model was made...and this color scheme 1984 only.

As far as I can see, with the exception of maybe the saddle, it looks all original (sans tires, of course). And this is the condition I got it in! So, is anythinbg is not original, please let me know. I'm curious!

oldbikenewbike

oldbikenewbike

oldbikenewbike

Whoops! Without realizing it, I downloaded the photos in reverse order of when I had taken them. Sorry! Here are two against my garage door for contrast (but I do like taking all the shots in my driveway against the textured background...

AngryFrankie

Awesome! Find a Turbo saddle, lose the mirror, all original early 80's Japanese race bike.

oldbikenewbike

Lol...mirror is already off, as is the saddle bag. This is going to be one of my easiest detailing jobs in a while.

Not bad for $125...

verktyg 

Very nice example of the precursor to the IM (Ironman) series.

The brake calipers and large chainring where probably anodized black. Colors in anodized aluminum are created using light stable chemical dyes which soak into the porous anodized surface. There are several processes for creating the black color and some of them are fade resistant but apparently these components weren't made that way. The hubs have faded a little too.

There were several wall thickness specs published for Tange # 1 tubing. The correct dimensions were top and down tubes .8mm x .5mm x .8mm thick while the seat tube was .9mm x .6mm x .9mm. Tange # 2 tubing was a few grams heavier and had .9mm x .6mm x .9mm top and down tubes which made it about the same specs as Columbus SL tubing.

BTW, $125 is Grand Theft Bike!

verktyg

markwesti

For grupo bits check here , site is by @fleslider . And nice score .
Vintage Centurion Bicycles
Your bike https://www.vintage-centurion.com/mod...on/turbo.shtml

T-Mar

+1, this is definitely a 1984 version. Besides the different colour option, the 1984 version added a 2nd set of bottle bosses and switched from a flat to curved brake bridge.

Regarding the anodizing, Dia-Compe did offer a bronze colour. These may not have faded. It's easy enough to tell by examining areas where the sun don't shine. For instance, you can remove the pads and examine the surfaces where the pad carriers mate with the calipers.

Personally, I think people get too carried away with Tange #1 . Tange #1 through #5 all used the same fork steerer, fork blades, seat stays and chain stays. So, the only difference was in the main triangle and even then #1 through #3 used the same seat tube, so for the commonly seen #1 and #2 framesets, the only difference were the top and down down tubes.

However, WSI did not spec standard tubesets for their Tange #1 frames. Centurion Ironman, Comp TA and Turbo owners regularly report 27.0 - 27.2mm seat posts, which would be far too large for the standard double butted seat tube used with Tange #1 . The post sizes suggest a custom, single butted version of the seat tube or possibly the standard Tange #4 seat tube, which was single butted 0.9mm/0.7mm.

Classtime 

Very nice Turbo. Mine was complete except for the rear derailleur. You will want the Bernard Hinault Turbo and I am pretty sure black cable housing. I've seen pictures of bronze brake pad holders but mine are clear like yours. If you need to touch up (doesn't look like it), I found that Audi black mink works fantastically. When you get a chance, I'd like to know the top tube center to center measurement.

texaspandj

Man that's Nice.

oldbikenewbike

Thank you...and top tube is 22'' or 55.88 cm, center to center. Frame is to small for my 6' frame, but I couldn't pass it up at this price. It will be eye candy for a while... But my 1988 Ironman Master fits just fine!

oldbikenewbike

oldbikenewbike

@T-Mar...would you know what this model would have listed for back in 1984? I'm guessing around $600...possibly more?

horatio 

Nice Turbo. I missed out on buying it's twin about a month ago.

oldbikenewbike

I came close to not getting it.

The owner told me that two different people were coming to see it the next day, so I figured it would be gone. When I saw it was still listed this morning, I contacted him and he told me it was still available and that neither of the two guys who were supposed to come and see it showed up.

Pays to be persistent!

RobbieTunes

OK, now I hate you.


Super score, and very, very nice. I have the saddle if you need it, for shipping. I have the same frame/fork/headset, with some scuffing on the R side.
Ride it OEM, or hot rod it. Either way, great bike. I've even seen one completely stripped of paint, and it looked pretty good. Stays were polished almost all the way, as was the fork.

RobbieTunes

Many of the bits were bronze-colored, as were the hubs on most I've seen. I think the dork disk was bronze, too. I see the catalog page shows black, as well as the OP's hubs being black. I've never seen one with black bits before. Those hubs are super smooth, and worth an overhaul if you ride it OEM.

Check out the font on his DT decal. First I've seen that one on a Turbo.

I may be wrong, but if I recall, the seat post was 26.8, but I'm old, addled, and could well be remembering something totally different.

Slightspeed

I've only ever seen red ones. Nice find. Couple years ago there was a dusty, dirty red one hanging in a local shop. He was asking $175. Not being up to speed on Centurion, and in the middle of a Raleigh project, I mentioned it to a bike club friend, and he grabbed it the next day. I did some research, and discovered what cool bikes these are. My friend is an older gentleman (I'm 70) and is having health problems, and has kind of stopped riding. I hate to pick his bones, but I still wonder about the one that got away. Have fun with yours!

One that got away, sorry for the lousy picture.

Classtime 

Headtube decal differs from mine.

oldbikenewbike

Hi Robbie

Thanks for the generous saddle offer, but hang onto it in case you find one like I did, missing it. You'd never forgive yourself, lol.

The paint is smooth to the touch, showing it was kept up and waxed. Like I said, one of the cleanest I've had it quite some time. It will be needing some attention, but not much.

Oh, and the frame is really to small for me (6') to ride. Just my luck I find one in this condition and it's not the right size. I picked it up just to have, knowing how hard they are to come by in any size or condition. Even the Windsor Competition I bought the other day isn't tall enough, but it was priced right in great shape (after I was done with it) and is another hard to come by original bike.

I'll Post shots when I'm done!

fred

seypat

Sweet! Even the dork disc is dark/special. I acquired an Iris colored 83 about a month ago. All of the parts for the rebuild have not came in yet. Yours is in great condition.

fleslider 

the round headtube decal was 1983, in 1984 they went to the rectangle. but WSI (Centurion/Diamond Back) were notorious for using the previous years graphics into the next year until they ran out. I think.

T-Mar

MSRP was $659.95 US.

oldbikenewbike

Thank you!! I figured you or Robbie Tunes would know.

fred