Early Colnago experts?

[Jesper]

The BB cut out is common from circa '72 to c. '81. Previous had the 9 holes or very early (Roma?) 1 hole. The only 9dd thig I see is the lack of lug cut-outs. That could be for various reasons (cost, time, requested, etc.) Tthat probably only the builder knew. I have seen a frame without them before and it was original paint; but no indication of it being a team bike (I think it was on its 2nd owner when seen; neither were pro racers). I hope the markings prove to he informative.

Understand that anyone could order a custom frame, whether in size or details (braze-ons, chrome, paint, tubing type, etc.). I find it incredible that Colnago has any records left of that era (maybe for major teams only).. They had enough trouble producing error free catalogs.

Not all "stock" production frames were identical within a given model year. Colnago used various contract builders also. Rauler started building for Colnago c. '73-'74 and were building frames without cut-out lugs to be sold by dealers with their own decals (BB shells still had c-o's; but as you can see it does not even come close to matching their logo.
That BB shell (with pointed rear nozzles) was still being used in the early to mid '80s and is not really an identifier of year as there was no consistency.

 

[Jesper]

I was going to edit my last comment but thought I would provide it separately.

One small note is that the "clubs" became Colnago's official logo sometime in 1970; presumably shortly after the '70 Milan-San Remo race which happened in February. Frames made earlier already had rudimentary "club-like" cut-outs in lugs; still before 1970 and before BB shell was changed. Frames built in late '69 and early 1970 can appear without the BB cut-out (still 9 holes) and have a black "clubs" head badge decal because they were finished in lots weeks to months after being built. Frames made in late '70; certainly by '71 had the BB shell cut-out and the more defined clubs cut into the lugs (and its shape continued to morph over the next few years before the BB shell cut-out was itself changed).

But mainly here is a statement by an old Italian guy who lived it and in response to someone making assumptions without the knowledge:
"I have to contradict you, I have had at least 10 Supers pass by me and it is clearly visible that even though they are the same frame they are made slightly differently... also because at least 5 or 6 different companies welded them. Vetta repaired 3 of them for me, all indisputably original and he pointed out the tiny differences between one and the other, all small things but visible under the hands of a frame builder (brake bridge slightly different between one and the other, saddle knot of the same design but made by different companies, different fork between one and the other...) and they identify the company that welded them, among other things they have also welded quite a few Supers for Colnago.
The last one to straighten out I brought him last Thursday and it's an '84; old Taverna didn't recognize it as having been welded by him...
There are 6 or 7 types of forks... the latest ones had the fork like the one in the photo, with the head slightly sloping and the C with the ace of clubs inside, the one from '84 that I brought to Vetta has the flat head with only the ace, one from '79 that I sold had the ace and the writing, the fork crown on my '74 is original but has no pantograph (Vetta redid them for me which shows that everyone worked for uncle Ernesto...), some have the reinforcement strips with holes, others with windows, others with nothing... Colnago is great but establishing the exact characteristics of his frames is not so easy, in the same year if the frame was made by 4 different companies there could be small differences between one and the other and nothing is accurately recorded...
Even the Masters are apparently all identical, but when sandblasted you can clearly see the difference in the construction between the various welders and you can see that the custom ones are much more accurate (made in Cambiago, seen in person), while among the standards you go from good to approximate care in the pre-painting finish, however the components in the Master and Mexico are identical for all because they are more "industrialized" than the previous models (ATS made all the micro-cast parts, Gipiemme all the small parts and the printed saddle node and Campagnolo all the dropouts).
Without any controversy, things that I have noticed when handling many frames, sandblasting them and having them repaired... often the differences under the skin are not visible to everyone, but on the bare steel they appear visible."

Considering some Colnago frames I've had and still have; the above statement rings true. Specifically, a Colnago (it has the red BB shell in prior photo) frame that I have has the features of one model, and original decals saying differently.
I have not queried Colnago about it because I no longer have the fork since a seat stay was broken and I needed a fork (late '70s/early '80s style) at the time.