My Latest Project - Early 1970’s Grandini

[robtims]

Here is my latest project. It’s an early 1970’s Grandini built by Youngs of Lewisham. It looks completely original as it left the shop and someone back in the day spent a small fortune on it.

Full Campagnolo Nuovo Record except for the brakes which are first gen Dura Ace.

A few clues as to its age:
1. Nuovo Record rear derailleur is marked Pat 74
2. First gen Dura Ace brakes have a YG date stamp
3. There is no date mark on the chainset
4. Cinelli 1A stem is first gen with a 7mm allen expander bolt and a nut fixing for the handlebars
5. Long Campagnolo dropouts

I think that both the rear derailleur and the YG code on the brakes point to 1974.
No date code on the chainset points to pre 1973 for the chainset
Stem points to early 1970s before the bar clamp was changed to an allen key
All of the Campagnolo parts are listed in the 1974 catalogue.

I’m guessing with 1974 for the year.

I’ve managed to get the whole thing apart - the hardest part was getting the pedals out. The threads hadn’t been greased and I don’t think they had been moved in 50 years. It took a lump hammer on the spanner with the crank arm held in a vice to get them out.

Next task is to dismantle and individually clean up each part in my sonic cleaner and find out if anything needs replacing.

I’ll keep you all updated with photos as to progress.

 

[juvela]

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dating sounds spot on

Sig. NITOR appears he may have commenced life as one of the buffalo chappies

frame designed for other brake, note rear centres about six mm longer than front

pedal thread: one possible explanation for tightness would be if someone had assembled the machine with metric threaded cranks and used 9/16" pedals

backside of crank arms should show a marking...

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[Ecurie Peril]

Awesome! Just love niche and off the wall marques. Can't wait to see it

 

[Frankenorange]

Why do cameras make a handlebar look so odd? That first pic is like some kind of ai goof yet stand there in person and the bar will look completely normal and in scale.

 

[Jingle Jangle]

I believe the Grandini model was Youngs top of the line frame, and that these were built by Bill Philbrook.

 

[robtims]

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dating sounds spot on

Sig. NITOR appears he may have commenced life as one of the buffalo chappies

frame designed for other brake, note rear centres about six mm longer than front

pedal thread: one possible explanation for tightness would be if someone had assembled the machine with metric threaded cranks and used 9/16" pedals

backside of crank arms should show a marking...

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Thanks for the reply.

Not sure what you mean by “frame designed for other brake”. The brake blocks are on a similar position front and rear and the forks are definitely original as they are stamped with the same number as the frame.

Both the pedals and cranks are Campagnolo and are 9/16 x 24tpi so I think the tightness is down to half a century of galvanic corrosion and no grease. It looks like the bike was in a damp shed. I’ve since cleaned the pedal threads and run a tap through the cranks and all seems fine. Strangely every other thread, the seat post and stem were well greased and came our easily. Even the dropout adjusters came out with a bit of WD40.

The back of both cranks are just marked 170 STRADA with no date mark.

 

[robtims]

Here are some more pictures of the bike as it arrived

 

[robtims]

The wheels are 36h front and rear, Campagnolo large flange hubs laced 3x onto (as yet) unidentified French rims. The spokes are double butted chromed steel which are completely rusted and will need replacing. Spokes are tied and soldered front and rear.

The only marking on the rims is a red sticker at the valve hole with the words “BREVETE SGDG” which I understand to be a type of French patent issued up to 1968. The rims are 21.5mm wide. Can anyone help identify these rims? There is no glue residue on them to suggest any other missing labels.