RE: [CR]MASI - now Prestige/Gran Crit

(Example: Framebuilding:Norris Lockley)

content-class: urn:content-classes:message
Subject: RE: [CR]MASI - now Prestige/Gran Crit
Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 10:35:50 -0500
Thread-Topic: [CR]MASI - now Prestige/Gran Crit
Thread-Index: AcHUfoYLa0eY7wQpSXOdi3jRRYvV1wAWe8sw
From: "Bingham, Wayne R." <WBINGHAM@imf.org>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>


>>>>>"Prestige" is similar to "Gran Criterium" and both are a continuation of Masi's (the father's) frame building heritage. The GC was introduced in

1970, and the Prestige circa 1978. Or so I think.<<<<<

My understanding is that the Gran Criterium name went to the California operation, and that subsequent "Gran Criterium" frames made in Italy were called Prestige. I have an Italian Prestige believed to be a 1975 model. It has a Fisher BB shell with top-mounted cable guides. Alberto Masi's name is on the top tube. It came equipped with a first generation "full" Super Record group, which would also correspond to the '75 time frame. I got this bike from the second owner, who had it for over 20 years and was a friend of the original owner, so I have no reason to suspect it is not completely original.

Can anyone verify the existence of any post '73-ish Italian built "Gran Criteriums"?

Wayne Bingham
Falls Church, VA