[CR]GS vs Valentino front mechs

(Example: Production Builders:Tonard)

From: "swampmtn" <swampmtn@siscom.net>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Fri, 19 Jul 2002 18:56:55 -0400
Subject: [CR]GS vs Valentino front mechs

For the second time in 3 years I find myself trying to clear-up the confusion surrounding the Gran Sport and Valentino front changers (anyone remember my extensive Photopoint album showing the differences?)

I've gone through the catalogues again, and here's what I find.

pre-Cat.12 (pre 1953) the #1005/2 tipo Gran Sport consists of the following parts numbers:

#202 box body (bright finish) #203 lever (chromed) #204 plunger (L-shaped on the end) (chromed) #205 cable anchor bolt (chromed) #206 cable anchor nut (chromed) #207 travel limit screw (chromed) #208 travel limit nut (chromed) #209 return spring #210 clamp bolts (2x) (chromed) #211 clamp (chromed) #212 lever pivot bolt (chromed) #213 cage anchor bolt (chromed) #214 cage (chromed) #215 cage spacer bolt (chromed) #216 cage spacer (chromed) #217 cage spacer nut (chromed) #220 lever pivot bushing

In Cat.12 (1953) all parts remained the same for the 1005/2 Gran Sport, with the following exceptions:

#207 travel limit screw was changed to the redesigned #227 (now has a wider head). #208 travel limit nut was deleted. #220 lever pivot bushing was deleted. #226 travel limit spring was added (replaces #208 nut).

Everything stayed the same for the 1005/2 Gran Sport through Cat.13 (1955) and Cat.14 (1958), although there was a design change at some point to #214 cage, which had the outer cage plate extended forward.

The long time gap from Cat.14 (1958) until Cat.15 (1967) saw the Gran Sport front mech deleted, and the #2050 Valentino front mech introduced.

Cat.15 shows that the following parts were continued on the #2050 Valentino front mech:

#227 travel limit screw #210 clamp bolts (2x) #211 clamp

The following items were new designs for the Valentino:

#1601 box body replaces #202 (now has a snout where the plunger exits, and is not interchangeable with Gran Sport) #1602 lever replaces #203 (not inter. with Gran Sport) #1603 plunger (straight rod) replaces the L-shaped #204 (not inter. w/GS) #89 cable anchor bolt replaces #205 #1604 return spring replaces #209 (not inter.with GS) #1605 lever pivot bolt replaces #212 (not inter. w/GS) #1607 cage anchor bolt replaces #213 (bolt now located on front) #1606 cage includes spacer, replaces #214 (now riveted together at the back)

The following items were deleted:

#206 cable anchor nut #215 cage spacer bolt #216 cage spacer

The #217 cage spacer nut now became the lever pivot anchor nut!

Cat.16 (1969) shows the following changes to the #2050 Valentino:

#213 returns as the cage anchor bolt, replacing #1607. #214 returns as the cage (including riveted spacer) replacing #1606 one-piece cage.

No changes in Cat.17 (1973), EXCEPT that this front mech IS ONLY REFERRED TO AS THE #2050 FRONT CHANGER. . . nowhere in Cat.17 is it referred to as "Gran Sport" or "Valentino", although it appears as part of these 2 gruppos.

Cat.17a (1975) sees the name "Valentino" re-introduced for the #2050. No change to the parts numbers.

The Valentino front changer disappears with the Olympic catalogue (1982).

I hope this will help folks ID the two different changers.

Aldo Ross (too much time on my hands, and too many front changers on my desk) Monroe, Ohio