[CR]"Transition" Masis

(Example: Framebuilders:Rene Herse)

Date: Tue, 04 Mar 2003 22:21:19 -0800
From: "Brian Baylis" <rocklube@adnc.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]"Transition" Masis

Well I'll be dipped! Got another email from someone who thinks he may have a "transition" Masi. He says it's a possible repaint; but that will not eliminate it as useful for our purpose. A lot will be learned regardless. The owner is more than willing to have me take a look at it when we get together next. I requested some photos and details which may help to answer some or all of my questions. One thing I want to see is a frame with flat caps, decaled as a GC with original paint, and a fork with the date stamped on it, presumeably dated prior to 8-69. That would pretty much do it for me. The problem here is that it may be a repaint. If it is, I can still work with it as long as the fork convincingly matches the frame in period/details. Adding to the possibility that it may be the "real deal", Peter Johnson has seen the frame and told the owner that he feels that it probably is a transition bike!

So as Richie is getting horizontal (doing the "bop" maybe?) The possible "missing link" has come out of the woods. I'm more than happy to be wrong; I'd much rather know the facts. I'd like to see or hear of more; including seeing the photos Richie has. I'm willing to accept that Faliero smeared the line between Special and Gran Criterium a bit, probably because the new decals got applied to a few specials that were still in the frameshops of subcontractors. I wonder how many of these there might be with original paint? Without the paint and decals it becomes more difficult to confirm a "transition" frame.

The transition thing happens to all kinds of things. I have a few drumsets that qualify. Older shells mated with newer hardware, from the factory. Surprises me about Masi, both that it may be true and that in 30 years I've never seen one. But stranger things have happened....... ......right here on this list!

Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA
Never a dull moment.