> Question #2: anyone know anything about Atala serial numbers?
Every decent Atala I've seen had something like the last 2 digits of the year, followed by a letter indicating the month of manufacture, followed by a serial number which I believe indicates the number of the frame within the month. That serial number is not peculiar to the model. E.g. I've seen track bikes with numbers like 62C1492 - that must have been frame number 1492 for March of 1962, as I seriously doubt they made 1492 track frames in one month.
What always puzzled me was Atala's practice of stamping the serial number on the seat tube. At least this was the case in the 1960s, even on nice frames made from Columbus tubing like the Competizione, the track frames and early Nuovo Record Gran Prix models. My brother has one of the later Gran Prix bikes with Valentino derelleurs and Nuovo Tipo hubs. This is one of those bikes made from "Tullio" tubing. Next time I visit I'll ahve to take a look to see where that frame has its serial number. Cheers, Fred Rednor - Arlington, Virginia
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