I was able to start pawing thru some of the various items that Pino had given me over the years, and I have not been able tp put my hands on the Italian article that I'm really after. However, I did find a copy of an article given to me by Pino, entitled "Eddy and the Hour" by Owen Mulholland from the March 1991 issue of Bicycle Guide, and the best thing is that in Pino's own handwriting, he wrote on the back of one page:
"I did supply Colnago:
First World Made Titanium Stem Fifth Weight Chain Shell Bottom Bracket Aluminum Tough Coted Head Set "
Also of interest, the article shows a very nice picture of the seat post removed from the bike and states that the post "was drilled in the back and pierced radially below the seat collar". It also goes on to state that "bars were drilled on their trailling edge, while the sloping stem was made of titanium expecially for Merckx by Pino Morroni", which is accompanied by a picture of the drilled bars and stem, with the tuff-coated headset also clearly visible. I know there has been some debate if the bars were actually drilled, but let me put forth that this picture shows the holes on the trailing edge, which would make them very hard to see in most photos. Also, as the bars bend into the drops, the holes also change location w/the bend, remaining on the trailing edge at all times, finally disappearing under the bar wrap.
Some might get a kick out of this: while I was pawing thru my Pino items, I also found some pics of Pino racing his Maserati back in the late 1950's/early 1960s, and also a copy of a letter that Enzo Ferrari sent him. Pino had very good results one year behind the wheel of his Maserati and it seems as if Pino & Enzo were doing a bit of a dance over whether Pino could perhaps drive for the Ferrari team. I don't know if how serious these conversations were, but the letter is a neat bit of history.
Dave Patrick
Chelsea, Michigan
USA