Re: [CR]Re: Whats correct on Carlsbad Masi's

Jimmy,

As we discussed on the phone, I suspect the milled dropouts may have bee n done in Italy for Mario and some of the other sub-contractors before h e came to the states. His own personal frame has a set on it. I've seen a few other bikes with the milled dropouts. Some are Italian built frame s. Some were made in Carlsbad. Later on Mario had the guys next door (to the Carlsbad shop) at Ferrari Tractors mill some dropouts.

BTW, I think it was Dale in Colo. that mentioned that his Masi had the " correct 1972 dated parts" on it. All CA Masis have 1973 dated parts. Tha t shipment lasted for several years. They all came with steel pedals unl ess someone changed them out later. I don't remember seeing any while I was assembleing pedals to to straps and toe clips. I put hundreds of the m together and then riveted the straps. I never cut any length off the s trap prior to riveting.

Like I said before, there were only about 100 sets of the 3TTT bars and engraved stems and embossed saddles. Those were held in reserve. All of the bars and stems I put together were Cinelli and went into the assembl y bins. If a 3TTT set was to go on the bike Faliero or Simonetti would g rab the correct stuff and put it together.

The standard white colth handlebar tape on a factory Carlsbad Masi is no t Tressostar. It was just white woven cotton tape that came in 100 meter rools about a foot in diameter. There was no adhesive on this stuff. It 's pretty much the same stuff you guys who dye your own tape start with. The end plugs varied. That's one thing they didn't plan for in Carlsbad ; bar end plugs. The few that got hunt-wilde plugs were fitted with them in a pinch. Simo ran to the local bike shop and bought a bunch, and tha t's what he could get. Later Masi purchased some of the plain pushin spr ingy chrome things. I have a totally original 1971 GC that still has the original white cloth tape on it and the original "bar plugs". What bar plugs. My bike has a cork covered with white vinyl plastic tape over it jammed in the bar. Totally factory and original. I think that's why they forgot bar plugs in Carlsbad. They were "improvising" in Italy.

Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA