Kevin Salyer writes:
> [...] a 1973 Motobecane Team Champion [...] a Pat.
> 74 Nuevo Record rear derailleur [...] The
> Simplex dropout, while threaded for the Campy NR, has no
> forward stop. [...] Sheldon Brown suggested that I file a
> notch in the dropout but this did not work.
Jerry Moos's analysis is right on except when he says you might have a Le Champion - they were Campy dropouts too, at least as far back as '71, the oldest one I know of for sure (I sold them in a Motobecane shop back then, and own a '71).
Another thing that doesn't add up for me is: How did you mount the derailleur before you filed the notch? Filing a Simplex SHOULD be necessary to even bolt the thing on - otherwise the tab on the derailleur that contacts the stop should be hitting solid dropout steel where there needs to be air, preventing it from screwing on. If you forced it, then you probably mooshed (technical term) or broke the derailleur tab off.
Another possibility is that your dropout isn't Simplex, but rather Huret. What made you say Simplex? Does it have Simplex forged into it, or were you guessing? 'Cuz Huret makes more sense, as Motobecane never used Simplex dropouts (on any frame I saw) but they did use Huret, on the Grand Jubilé. Any chance what you have is a Grand Jubilé that someone put Team Champion decals on?
Mark Bulgier
Seattle WA USA