I felt the NEED to share this with the list. Being contacted for information, I received photos of a Torpado model Superlight, still in original finish, as purchased by its one and only owner in 1976 from Baggio Cycles in Montreal, Canada. Now, I've long suspected that Torpado must have branded some Superlights that were made for the Italvega project, as Torpados, but I had yet to see or hear of one specifically. Now I know this is NOT true ... it is a different frameset! These photos depict a frameset that is SIMILAR to the Italvega, but with differently scalloped seat stay tops, chain stay ends (finish style at the dropouts), fork tips (at dropouts), and perhaps finer finish on some of the lug lines. In addition, each rear dropout is drilled only 8 times total as opposed to the 12 holes in Italvega drops, the chain stay reinforcement is a tube instead of the diamond relieved plate of the Italvegas, and the serial number is made up by only a 3 digit sequence. Differences ... OK. However, what is most interesting to me are the ORIGINAL derailleur cable guides brazed UNDERNEATH the bottom bracket shell. It also has down tube shifter and water bottle bosses, the latter being seen on Italvegas of the time, as well. Seems like 1976 was kind of early for under b.b. cable routing ... no? Has anyone else seen one or more of these Torpado Superlights from the 70s? Do you remember if they had under b.b. routing too? Are there any other Italian race bike makers that used this system on their top end bikes, that early in chronology? So much for copying off Pogs ... this is unique to me!
Let me know what y'all think, please. Here's pics:
http://www.wooljersey.com/
Ciao,
Mark Agree
Southfield MI USA