Italian bottom bracket shell conundrum:
Subject is a 1986 Torpado Superlight frameset, being built up with a mostly mid 1980s Super Record gruppo. The selected cranks and bottom bracket however, are Ofmega brand that are Campy Record clone-ish (very similar, but not the same). The bottom bracket cups are clearly marked 36 x 24, for Italian threads, which means that both sides are "right" threaded. The frame is used, but well cleaned and in very good condition, seemingly with original paint that matches remnants visible inside the bottom bracket shell. This same paint is still on the b.b. shell faces ... the contact points for the cup flange or lockring, and where it has flaked, chrome plate can be seen underneath, still ON the face. The cups will not quite fit inside the shell opening, although the difference seems VERY close. An English threaded Campy adjustable cup was tried on the non-drive side as a test, and it thread in several turns before binding. This same piece also threads into the drive side, in exactly the same partial manner, before binding. I did not use a tool to force it in either side any further, for fear of doing damage. The bottom bracket is Cinelli, as it is cast with CINELLI underneath. All Torpado b.b. shells I've seen have been Italian threaded, but the width on this one is not the expected 70mm ... it is 68.5mm! I noted by comparison that the outer diameter of English cups is slightly smaller than that of Italian cups. My thinking is that an English shell can be tapped "out" to Italian, since Italian is a larger OD, but that there is no meat, just air, where one would attempt convert Italian to English. Is this true? If the paint and chrome on the face of the b.b. shell are original, then it seems to me that it could not have been turned down to the narrow width, after-market ... it must be from the factory. I am about to perform a test with French threaded cups, which seems crazy, but we know that anything can happen. I submit this conundrum to the List for suggestions of a solution .... HELP PLEASE!
Ciao,
Mark Agree
Southfield MI USA
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