I Still have a Turbo that I bought in late 84, it has Bernard Hinault's name on it with a little Badger picture (his nickname). It also has SLG on it, not really sure what SLG was. The one that's on the '84 Gitane looks similar to mine.
Did they have made the Turbo prior to the Bernard Hinault endorsed version?
As someone else has written, the one with the metal bands was the Turbo Special that came later. I always thought that saddle was an attempt to compete with the Rolls.
-Eric
Eric Goforth Durham, NC USA
Chuck Schmidt wrote:
>
> On Jun 2, 2007, at 1:49 PM, gholl@optonline.net wrote:
>
>> Thanks for this image reference, but I suspect it's not of the 1983-4
>> Turbo. I may well be wrong, but I think that the Turbo in the 1983-4
>> time frame had a fine gold colored metal nose band and two rear metal
>> plates.
>> George Hollenberg MD
>> CT, USA
>
>
> That would be the "Turbo Special"... I have one on an early Italian-made
> Masi Volumetrica.
>
> Verbal description:
> Black, textured leather (sort of wood grain pattern), gold(?) plated
> nose band with stamped lettering "Turbo Special" filled with red paint
> and two separate gold(?) plated plates in back with stamped lettering
> "Turbo" filled with red paint. The saddle rails are also gold(?)
> plated. The "Turbo" is a copy of the Porsche Turbo logotype.
>
> I'm pretty sure there is a manufacturing date code device (wheel shape
> with months and years segments) on the bottom of the shell but I'd have
> to remove the saddle to check the date. I installed the saddle on the
> bike in the middle 1980s (1984/5).
>
> (George you should include your city in your sign-off to make Dale happy.)
>
> Chuck Schmidt
> South Pasadena, CA USA
> http://www.velo-retro.com (reprints, t-shirts & timelines)