[CR]eBay outing: "Capo" brand "Modell Campagnolo"--531, Austria--circaear ly 1960s

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From: <"tom.ward@juno.com">
Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2007 04:48:21 GMT
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]eBay outing: "Capo" brand "Modell Campagnolo"--531, Austria--circaear ly 1960s

Trick or treat? Happy Halloween, my friends. This is not my bike; just c aught my eye, and I'm not buying right now. Ends just less than a day fr om the time of writing--twenty hours to go. I wonder if Lou Deeter has this brand listed in his guide? I'm not much for eBay outings, but feel this one could easily slip by with no one not icing it's passing, and there might be something to discuss in it. How a bout the seattube cluster, top-eyes and such? See item # 320174279136 "Capo Road Bike" See especially: headbadge closeup; "Modell Campagnolo" logo over remains of "chrome panel"; 531 decal; Ambrosio adjustable stem, bars, rims; for ged dropouts include hanger but are not Campagnolo despite period Campag nolo derailleur being present. Lots of patina and feels like original pa rts kit (exception: freewheel & chain). Oh yes--early Weinmann "Vainquer " brakeset. I find the fluted ("ported & relieved") Agrati crankset attr active. Could the dropouts be by Agrati as well?

Nuovo Record HF hubs with 27" clinchers (I'd have expected tubulars)--I think I make out "Record" (as opposed to the well-known earliest-'60s "n o-Record" hubs), but those Ambrosio rims sure do seem to likely be the o riginals and I would imagine the hubs then are original as well. So we'r e a step up from a purely "Gran Sport" machine, despite the Gran Sport d erailleurs. I have those pedals on two bikes. Are they Philips? I can't quite get over that headbadge. The new owner will surely be "Da Capo" for a day. This bike has (I feel sure) a narrower type of appeal t han many, but in terms of off-brand on-topic, I think it's solid. What a
   curio! And if you start adding up those parts, it's not really all that
   too crazy at $300--maybe? You'd have to have a taste for patina, but--t he weathering here is not without charm. The chrome is said to be "gone" , but some judicious work might at least bring back a gleam. Reminds me of the half-dozen twenty-year-old lightweights in my friends dad's garag e in about 1980; they seemed mysteriously old-world to a thirteen-year-o ld. Now I prefer everything to be suitable to getting you to the '64 Wor ld's Fair or useable in the 1964 Olympics. This qualifies! I'm tapped out, however, even if it is my size--so go crazy any of you w ould-be bidders. Only one bidder is needed.... I just noticed the rear brake straddle wire is off the hanger. The selle r has at least provided some detailed photos! Not related to seller although I was born in California. Have never yet visited Austria and am not related to the Habsburgs. Regards, Tom Ward / New York, NY / USA