Well, everything else about this bike seems to be 1983 or earlier (tires as ide), so perhaps the newer style "script logo" calipers (sans script logo, in this case) were available to Bianchi before 1985. It seems odd, h owever, that your calipers would have not only the newer profile (which was seen as early as 1983 on the Anni brakes) but also all the newer har dware, most of which did not come on the anni brakes. While I did just notice, in contrast to what I had previously believed and stated, that t he newer QR cam nut did appear on the Anni brakes, that still leaves se veral parts on your brakes that I don't believe were around before the scri pt logo Super Record sets came out in 1985. It seems like there as a numb er of possible explanations:
The script logo Record calipers with all the newer hardware (but with blo ck logos) were actually avialable to Bianchi before 1985, as I said above m ight be the case.
or...
The standard script logo Record calipers were available to all a year or tw o before the 1985 date I have in my head (though that leaves in question wh y none of the Campy supplied teams used them before the 1985 season).
or...
Your seller simply remembers incorrectly, and he bought the bike in 1985, p erhaps late 84....
or...
The caliipers got replaced at some point, though admittedly the idea of a s et of Bianchi panto calipers being replaced with a slightly newer set fo Bi anch panto calipers seems far fetched.
My guess it's a combination of factors. Perhaps the garden variety scrip t calipers were available just a little earlier than I'd thought and were a vailable (with odd block logos) to Bianchi before nearly anyone else, and p erhaps your seller might be just slightly early on his date. I ceratinly think Bianchi was historically first in line on Campy's customer list an d enjoyed favor. The black Cobalto hoods provided by Campy for the Cen tenario, for example, speak volumes. The odd block lettered late style calipers and the solid seatposts on the Specialissimas were probably also only available to special OEM customers, with Bianchi getting such things f irst.
Tom Dalton
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA
From: Jack Gabus <jack_gabus@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Was 7-Eleven Merckx, now Caliper arm shapes, but NOT chrome on
aluminum
To: "John Baron" <jb@velostuf.com>, "Ray Dobbins" <raydobbins2003@yahoo.com
>, "Classic Rendezvous" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>, tom_s_dalton@yaho
o.com
Date: Monday, August 4, 2008, 12:50 PM
Tom:
All I can bring to the party on this is that gentleman I purchased the fram e from said he bought it in Milan in 1983 and the entire gruppo on the frame is original. I have to take him at his word.
Regards,
Jack
Jack (Giacomo) Gabus Laguna Beach, CA United States of America
jack@shermangabus.com
http://www.wooljersey.com/
> From: Tom Dalton <tom_s_dalton@yahoo.com>
> Subject: Was 7-Eleven Merckx, now Caliper arm shapes, but NOT chrome on
aluminum
> To: jack_gabus@yahoo.com, "John Baron" <jb@velostuf.com>,
"Ray Dobbins" <raydobbins2003@yahoo.com>, "Classic
Rendezvous" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Date: Monday, August 4, 2008, 8:07 AM
> Funny how these threads crossed. I went to view pics of
> Jack's 7-11 Merckx and stumbled upon a familar
> Specialissima. This is THE bike I was discussing with John
> Barron a few months back. In contrast to Ray's
> Specialissima, Jack's has calipers that appear to be
> based on the later script logo calipers
>
>
http://www.wooljersey.com/
>
> Ah-ha! And going to John's website just now I see
> that he's been reflecting on this issue...
>
> http://www.velostuf.com/
>
> John, I agree with your conclusion that your Bianchi
> calipers are based on the later "script logo"
> calipers, and I will add that I believe that this is also
> the case with Jack's calipers. Also, I suspect that the
> rare set of block-logo-with-later-profile arms that are
> shown on your site are probably exactly what Campy provided
> to Bianchi to make the later style of Specialissima
> panto'd calipers. http://www.velostuf.com/
>
> Looking at all three sets (Jack's Bianchi set,
> John's Bianchi set, and the NIP
> block-logo-with-later-profile set) you can see that they all
> have the full compliment of later style hardware normally
> associated with the 1985 and later script logo calipers.
> It is possible that Campy was providing these sets to
> Bianchi (and others?) before 1985, but I have my doubts.
> While a reprofiled arm was available as early as the 1983
> intro of the Anni group, the Anni calipers used the same
> hardware as the old block logo calipers (aside from the
> locknut, and arguably better chrome). The hardware on
> these three caliper sets didn't show up on any Campy
> production before 1985, AFAIK. Jack, is it possible that
> your calipers are not original to the Specialissima, or that
> your Specialissima is later than the 1983 vintage you
> ascribe?
>
> Tom Dalton
>
> Bethlehem Pennsylvania, USA