Jon,
To stir a little mud into the water, I've frequently heard the the Masi 3V frames weren't made until the early 80s.
Well about 1978 a brand new Masi 3V frame in red with yellow Russian markings showed up at our shop. Everything except the MASI logo decals were in Cyrillic lettering. It had several large CCCP logos plus several red stars and hammer and sickle decals.
I was managing the business at that time but I had no idea where it came from because the owner usually paid these kinds of prizes with out of pocket cash and never shared the origins with me.
Around the same time we got in another 3V frame but it was pearlescent white.
The "commie frame" hung around our shop for a number of years. We were still deeply involved in the cold war and when Russia invaded Afghanistan in 1980 it became even more unpopular.
I would have liked to have bought it and squirreled it away but $600+ bucks was more than I could afford for a potential investment in those days.
At a swap meet in San Francisco last fall I met a fellow who worked for Masi back in the day. He confirmed that the frame and date were real and not my imagination.
He told me that Masi in Italy built special 3V frames for the the Soviet cycling team and they had 3V bikes way before they were released in the West.
So much for the Italian commies! ;-)
Getting a replica fork made and chrome plated for your frame is probably going to set you back at least $300-$400. Add another $400+ to have the frame properly painted.
Good luck...
Chas. Colerich Oakland, CA USA Off List
Jon M. Crate wrote:
> I bought this Masi 3V in the stripped state without a fork. (Searches of the CR
> archives indicate the 3V to be considered (barely) on topic)
> Recent comments about the angst of buying a forkless frame are well taken, but
> for me the chance to get one my size was too good to miss.
> I see no signs of crash damage or repair.
> Efforts to pump the seller for information yielded nothing saying it is how he
> bought it and he thought the previous owner used the fork on another bike.
>
> Here are photos
> http://s987.photobucket.com/
>
> I do not know enough to determine if it is Italian or US built, or what year it
> may have been built.
> The serial number is 039958 and there is another number on the opposite side of
> the bottom bracket - 69.
> - Can anyone interpret these numbers and tell me about this frame?
>
> There are traces of yellow and blue in recesses.
> It is 60 cm ctt and the top tube is 59 ctc and it weighs a mere 1971.8 grams,
> 120 less than either of my 58 cm PX-10s, but they are wearing paint.
>
> - Where could I find an appropriate fork for this?
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Jon M. Crate
> Marietta, Georgia USA