Your message brings up a point that some readers might find interesting. You indicated that your Pat. 11 NR rear is like an SR with a NR outer body, NR screws and a silver body. I have noticed a couple of things about the last couple of year's NR derailleurs. 1) When the SR bodys were redesigned with the spring mounted at the bottom end of the parallelgram, the new inner SR arm and the new spring also made their way onto the NR's of the time (post 1984?). 2) As I recall, most of these late model NR rears had typical NR pulley cages and pulley mounting hardware. 3) I have seen a few of the very late NR rears that also had SR cages and nut&bolt pulley mounting hardware. I have seen enogugh to belive that they came this way from the factory.
It sounds like your NR is one of these vey late "almost an SR" rear derailleurs. Mechanically it is the same as an SR. I think these derailleurs point to something noteworthy: SR production volume, both total and relative to NR, increased dramatically during the product life. I think Campy used the more elaborate (finish, machining steps) SR cages on the late NRs simply because it was cheaper to make just one type. The marginal expenses of producing NR-specific parts had become high due to shrunken volume. I also remember a lot of late NR bikes with SR chainrings, seatposts, and brake levers. I think the intro. of C-record really made SR a popular "second best" and effectively reduced NR to the level of undesirability. This is how I remember it.
I believe that a couple of converse effects have resulted in the relative rarity of early SR parts, particularly the super-scarce rear ders. Here is my theory (OK, conjecture) on the rarity of these ders...
1) This was all a long time ago, and few derailleurs have lasted this long. In particular, the alloy body pins wore out FAST. 2) They were only made for a few years (1973-1978). Note that 2nd gen SR's (not at all rare) were made for about 9 years. 3) Early SR production was small relative to NR, which is the opposite of the situation for late production. Some say the earliest years' production was limited to "just enough for the pros." 4) (My pet theory) After an initial scarcity (in 1973,1974) SR production was limited not by supply, but by demand. Riders at the time were happy with their NR stuff and resistant to accepting the newfangled SR. Possibly the price premium was too great.
As I have said, this is conjecture, but I would be VERY interested in hearing what other listers think, particularly anyone who was racing or who was associated with racing at the time.
Please excuse the long post. It is the crazy prices on old SR's that has prompted me to this level of reflection.
> Wayne, I think the Campy info Mike Kone used to have
> on his website said that
> the very last NR cranks had "11" and one other
> number, maybe "22" and were
> probably made as waranty replacement stock. I
> assume the significance of "11"
> on a derailleur would be the same.
>
> Regards,
>
> Jerry Moos
>
> Bingham, Wayne wrote:
>
> > Thought I'd just go ahead and mix the two subjects
> together, because they
> > are kind of related anyway.
> >
> > How rare are LAST generation NR and SR deraileurs
> as compared to FIRST
> > generation? Maybe more so that FIRST?
> >
> > I have a PAT 11 NR der (no, it's not from 1911)
> that was given to me some
> > time ago by a non-bikie friend who found it in a
> consignment shop in Italy.
> > It was new in it's box and the instruction sheet
> was still neatly folded in
> > the bottom. I couldn't figure out why it would be
> a PAT 11, but since it
> > was essentially a late model SR with a NR face
> plate and adjuster screws,
> > and silver instead of black body, I guessed that
> maybe it was sold as a
> > replacement part or something, but still don't
> know the significance of the
> > 11. Interestingly enough, I also have a late
> model SR with no PAT number.
> > Is that also the very last version?
> >
> > At any rate, I held on to the PAT 11 NR for quite
> some time, trying to
> > decide what I should do with it. When I finally
> got around to building up
> > my Stan Pike, I decided to do so with a mix of the
> more esoteric components
> > I had lying around. Many of those components were
> NOS. I knew that they
> > would probably be worth more that way (at least
> some day) than if I used
> > them. In the end, I decided to go ahead and use
> them. Are they worth less
> > now? Of course, but not to me. To me, it's not
> about the money (or
> > monetary value). I wanted to enjoy them. And I
> enjoy them more on the bike
> > than in the box. And I ride the Pike. Not a lot,
> but occasionally. I
> > don't have anything that I don't ride (at least
> once in a while) and I don't
> > think I ever will. I'm not advocating that for
> everybody, but personally, I
> > love playing with them. Taking them apart,
> putting then together, and
> > RIDING them. That's why I'm in this hobby, I
> guess.
> >
> > But hey, that's just my opinion.
> >
> > Anyway, anybody know what year models a NR PAT 11
> and a SR with no PAT
> > represent?
> >
> > Wayne Bingham
> >
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