Dale, the Grand Record was sandwiched between the Jubilee and the Le. It was all 531 where as the Jubilee was three tubes 531. The Le Champ was all 531 as well but had a better mix of parts. After the 753 fiasco in 77, Motobecane used Columbus and Vitus until about 81(?). They started using Reynolds again after that on some models. I had a 77 Team in 753 and it was very well done. Windowed Prugnet Long Points and great filing and finishing. There was a difference in the end products between models, I agree. It would be interesting to find out who made those high end frames for them.
Don Andersen
><< I remember the silver lilac Le Champ - or was it called Team Champion?
> IIRC, it had angled-chisel stay ends at the dropout, a fashion I mostly
> associate with high-end Japanese frames. Perhaps Columbus tubing too, or
>am
> I thinking of later machines? >>
>
>Maybe you are right! Maybe both the Team and the L.Champ were cool that
>year
>or two.. I do not think Columbus though but "my mind is a terrible thing to
>lose..."
>I remember right now that a riding buddy/friend bought two of those from
>me,
>one for his wife (now divorced) and one for himself! They are probably
>hanging somewhere in a barn right now!!!!
>
>Dale Brown
>Sunny but brisk Greensboro, NC