Need to borrow some brains from the CR list. What is the following Trek?
According to the seller, who doesn't claim to be an expert, he was told the bike is a '78 model 412. However, according to Skip Echert's Trek site (the catalog sections), the 412 didn't debut until about 1980 or '81. The difference is fairly important, as all the old Trek bikes were double butted quality tubing throughout, either Reynolds or Ishwata, while the later entry level models like the 412 had double butted main triangles and hi tensile forks and stays.
The only distinguishing marks I can see that might help are the central front points on the head tube lugs, that I don't recall seeing on the later Trek frames. Were these points only seen on the very early Treks? If so, then this bike is probably not a 412, but likely a '78 and high quality tubing throughout. There doesn't appear to be any tubing stickers on the fork. Did all early, full tube set Treks have fork stickers? Any other cues that might reveal the actual lineage of this bike? Time on the auction is running out, and I don't know if I have time to get the seller to answer any other questions. Thanks
Tom Adams, Kansas City