[CR]Fiat Racing Team and Merckx Question(s)?

(Example: Framebuilders:Norman Taylor)

From: <LouDeeter@aol.com>
To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]Fiat Racing Team and Merckx Question(s)?
Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2002 11:19:29 -0500

In another Cycle Sport magazine, there was a picture of Eddy Merckx removing a chainlink while two of his teammates waited to go on their training ride. They were riding Merckx bikes, but wearing Fiat wool longsleeve jerseys. Did Merckx ride for a team sponsored by Fiat? I think the caption placed it about 1977. Also, in an interview with Ugo Derosa, he mentioned helping set up Eddy Merckx in the framebuilding business in 1980. I know that Derosa made frames for Merckx in the 70s, possibly 1969 too. When did Merckx start putting his own name on the downtube? Does anyone know whether the frames made before 1980 used a different headbadge than the ones produced after he started his own framebuilding business? Lou Deeter, Orlando FL