> Kurt Sperry wrote:
> >
> > http://ebay.com/
> >
> > I am amazed no one here apparently can identify this derailleur.
Kauzo it seems found it interesting. Has any other Campy derailleur
stumped the panel here before?
> >
> > And in an unrelated question, has anyone here ever actually seen
> an Elefante shifter?
>
To which Chuck responded:
> Educated guess (opinion follows):
>
> Clearly a Gran Sport from between 1960 to 1963 (no cable tension
> adjuster) with "CAMPAGNOLO" on body instead of the more common
> "CAMPAGNOLO GRAN SPORT" so it would probably, possibly (more opinion
> follows) be the last generation of the Campagnolo Gran Sport rear
> derailleur.
> Not sure if this is an example of no one being able to identify this
> derailleur as much as no one wanting to bother? Also not aware of any
> Campagnolo derailleur that has not been identified before.
>
> As to the unrelated question: I have never seen an Elefante
> shifter. I have asked a lot of people over the years and have never
> found anyone who has ever seen one. Maybe Mark Mattei or Larry Black
> can answer?
I agree with Chuck's guess about the gear purchased by Kauzo being a Gran Sport. I looked through the ones that I have and none have the 'campagnolo' only plate, however mine are mostly older gears. With regards to the Elefante gear lever, I believe that there is one in the Toni Bevilacqua museum in Italy. I'll verify the next time that I am in Italy. It could also have come on the Gios choppers that were made in the 70's or 80's. Has anybody seen the Gios choppers?
Another Campagnolo oddity that is perhaps not that well known is that there are actually two versions of the two lever gear system commonly known as Campagnolo Corsa. There is the one properly known as 'corsa' and there is one with longer levers known as 'sport'. The correct generic name for the two lever gear mechanism, as it appears on the original box from the 40's that I have is: Cambio Velocità (Senza tendicatena e senza ingranaggi) e Galletti Automatici. This translates to Gear change (without chain tensioner and without cogs) and automatic drop-outs. To show how much times have changed, the box measures for the sport version measures about 18" by 6" by 2". Imagine shipping around that much empty box today.
Speaking of rather uncommon gears, can anybody tell me more about the Campagnolo Sportsman gear? I have one that I believe is not working properly and would like to determine whetehr this is true or not. I would also like to know from what period it dates from.
Steven Maasland
Moorestown, NJ