A well-known LBS here in SoCal has a very, very nice mid-70s California Masi GC for sale, 59cm, in the relatively rare dark-metallic-blue. Fischer crown. It looks completely original to me, even down to the wheels, with the light Martano rims complete with stickers. It's very rare to find the original wheels on these things.
I must be frank and say I have not looked it over with a microscope, but I can tell you this much: it is very, very clean. If it was my size, I'd have bought it instantly and not told a soul about it.
This is one of those unusual Cali GCs with just the size stamped on the bb shell. No serial number, no prefix, no nothing. I've seen a few of these now...Brian Baylis suggested to me once that these may have been "off-the-books" frames from Carlsbad or elswhere, made by staff for themselves or friends..beyond that, who knows?
I can tell you that the seat-lug has the window in the rear, and the short tang on the seat-tube, which means it's a cast-lug bike, which means that it's almost certainly a California bike, and probably made in 1975 or so.
The owner of the shop, Bill Ron, thinks it may be italian, but I don't think so. Did Alberto have access to the cast lugs in the mid-70s, and was he exporting bikes with the Cali Masi graphics, violating the licensing? I doubt it.
Removing the fork to examine what's stamped on the steerer tube might shed more light on the exact origins of the frame. Bill has said he might do that when he has time.
Whatever the exact provenance of the bike, it is a *beauty* and if it would fit you, you should call Bill right now before it's gone and just buy it. I was quoted $1500 plus shipping on the bike. I don't know how firm that is, but I think it's worth it, if it fits you.
No guarantees of anything expressed or implied, any emptor should observe the usual caveat...even though everything I've said here is accurate, so far as I know.
I just thought the bike might find a good home with someone here on the list.
Bill Ron Racing Cycles in Redondo Beach: 310-540-2080. Bill's a good guy but he doesn't have endless time to chat about the bike. Call him only if you're serious about it. Mention my name if you like, but *only* if you're serious. Otherwise he'll blame me for wasting his time.. Don't leave a message and expect him to call you back long-distance either; it's not worth it to him. Just catch him there. Noon-6 weekdays, PT.
For whatever it's worth, if I get static from Bill because any CR listers have abused his good nature, I will never again out a local bike.
Good luck.
Charles Andrews
Los Angeles