[CR]Help dating a Bianchi

(Example: Racing:Beryl Burton)

From: "Crocoll, Christopher W" <CrocollCW@state.gov>
To: "'classicrendezvous@bikelist.org'" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2004 17:20:12 -0500
Subject: [CR]Help dating a Bianchi

Folks:
   Last year I picked up a Bianchi 12-speed, and I am wondering if anyone can help to date it (my apologies if it turns out to be "off-topic" by reason of vintage). The lady who sold it to me said her son had purchased it 10 or 12 years earlier, but (knowing little of Bianchis) I would have thought the bike older than that. It is lugged steel (no tubing label) in "Celeste" with decals marked Piaggio Bianchi and "980" - I suppose that is a model number - and with a debossed "B"s in dark blue in the fork crown, and a "B" in a circle in dark blue at the top of each of the seat stays. It has Campagnolo friction shifters and derailleurs (I have no idea how to ID the model), Weinmann 500 side pull brakes, Mavic "Module E" 27 x 1 1/4" rims with Clement Gentleman tires, Ofmega hubs, Ofmega chain wheels, Ofmega headset, 3ttt stem and handlebars, Italia Sprint suede saddle, Bianchi label cranks, Ofmega pedals with toe clips that appear to have something like a Campy logo on them (a circle with wings and "ALE" in the middle). There is also a "Made in Italy" decal near the bottom of the seat tube. I do not know whether all the components are original, but the bike certainly doesn't look as though it was outdoors much, and may not have seen a lot of use outside a basement.
   Thank you for any guidance you may be able to provide.
    -christopher crocoll
    Reston, VA