Mike,
I feel that MOST if not all of the Masis built in the 60's did not involve Faliero working on the frames. I have a 1962 Special and it was probably not something Faliero built. I suspect he "designed" it; therefore I feel justified in complaining about the steering geometry of my 50cm bike. I don't really care if Faliero built it, but I do care that he decided on poor steering geometry to achieve a front center dimension.
The workmanship on this frame is OK for the period, but nothing to build a shrine around and worship as if it were a God. I'd be looking inside the BB shell to see if the jointery was done properly and that good brazinf penetration is evident there. It's just a clue, but a spot where critical aspects of the construction are visable. Anything special there?
Brian Baylis
La Mesa, CA
Without being there there would be no way of knowing. The bike has some kind of connection to Faliero Masi is all I know (sold it? made it? had it subcontracted?). Who built it, when was it built, for who? Unknowable...
Chuck Schmidt South Pasadena, Southern California
hersefan@comcast.net wrote:
>
> Chuck,
>
> Thank is good information. Since my post a few Masi Specials - all of which seem to be superior in construction, have emerged without letter codes or numbers. I believe my post that "mine is the best I've seen" refers only to those I've seen and that there are other wonderful ones out there.
>
> The question remains, though, is there belief that Faliero built them, or perhaps someone else with superior talent? What is your gut feeling on who built yours?
>
> Thanks,
> Mike Kone in Boulder CO
>
> -------------- Original message --------------
>
> > hersefan@comcast.net wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi CR folks,
> > >
> > > I have just taken ownership (once again) of the green 1964ish Masi track bike
> > shown on Alex Clark's Vintage Velos site.
> > >
> > > This bike is curious. I believe it to be the finest built Masi Special I've
> > ever seen - super clean brazing, with wonderfully sculpted fitting of the
> > dropouts (one of America's best builders once commented that it would keep him
> > entertained trying to match the workmanship there).
> > >
> > > This bike also has no serial number ID or location coding. Could this have
> > been something special done at the Vigorelli by Masi himself or by a special
> > builder? I have no idea. Does anyone have any idea when Faliero himself
> > finally gave up the torch?
> > >
> > > Going through the archives, I sense a lot of conflicting views on what was
> > going on at the time. Of course I'd love to know that Faliero built it - but
> > maybe there was someone more skilled who did this one perhaps? Has anyone seen
> > another Masi Special from the period with no markings (including no size
> > markings) on the fork or BB shell? And if so, how was the workmanship on it?
> > >
> > > Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.
> > >
> > > Mike Kone in Boulder CO
> >
> >
> > The early 1960s Masi Special that I bought from Charles Andrews (he
> > offered it to the list October a year ago) isn't stamped with a province
> > code or size in centimeters so the generally held assumption is that it
> > is a custom. It has a flanged 74mm Cinelli bottom bracket shell,
> > eyelets for fenders front and rear and a chainstay bridge with stud
> > threaded for fender mount.
> >
> > Charles described the workmanship back then as:
> > "Lug work, filing, and brazing on this Special are distinctly
> > better than on any others I've seen. Quality on these
> > varied quite a bit. Lugs are very crisp, and all
> > shore-lines are completely symmetrical. Lug radii are
> > perfect throughout. Filing on the bb shell is especially
> > nice."
> >
> > I'd add that the ears on the seat lug are very clean for the period;
> > they have been filled in with braze and then filed so they have crisp
> > edges and solid so they won't collapse when the seat bolt is cranked down.
> >
> > There are only two things that aren't perfect on the frame... there is a
> > 1/4" hole in the rear of the bottom bracket shell just above the
> > chainstays and below the lug point that's not centered, and the holes
> > for the headbadge are off maybe 5° from center. Other than that,
> > exceptionally neat workmanship for a race frame.
> >
> > Chuck Schmidt
> > South Pasadena, Southern California
> >
> > .