What ever the black (brownish) chrome finish was on an Austro-Daimler Vent Noir, it wasn't delicate. AD had access to Steyr-Daimler-Puch's tough military finish technology and it shows.
By the way. I would argue that the Graz, Austria built A-D's and Puchs were the best high volume factory made bikes ever. Very well aligned frames, good threads, good tubing and usually well specified. Even the three-speed Puch's were lively to ride at about 28 pounds because Puch used their own, better than gaspipe, tubing. As I have said too often, beware long top tubes on small frames. Do Austrians have extra long torsos or what?
Joe Bender-Zanoni Great Notch NJ
Joe Bender-Zanoni Great Notch, NJ
Chuck Schmidt wrote:
>Greg Arnold wrote:
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>>I have been looking at various 60s and early 70s Italian original finish
>>frame sets, several have what is referred to as chromovelato (cromovelato)
>>Finish. The archives do not have any references, and from what I can tell it
>>seems to be a colored translucent top coat over a fully chromed frame, as
>>there are several color variations. However, the Bianchi Centenario has a
>>black finish that one source tells me is cromovelato, and another says is a
>>black chrome (and very unstable with a tendency to 'melt' with age and
>>weather into a messy finish) Is there a difference? Did/does chrome come in
>>various colors?
>>
>>Can any of our astute frame restorers shed some light on this technique?
>>Anyone have original bikes with this type of finish/paint? What frame
>>builders used this? Any links to pics of frames with this finish? Is the
>>Bianchi Centenario finish a victim of bad press?!
>>
>>
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>My '85 Bianchi Centenario (#00.227) has black chrome (black nickel) with
>clear polyurethane(?) over top. Black chrome is more delicate than
>chrome (easy to wear through when cleaning the bike) so I believe that's
>the reason for the clear coat.
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>I have noticed that the three Bianchis I bought new during the '80s have
>paint that gets tacky (very slight stickiness) over time. This is
>eliminated when I apply polish to the frame. I'm guessing that the
>there wasn't enough catalyst in the clear to make it hard?
>
>Chuck Schmidt
>South Pasadena, Southern California
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