--- "C. Andrews" <chasds@mindspring.com> wrote:
> Right at the edge of the CR timeline, this Masi 3V
> looks
> like a great deal to me. I'm glad it's too tall for
> me, or
> I'd be tempted myself. Buy-it-now price looks
> awfully
> reasonable to me.
Charles, One look at the rear brake cable guides is enough for me to verify that it's an Italian-made.
More importantly though, is that the early Italian-made 3Vs, unlike the later Italian-made 3Vs and American-made 3Vs, came with the original-concept tubing: the .4mm (.016" ) Excell stuff. I can always tell by feel it it's a light one, and if ya got one of these, and if it aint broke yet, it's definitely a keeper. I'd rather have one of these than anything outta Carlsbad or afore, but that's me. HOWEVER, these lightweight ones were prone to fail in the chainstay to BB junctions (lack of braze penetration), at the derailer(Sheldon Brown)(overheating), and right behind the top and bottom lugs. Tapering the interal lugs may have lessened the stress risers. But probably the top and bottom tubes should have at least been single butted to .6mm at the fore ends. American-made 3Vs came double-butted and the Henry James lugs were better designed: Ideal frames for bigger manly men.
The ebay seller states: "There is a stress ripple on this frame, near the head set on the top horizontal tube...Other than this, this bike is flawless."
It's probably a lightweight one. Too bad though -- It's busted -- New tube...paint...
Joe Starck, masidon, wi
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