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Date: Fri, 7 Oct 2005 23:14:29 EDT From: DTSHIFTER@aol.com To: mckishen1@netzero.net, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: Re: [CR]Motobecane year identicication? Message-ID: <9f.691c3ecc.30789395@aol.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Precedence: list Message: 13
Joe asked about his Motobecane Grand Jubile:
<<I have been trying to determine the year of my Motobecane Grand
Jubile', A quick rundown of it's components are: Campagnolo rear dropouts, silver with red trim paint sceme.....
........The headbadge and rear dropouts are what has me stumped, all others that I have seen have Huret dropouts front and rear, no chrome forks, and the a brass headbadge
either like the black Grand Record here on CR or the round one that is
pictured as a 70's - 80's headbadge on the same page. The Normandy hubs
have matching date codes that look like November of 1973. I was told
that it was a '74, but the dropouts are not consitant with the other
bikes I've seen, one of which is supposed to be original, and still in
the hands of it's original owner.>>
The Motobecane catalogs did not list a Grand Jubile until 1974 and they were spec'd with Huret dropouts (front and rear). Your color scheme matches what was offered by the factory in 1974. The forks were 1/2 chromed.......
I have had three Grand Jubiles, and they were all pretty much to the catalog specifications. I suppose it is possible someone paid to have Campagnolo dropouts installed to replace the Huret DO's? It is also possible the fork is a replacement fork? The catalogs indicate that Michelin Elans were supplied in 1976. Sounds like you have a 1974-1976 Grand Jubile with some "modifications".
Cheers,
Chuck Brooks Malta, NY
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I have a '74 GJ with campy rear drops in silver with red accents and half chromed forks. it has the rectangular headbadge like the GR on the CR site.
i have a pic of someone's 74 (at least that's what they told me, :^) and it's exactly as described and looks exactly like mine. i don't think yours is modified. mine sounds just like yours and i doubt both would be 'modified' in the same way.
mine wasn't complete when i got it, so i can't go by the parts specs. though i did pick up a red/rust bike with black GJ with huret parts, though i can't make out if anything is stamped on the rear drops, nor do they look the same. so after reading this, i'm guessing they are the huret drops?
if you want a pic, let me know. it was sent to me by another CR member. maybe they'll chime in.
Eric Acuna
Santa Rosa, CA