They existed in at least 1978. My dad bought a French market Gitane throug h my uncle, a model called Vuelta. It was full Shimano 600EX (the so called arabesque group) and had/has Shimano dropouts. My brother still have the bike, fully Frenchified now.
Doug Van Cleve Chandler, AZ
On 1/26/06, John Thompson <JohnThompson@new.rr.com> wrote:
>
> scott davis wrote:
>
> > I'm trying to date a frame w/ Shimano forged drops. Anyone know when
> > Shimano introduced forged long dropouts w/ derl. hanger? They look
> > similar to Campy only beefier. Were they seen before Dura Ace in the
> > 70s? Scott Davis St. Paul, MN USA
>
> These ones? http://www.os2.dhs.org/
>
> I don't know when they first came out, but they were certainly available
> by 1981 -- I must have brazed hundreds of them at Trek back then.
>
> --
> John (john@os2.dhs.org)
> Appleton WI USA