Don wrote:
>> Are there any identifying marks to look for on a
>> Cuevas frame minus decals or stickers?
>> 280018619990
>>
>> Don Wilson
>> Los Olivos, CA USA
*******
Charles wrote:
>> The seat-lug looks like Cuevas' work to me..I've seen a few
>> of them. This one has a nice french look to it. I could
>> be wrong of course, but I'd say that it's a plausible
>> Cuevas.
I have watched this thread and debated whether to chime in or not. I suppose that this is the rare occasion when I might have something valid to contribute. I own a 1975 Cuevas frame, and worked in the same shop with Francisco for about 18 months in '74 and ' 75.
I cannot tell for sure from the pictures whether this is a Cuevas frame. On my frame, there is a diamond shaped stamp on the seat stay caps with "Cuevas" inside the diamond. However, this was when he was making frames in his spare time, on his own, and I am sure that he would not have done that while building frames for Park Cycle. In fact, I have never seen another Cuevas frame with the diamond stamp other than my own. I know that Francisco built a number of frames while working out of 14th Street Bicycles during the early to mid 70's. My frame is number 026. I would love to know where those other early frames are now. There is a good picture of the seat cluster and diamond at Dale's site here:
http://www.classicrendezvous.com/
I would think that Park Cycles had it's own system for frame serial numbers, but Francisco typically put his numbers beneath the bottom bracket.
Someone has already noted that he put X bracing in the steering tube, easily seen from below. However the E-Bay seller states that the fork has been replaced. My first question for the seller would be to ask if the original fork was still available. My frame does not have the X brace, although I do remember seeing him put it in other frames at that time.
In general, Francisco's frames seem to have evolved quite a bit from his time at 14th Street, then Park Cycles, and finally at his own shop.
If you would like to read other observations about my time working with Senor Cuevas you can read the post at:
http://cinelli.typepad.com/
Greg Pitman
Yucaipa (aka "the sticks"), CA
"They are saying, "The generals learned their lesson in the last war. There are going to be no wholesale slaughters." I ask, how is victory possible without wholesale slaughter?" -Evelyn Waugh