Hi all,
Further to Greg's email, thanks to a previous owner digging through his 35mm slides there are now some original pictures of the (now) NZ example up at (last 10 images):
http://picasaweb.google.com/
This bike was briefly discussed earlier in the year - as recap: it was first owned by Jim Brittain who setup Pacific Northwest Bicycles SF in 1971. Jim bought the frame from Ernesto Colnago whilst travelling the world after his tour of duty in Vietnam. Apparently it was intended for the French team for the 1968 Mexico Olympics, however Jim negotiated it from the initially-unwilling Ernie after an evening of food, alcohol and bike stories. Supposedly late in the evening they came back to the factory, and Ernesto relented, pulled a frame from the rack, filed the lugs (quite heavily, perhaps the alcohol helped...), and told Jim to come back and collect it when it was painted. Jim sold the bike in 1972 to Bruce O'Halloran who was working as a 16 year old mechanic in his shop as payment for labour. Eventually it followed Bruce around the world to NZ. In the 1980s it was getting rather worse for wear, and he had various brazeons added and it was powdercoated the current yellow.
The downtube decal corresponds to a few of the others of that era that Greg has seen. Unfortunately the images only give a vague impression of the headtube one. However what can be seen matches what Bruce has described to me which was a circular shape with the Italian flag across the bottom, Colnago across the middle, and "Mexico", the Olympic rings and "1968" at the top. Apart from the shape, this is the same design as on a 1960 Rome track bike of another CR list member.
I'm also keen to get more information about colours, particularly for mine. It was described by Bruce as an orangy/yellow/mustard. It's hard to be sure about colour from the images given the number of format changes they have gone through, but is it possible that it is the Molteni colour? It would seem unlikely that the painters would have mixed a different batch of paint for a one-off like this, presumably they would just have squirted it with whatever was in the gun that day...
Also, I'm keen to track down Jim Brittain if anybody knows where he is these days.
Best regards,
Mark Battley Auckland, New Zealand
<------------------------------ <Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2008 14:48:21 +1000 <From: "Greg S" <gtsoftley@ozemail.com.au> <To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> <Subject: [CR]Pre 70s Colnago Super update
<Hi Crew, <I have finally completed an exhausting research project of mine into the actual design of the pre <1970 Colnago Super graphics. That is, pre 'playing card' style. They appeared to be a forgotten <period of Colnago production. These decals are for the Supers with the drilled round hole type BB <shell and non engraved fork crowns. This is the result of the power of the internet, help from <luminaries of the CR list, plus other personal connections and networking around the globe. The <design carries legacies from the early 60s style Colnago graphics and preview some aspects of what <came later in the 70s. Certain aspects of these are totally unique in style...and I have studied a <lot of decals!! <These have been digitalised and are about to be printed. Two color/designs will be available and I <know of only six of these frames from the years 1968 and 1969. Two are in Australia, one in Italy, <one in New Zealand and two in the US. Any more of these frames in existance would be of great <interest to us collectors of this period of Colnago history. <I am trying to find paint colors now. One frame in Oz was originally off white, in NZ was an orange <yellow, in Italy was a 'Ducati' yellow and not sure about the US frames. Any information would be <welcome as it seems that all records and graphic images during this period were focused upon the team <bikes, not the ones that were available to the public. <Greg Softley <Coffs Harbour <Australia ------------------------------