My 1951/2 Legnano Roma has a frame number of the same format, beginning DH.
Early 50s racing bikes were the Corsa and top-end Roma Corsa. The Corsa seems to have morphed into the Gran Premio: don't know when. My Roma has pointed lugs, as did an earlier one I have seen. I don't know what lugs Corsas had but all the Gran Premios I have seen had pointed lugs.
I think all Romas had Campagnolo dropouts front and rear - Cambio Corsa giving way to Gran Sport in 1950/1. Corsas may have had plain dropouts or Campagnolo (Sport?) rear dropouts. Later Gran Premios had Campagnolo rear dropouts and I have seen them with and without Campagnolo front dropouts. The seat cluster/clamp type suggests this frame is not a Roma.
Looking at early pictures, I think that some of the touring/city type bikes may have used the same frame as the Corsa, or at least a similar one.
My guess is that, at best, this frame is a Corsa and at worst a reasonably lightweight touring/city bike that would have been sold with flat bars. The "non-Legnano-racing-green" color would suggest the latter (if, as stated the remnants of colour are original).
A nice, not top-end Legnano frame. Whether it is nice enough to buy, to my mind, is dependent on weight, geometry and whether one has enough parts to assemble it into an enjoyable bike without laying out a fortune. The fact it needs a repaint is a bit of a negative. Suitable decals are available.
Hugh Thornton
Cheshire, England
From: Rachael Ramos <ooki1998@yahoo.com> Subject: [CR] Help with 1950's? Legnano frame ID To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Date: Tuesday, 27 October, 2009, 23:02
There are 2 pix of the Legnano I mentioned in an earlier post here...
http://www.flickr.com/
I am told it is a late 50's model but the seller does not know which. No tubing decals to help with the ID either.
Can anyone tell from the lugs and/or seatpost binder? Also, the traces of paint are what he says is the original color along with the red head tube (not burgundy as I had previously said...)
Thanks all
George Ramos
Portland, OR
USA