Jerry Moos asked the following regarding his 1973 Paramount:
"...... It also has dark anodized Mavic GP4 rims which may be a bit too new. Anyone know when the GP4 was introduced?"
Quite a bit too new it seems - I have a Mavic Catalog from July 1981 in which they mention (under anodized tubular rims): "We have decided to commercialize the rim Grise S.S.C. we had developed in 1974 for Professional Racing Cyclists. This model has been used for five years by most of the Professional Teams................"
And following this description: "We are now producing additionally and for a wider diffusion an "amateur" model named "Mavic G.P.4"
I remember the GP 4 being called the "Poor Man's SSC" and the early versions weighed the same ~395 grams, while the later model weighed approximately 80 grams more. GP 4s have always been trouble free and "bullet proof" for me and I still have them on two of my bikes.
Cheers,
Chuck Brooks
Malta (Raining Cats & Dogs) NY NEUS