I have a 1978(?) Austro-Daimler catalog (very flashy) that shows the Vent Noir as having a "matt black with golden lines" paint job. The black-annodized Dura-Ace Chain rings were drillium-beauties. I recall the later Vent Noirs having "smoked chrome" frames.
I owned two AD frames - both full Reynolds 531 db. The first was an "Inter-10" frame (1978) that made a great "fast touring" bike and the second was a "Superleicht" (1982) which I both raced and rode my first double-metric century on. A-D built some nice stuff.
Steve Whitting
Prairieville, Louisiana USA
http://ciocc-cat.angelfire.com/
From: Harvey Sachs <hmsachs@verizon.net> Subject: [CR] My A-D Vent Noir has a new home. To: "Classic Rendezvous" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>, "Geof Gee" <geoffreygee@yahoo.com> Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2009, 9:25 PM
Please welcome Geof Gee to the vintage clan. Tonight he bought one of my favorite bikes: an Austro-Daimler Vent Noir, with first gen DuraAce kit. I really like that bike; it's the one I chose to take to L'Eroica a few years ago. Somehow, that D-A stuff just works better than the contemporary stuff from the Masters of Italy. Crisp and sure. And a really nicely finished and nice-riding day-riding frame, full 531 DB.
But, he'll respect, enjoy, and ride the heck out of her, and that's just great.
harvey sachs
mcLean va.