Världens kortaste byggtråd, Masi 3Volumetrica 1989

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J2000E
Posts: 709
Joined: 01 Mar 2010 18:02

Världens kortaste byggtråd, Masi 3Volumetrica 1989

Post by J2000E » 06 Jun 2017 21:41

Köpte från Italien:

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Byggde ihop i helgen:

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Lite (lång) text runt omkring som jag skrivit för Bikeforums:

I am seriously sick. Over and over again I tell myself not to get any more bikes. Regularly putting up restrictions for myself on ebay-cruising and other buy&sell sites. But every time I fall. Every time. And then I pick myself up again and promise to restrain myself better – over and over again…. But to no use. I am just like an alcoholic or junkie. I fool myself into thinking I can manage it. But I cannot and I do not.

This time I could not resist an Italian Masi 3Volumetrica. They are special and this one maybe even more than others.

Many of you probably know that the Italian Masi was not supposed to be sold in the US because of the whole thing with Faliero selling the US rights to the Masi brand name. Things are a little more complicated than that. There are two famous models that are Alberto’s own “babies” – the Prestige and the 3Volumetrica. For a while in the mid 80ies there was collaboration between the Italian Masi and the US Masi - and the Italian 3Volumetrica, during this period, came to the US thru “official” channels. In 1988-9 though this stopped for some reason and US Masi started to produce their own 3V (and these were made both in the US and by a subcontractor in Italy). Alberto, who still wanted access to the US market, got around this by selling them under the brand name “Milano” - thru Greg Honn of Milano Sport, Greenwich, CT, starting in 1989.

I do not know how common Milano branded, steel and internally lugged, 3Volumetrica: s are in the US but I reckon they do not show up very often. In Europe there are not supposed to be any at all. And then - how about the opposite - a Masi branded Milano? An anomaly, a fluke. Not meant to be.

A frame meant for the US market but somehow it got sidetracked at the very start. Somewhere before it got its paint and decals. Someone in Italy wanted a 3V and a Milano frame that was intended to go overseas took a “wrong” turn. It was labeled Masi and a “unicorn” was born.

It went straight into a collection in Italy, equipped with a Campagnolo 50th anniversary group, and there it stayed. It got very little use during these years. Until something happened, it was stripped of its components - and out for sale the frame went.

And there I happened to see it. Not buying anymore bikes (or at least trying very hard not to). I saw the ad and contacted Alberto. As I am a former customer I do have a line open to him. I also contacted Greg Honn. I asked some questions and things checked out. I could not resist. I just could not.

There were “buy it now” and a “make an offer” options. I bargained with myself and thought I showed a lot of restraint (internal negotiations) by making an offer that I thought the seller would not accept. He did. What can I say? I really tried not to. I took measures. I failed.

Built in June 1989 this Milano 314 got its red paint and Masi decals. There is, thru thorough research, no doubt this is the original paint and decals. An iconic Italian steel bike in a version that probably no one else has – how could I resist?! What more could one ask for?

The number “314” in itself is quite interesting and shows how difficult it is to get thru the historical haze that time puts over facts. When investigating, as close to the original sources as possible, things get complicated. Greg Honn says it derives from Pi – describing something round – and to a larger extent that the down tube on a 3Volumetrica is 31,4 mm in diameter. Greg also claims he gave this model its name. Looking at Milano Sports old website thru, for instance, Wayback machine the model is called “31.4 Original Volumetrica”. When talking to Alberto he says the number derives from the “314 American Flyer – a speedy American train”. This is intriguing as to my knowledge the 314 American Flyer is a toy train not a real train?

Who is right? Impossible for me to say. One or the other – both – or none? I am leaning towards Greg’s version. But it is really not important – the Milano 314 it says cast or pantographed on the lower head lug and that is it. And/or in this case it is a Masi 3Volumetrica Milano 314. Very probably the only one.

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Dating an Italian Masi frame, post 1978, is quite straight forward. There are some odd numbers and letters here and there but the format is mostly predictable and understandable. From around 1978 there were three or four numbers - where the first two represents the year and the following numbers represents the month. In around 1991, though, one has to be aware of that the year and month shifts place/order. An 896 can be either June 1989 or August 1996. Then it comes down to what features the frame has – lugs, seatstay caps, decals, crown etc.

Mine is a June 1989 with all the right frame building parts for that period. This was a transition period when it comes to rear brake cable routing. Some has external and some has internal. I have collected pictures of Masi and Milano 3V from the period and there are examples of both. There was probably a choice between internal or external for quite a while. In the early transition period the internal routing entrances looked like this – with a small raised area:

Masi 3V 1988 (pics stolen from net):

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Later they were smooth and level with the tube.

It is nice that Bob Hovey, in his Italian serial number data base, lists a Milano 3V built the same month, in the same size and the same letter code “V” - and just two numbers apart from this frame.

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It has the same paintjob as this individual below – also with internal routing of the early kind. Note “Milano 314” on lower head lug.

Milano 3V 1989 (pics stolen from net):

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Also note the fork crown, showing the stylized Milano dome on a slotted Italian fork crown. Differing from the Richard Sachs crown with the same logo that later was used on, for instance, the Masi Nuovo Prestige.

Separated at birth “015 V62 896” got Milano decals and went to the US and for some reason my “013 V62 896” was treated with Masi decals and found its home in Italy. One can only speculate how it came to be. I cannot help being fascinated by this. This was the first year for the Milano brand. Greg Honn comments on it as this - “Alberto used some lugs that were earmarked for me”.

Now this frame resides in Sweden and there is a twist to that too. In large parts it has been here before. The French oversize Excell tubing was made out of Swedish Sandvik steel. This is an Italian-American-French-Swedish concoction.

It came to me as a bare frame. I have done some very small paint touch ups and it then got a good rubbing and waxing. I built it with a period C-Record group. Early stamped cranks, rear derailleur is a “1.5” version with the machined slots, second generation deltas, Cinelli bar and styrstam, C-record “sheriff” hi flange hubs and Campagnolo Lambda V-section rims. Sachs Aris 7 freewheel and Regina SL chain. White Selle Italia Fausto Coppi edition saddle and Ciclo Linea pelten bar tape. White Campag cable housing, etc. All the white little details that were the rage in the late 80ies. Not very practical but I have a lot of the stuff and finally I got to use it on a bike. Pedals are 1992 Campagnolo Record Look.

There was a post the other day about the deltas and corresponding brake handles being fiddly to set up. I do not agree. I believe they are quite straight forward.

This is my fifth Italian Masi and it sort of wraps things up. One early 1971 team bike, a couple of mid to late 70ies Prestiges, a Prestige built for myself in 2010 and then this late 80ies 3Volumetrica. I believe I am content now. When it comes to Masi: s…
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SåsenFrÅsen
Posts: 478
Joined: 09 Jun 2015 14:04
Location: Stockholm

Post by SåsenFrÅsen » 07 Jun 2017 12:24

Riktigt bra! Trevligt med "textig" byggtråd

Skickat från min FRD-L09 via Tapatalk

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Masken
Posts: 57
Joined: 07 Jan 2014 14:23

Re: Världens kortaste byggtråd, Masi 3Volumetrica 1989

Post by Masken » 27 Sep 2017 12:05

Stunning.

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