FINDING THE 68 LEGNANO GRAN PREMIO

Several Legnano road bicycles, all vintage, have managed to find their way into The Old Shed.  The 56cm GP presented here is the one to be found and one of three that offered a decent fit.  In fact, a 54cm model, which under went considerable refurbishment, supplied many of the components intended for the upcoming build of the bicycle presented in these pages.

The 56cm Legnano Gran Premio presented here was found as a near bare frame set.  In addition to the frame and forks, the Magistroni headset and Legnano pantographed steering stem came as part of the deal.  And the deal was pretty much free.

The bicycle, reported by the original owner to be of 1958 vintage, arrived as a near bare frame and fork set.  The Magistroni head set and TA tapered bottom bracket were also part of the package.  Completing the useful components included, the Legnano pantographed steering stem was fitted and fitted snugly into the steering tube.  In fact, the stem and the bolt clamping it were both seized.

The frame arrived, via Greyhound bus, a few days after being shipped from Toronto, Ontario.  Even before the box was brought out for final delivery, the bus cargo attendants warned me that the package had experience great trauma during its 1000 mile journey.  Trauma, indeed!

The rear drops and the Campagnolo Nouvo Tipo high flange rear hub were sticking out one end of the crushed box.  And, based on how the box looked, unopened, one would have immediately expected the the non-drive side stays would be bent.  The lady attending the counter suggested that before signing for the package, it should be opened and the contents inspected for damage.

Once opened and removed from the box, it did not look as if any real damage had occurred.  That said, one can never be sure with a vintage road bicycle frame and fork set.  Both are very fragile and do not stand up well to rough handling.  The only way to know for sure if the frame and fork were OK would be to measure things up as soon as the frame was back in the work shop.

The frame and fork measured up fine, although not prefect.  The rear drops were slightly tweaked, not an unusual situation for a forty+ year old bicycle.  The misalignment was minor and would prove very easy to correct with a bit of patience and know how.

The next concern focused on the top tube and the considerable absence of paint.  For the most part, the Legnano presented an acceptable patina of age, however; the top tube was a disaster, all be it on a very small scale.  One can only wonder what would cause such damage?  Perhaps rider's sweat, dripping year after year, and left unattended, finally resulting in surface rust and paint adhesion failure.

And that is exactly what happened before starting to build the fifties or sixties something Legnano Gran Premio.

NEXT - TEST BUILDING THE LEGNANO GP