Campagnolo front changers
Peter Underwood and Kevin SaylesThis very early Campagnolo front 'lever'changer was designated as the Sport, it does not seem to be mentioned in Campag timelines but was illustrated in a 1948/9 catalogue. We would welcome more information.
 |
 Two images of the Campagnolo Sport 'lever' changer from Paul Gittins |
Early Campagnolo front gear changers went through many subtle changes and we have tried to evaluate these starting with the Gran Sport and Valentino 'matchbox' front changers:
Peter Lowry has
kindly done an image of the Campagnolo Gran Sport
front changer showing the rod emerging straight from the 'box'. The
later and cheaper Valentino changer had a shoulder here to give the
rod more support.
John Crump provided
an image of a
Valentino front changer for comparison (Peter wouldn't have anything so
common!). The shoulder supporting the rod can clearly be seen.
Amir Avitzur provides
us with the
following two images. The first shows the Gran Sport and the Valentino
side-by-side - you should know which is which by now. Note the set
screw angle relative to the cage.
And this one shows
you the
component parts of a Gran Sport. A year's free subscription to 'Classic
Lightweights' for the
first to work out how it goes together!
Peter Brueggeman
points out that
the set screw which holds the cage to the operating rod is at the top
on the Gran Sport but at right angles on the Valentino
(Image from Bryan Clarke)In 1960 the parallelogram Record front changer (image below) was added to the Gran Sport Group in place of the above gear often referred to as the 'matchbox' changer. This early Record had the long arm with cable stop which can be seen below. This enabled a short length of outer cable to be used between it and a cable eye clamped to, or brazed onto, the frame down tube (see bottom of page). It would also be possible to use outer cable from the lever to the changer but I have never seen this done.
The cable stop was
removed in 1967 when Campagnolo introduced the
clamp-on bottom bracket cable guide which allowed an open cable run
without use of the outer cable. The modified Gran Sport was
re-introduced in 1963 as a Campagnolo (budget) changer in black and in
1964 as the Valentino, another budget front changer.
First generation changer with chrome bronze arms retained by screws
(on Kevin's wish list!)
Generation 2 and 3 - rear view
Gen 5: 1971 - later body, but no circlip. Gen 6: 1972 - later body with circlip.
Generation 8 (right) and 9 (left) (1978/9) - narrow bands with 3-hole and 4-hole cages
Campagnolo 3-hole Nuovo Record
Campagnolo Super Record with shield logo
Generation 13 - 1986/87
General overview of Campagnolo model production of this era as a guide:
| 1946 | Corsa and Super introduced |
| 1949 | Gran Sport introduced |
| 1951 | Cambio Corsa, Tipo Paris-Roubaix, Gran Sport produced |
| 1952 | Gran Sport Extra, Sport produced |
| 1961 | Sportman introduced |
| 1963 | Record introduced |
| 1964 | Valentino introduced |
| 1967 | Valentino Super, Nuovo Sport, Nuovo Record introduced |
| 1968 | Valentino Extra, Sport Extra introduced |
| 1970 | Gran Turismo introduced |
| 1971 | Velox introduced |
| 1973 | Production of Record dropped |
| 1974 | Rally, Super Record, Nuovo Gran Sport introduced |
| 1982 | Gran Sport Rally introduced |
| 1985 | C (Corsa) Record |
| 1987 | Production of Super Record ceased |
Kevin
Sayles has
a definite preference for obtaining old Campag stuff.........and in
particular Record front mechs!
| 1st Generation | chromed bronze arms, retaining screws. larger triangular body, flat cage. cable stop without slot. [still looking for one of these] |
| 2nd Generation | as above, but no retaining screws, still with larger body. (c1959/60) |
| 3rd Generation | alloy arms, smaller triangular body, cable stop with slot, flat cage. (c1963) |
| 4th Generation | as above but no cable stop, flat cage. (c1967) |
| 5th Generation | newer body with
protrusion on corner of triangle, alloy arms NO CIRCLIP [my latest find] (c1971) |
| 6th Generation | as above but with the circlip. Still flat cage. [same period as 1st gen Super Record] (c1972) |
| The following all have a 'lip' on the cage | |
| 7th Generation | as above but now with cage with lip. [circa 1978] |
| 8th Generation | 4-slotted cage, narrow banded, chrome adjusting screws & springs [circa 1979] |
| 9th Generation | as above but now 3 slotted cage, narrow banded. (c1979) |
| 10th Generation | 3-slotted cage, band returned to diamond shape, but smaller than earlier versions. (c1980) |
| 11th Generation | brazed-on version of above. [I need one of these too] (c1982/83) |
| 12th Generation | Super Record with black arms, both braze on and banded. (c1983/84) |
| 13th Generation | Super Record, braze
on, with SHIELD LOGO as later Campagnolo Record (c1986/87) |
First generation changer with chrome bronze arms retained by screws
(on Kevin's wish list!)
Gen 2: 1959/60
- Bronze arms, cable stop, larger body. Gen 3: 1963
- Alloy arms,
slotted cable stop, smaller body.
Generation 2 and 3 - rear view
Gen 4: 1967
- no cable stop. Gen 5: 1971 - later body, but no
circlip.
Generation 4 and 5 - rear view
Generation 4 and 5 side view
Generation 4 and 5 - rear view
Generation 4 and 5 side view
Gen 5: 1971 - later body, but no circlip. Gen 6: 1972 - later body with circlip.
Generation 7 (1978)
with lip on front of cage
Generation 8 (right) and 9 (left) (1978/9) - narrow bands with 3-hole and 4-hole cages
Campagnolo 3-hole Nuovo Record
Campagnolo Super Record with shield logo
Generation 13 - 1986/87
Image showing early front changer cable routing ('matchbox' and early Record)
Some frames have a braze-on boss on the down tube for this
Some frames have a braze-on boss on the down tube for this