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Classic Lightweights UK
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Campagnolo information 

Peter Underwood

The enigmatic 'open C' factor is a mystery to many.  To explain this subtle (a more diplomatic word than nerdish!) difference, here are examples of each, kindly photographed for us by Peter Lowry:

Open C 1
 Above: Lever with open 'C' Campagnolo
Below: Lever with closed 'C' Campagnolo
Open C 2

The difference between the Gran Sport and Valentino 'matchbox' front changers has also taxed some people.

Peter 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.

Gran Sport 1
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.

Gran Sport 2

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 on the cage.

Gran Sport 3

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!
Gran Sport 4

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)
Gran Sport 5

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. It would also be possible to use outer cable from the lever to the changer but I have never seen this done. 

Gran Sport 6

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.