Campagnolo "Record" front deralleur, A short dissertation of

[airboatcaptain]

I have a whole array of old school "Campy" shop bench tools AND manuals/ catalogs that I received from a long ago closed down Schwinn dealership if any one is interested in anything before I list the items. Lots of good items... - Jim Scott, Portland Oregon.

 

[Schreck83]

Recently I re-read this thread and the entries on Velobase to date a few Campagnolo front derailleurs and I realized that perhaps the most immediately obvious characteristic was not mentioned by either source. This is the shape of that part of the base that I call the upper knuckle, specifically the forward face of the portion where the post for the upper control arm is mounted. The early versions have a smoothed shape and all later versions have a barrel-shaped protrusion, presumably to provide more material to better support the post. Here is a comparison of the two shapes to illustrate:

The smooth knuckle is found up to the 7th generation (aluminum control arms, no circlip).
The 8th generation is described above as having a circlip and photos show the barrel-shaped knuckle.
I have an example with a barrel-shaped knuckle but no circlip, so generation 7.5? (Photos once it is out of the bath)

The shape of the upper knuckle and the use of a circlip to retain the control arms are two characteristics that, once changed, remained for the rest of the production run.

Regarding the various generation designations, things get muddy with all of the variations beginning around 1970, Three of the entries on Velobase appear to lie in between generations defined in this thread and I don't think the earliest posts here were updated based on later re-definitions.

Rather than suggest new generation designations, it may make sense to list the pertinent characteristics, starting from the base and working out from there. Control arms and cages can be moved between different bases, so the base and clamp are really the foundation.

 

[Schreck83]

(Ignore the comment above stating"I have an example with a barrel-shaped knuckle but no circlip, so generation 7.5? (Photos once it is out of the bath)". That would be 7th gen.)

Here are two examples without circlips. The first is the 4th gen with slotted cable stop and bronze arms. The other has aluminum arms and no cable stop.
Because the arms and cages can be installed on either base, you could have bronze arms on a no-stop base or aluminum arms on a base with a slotted stop. Identifying the upper knuckle type might help spot these hybrid assemblies.

 

[juvela]

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Edit to post #30: I had recently had my Atala frame in the shop that had a 1st gen. unit mounted to it. Initially, I stated the frame date as 1959 when in fact the serial number indicates a manufacture date of 1958. I have seen in a timeline somewhere that the "Record" front derailleur was first introduced in 1956, but I have seen no documentation backing up the claim for that date; nor have I seen the unit mounted to bikes in the '56/'57 time frame (I have seen multiple mid '50s Cinelli Special Corsa bikes all using the Gran Sport "matchbox" pushrod style units). Having the 1st gen. derailleur as original equipment on a '58 frame at least makes it fairly clear that the unit was available for use by '59 (my frame might be a '59 model year bike), most likely by '58, and possibly earlier as claimed in the timeline data (which if true would put its introduction at least one year ahead of the "Record" gruppo introduction circa '58; something I find a bit odd!).
Regardless, the 1st gen. was only made for a couple years (~'57-'59?) before the 2nd gen. (if it exists I have never seen one!) and the 3rd gen. (which seemed to be in use by at least 1960 as shown on a Paramount in post #26) designs superceded it.

thanks very much for this date information

previously, had only heard '59 as a launch date for the Record front mech

speaking of dates...three dates would like to get clear in that which passeth for me "mind" ...

a) change in housing stop from solid to slotted

b) disappearance of housing stop

c) launch of Nuovo Valentino model front mech

at OEM have noticed the NV was employed as a companion for the model 980 rear mech

however some cycles which came through kitted with the 980 rear mech were kitted with the Valentino front mech

this makes me wonder if perhaps the 980 may have launched earlier than the NV front

thanks very much for any information!


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