So this is fun: recently a fella contacted Andy and myself asking if we might be interested in having one of Andy's old team frames? After pondering for about five seconds, we answered yes, we could be quite interested and the frame below arrived, nicely packed. It seems that at the end of the 1990 season, being the final season of 7-Eleven sponsorship, Andy had given the bike to the Southland Corporation (owners of the 7-Eleven stores) as a gesture of thanks. They kept the bike on display for several years before giving it to an employee, Eric G, who rode it for a while before passing it on to his brother, Lenny. Lenny had it for a bit but thought that maybe those Hampsten boys might like to have it back as they were still futzing around with bicycles, riding, etc.
The frame is as I received it and my plan is to bring it back to fairly close to the original spec: Dura Ace 7400, tubulars, Cinelli bar/stem (maybe)/saddle although my flexibility aint what it used to be. BB picture for those who can decipher Merckx numbering - any thoughts?
But what makes this even more interesting is the bottom photo, taken in Yverdon, CH, probably June of 1990, featuring the two of us. Andy is on what I assume is his 753 Merckx, which he declared the best bike he had ever ridden, destroyed in a crash at the Wincanton Classic a few weeks later. And Steve is on - you guessed it - what we think is the exact same frame under discussion! Parts are already heading my way courtesy of Mechanic Kenny, Martin T, Todd H, but I may be putting out an appeal later for additional bits, stay tuned.
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