Some help here - Pinna Asolo

[billium]

Bought this Pinna Asolo frame with uncut fork several years ago from the European original owner. Cut the steerer, installed the Record headset, and hung it on my office wall where it's been since.

Regardless of the original owner's insistence otherwise, assumed it had had a re-spray because of overall paint condition and the weird "flying P" logos airbrushed on both sides of the top and down tubes. Head badge is the old Olympic rings logo, the airbrushing is some convoluted reference to Pinna's current "flying P" logo. Figured I'd have it stripped, repainted and re-decaled with vintage appropriate details at some point.

Unsolicited buyer is interested as is. A smidge too interested. He's certain that the paint (odd airbrushing and all) and decals are all factory original. Directed me to two (European) websites showing two Pinna's (same vintage, but Sestriere models) with the identically odd airbrushing in identical locations (colors of airbrushed "flying P's" different to match underlying frame colors, but also with multi-color fades). Now that I look at this thing a little closer, it could be from the factory as the decals and airbrushing are under clearcoat. With the proliferation of accurately reproduced decals - including manufacturer's factory tubing decals - combined with the goofy (IMO anyway) airbrushed newer logos - I've assumed it was someone's way of (poorly) personalizing a frame.

Appreciate it if someone here could enlighten me.

Thanks.

[billium]

The interested party wants to turn it into a "fixie", I'll hang on to it for the principal if it turns out it's original.

Thanks.

[Anarchist]

Re paint or not (and I am guessing not) I would not let it go to anyone who uttered the word "fixie"

Those beautiful old frames deserve better than that.

[choke]

Well, a quick search found this (http://velospace.org/node/36567) so I'd say it's likely the factory paint.

And I'm 100% in agreement with Anarchist.

[aaronf]

Yeah, I remember selling those when new. Mid '90's, and that sure seems familiar as an original scheme. Plenty of Italian bikes had masked and airbrushed graphics at the time. Was quite common.
Would certainly be a bit of a shame to become some hipster's fixie-mobile. Way too nice for that. But it wasn't top of the line, so I guess if they've very, very deep pockets and you've no attachment to it, who am I to judge? Just seems to be begging for a Record or Chorus 8 or 9-speed build. Lots of polished alloy.

[Louis]

Re paint or not (and I am guessing not) I would not let it go to anyone who uttered the word "fixie"

Those beautiful old frames deserve better than that.

+1

Let him desecrate something else.

[billium]

it appears there are no appropriate facepalm Smilies.

choke, what were your descriptive words when doing my legwork? Did you go site specific or a general Google (I could find nothing when I originally bought the frame nor nothing currently other than what potential buyer provided).

As I said in my second post, I'll hang her back up and get to the build eventually. His offer was more than fair for a repainted mid to late 90's nothing special Asolo. Ignorant as to what an original paint non-ridden version is worth, but she won't become a fixie regardless.

Thanks.

[choke]

choke, what were your descriptive words when doing my legwork? Did you go site specific or a general Google (I could find nothing when I originally bought the frame nor nothing currently other than what potential buyer provided).I searched Google for Pinarello Asolo and then went to images; the 3/4 rear view was in the 5th row, though I have seen different computers get different results.

[ultraman6970]

Interesting, because that something is coming from italy and from a good manufacturer it doesn't mean the quality of the work is super good. Even that kinda cheesy paint finishing made you doubt it was the real deal :), wonder what's under the paint now :D

Happy this one did not end in the street showing its charactert with dents and nicks after a week.

[billium]

I searched Google for Pinarello Asolo and then went to images; the 3/4 rear view was in the 5th row, though I have seen different computers get different results.

Nope, it's there (7th row in my search). :crap: Thanks.

An thoughts on locating my missing second set of car keys? ;)

Interesting, because that something is coming from italy and from a good manufacturer it doesn't mean the quality of the work is super good. Even that kinda cheesy paint finishing made you doubt it was the real deal :), wonder what's under the paint now :D

Happy this one did not end in the street showing its charactert with dents and nicks after a week.

Always liked steel Pinarello's, still do. An original survivor in pretty good condition, cheesy airbrush art notwithstanding, is a different animal in my book than a near perfect reconditioned one. Will either build her up or sell her to someone who'll look after her. Stripping/repainting isn't in the cards now, flat bar/fixed gear/plastic grips/streamers not happening, either.

As to your original thoughts, romance is a funny thing. The irony of referring to the frame as "it" prior to choke and aaronf's posts, as "her" after isn't lost on either of us. ;)

[RonW87]

I guess there are many too young to remember 90's "fade" graphics. That was a thing.

[oldpotatoe]

Sold a few while at Morgul-Bismark, looks original to me.

[billium]

I guess there are many too young to remember 90's "fade" graphics. That was a thing.

I've been told I'm a "young" 53.

What other frame builders did this sort of thing in this manner?

Never seen this airbrushing on another Pinarello in photos or otherwise, before last Thursday.

The thing that threw me (still does) is why the factory would spray a future logo on a current frame in such a haphazard way. It's a low to mid level frame, but put enough thought into it to make it look like it belongs on there, not an afterthought after the frame's already been painted.

[nelson]

The Asolo was called the Stelvio in the US market with slightly different graphics. There was airbrushing, but not with the stylized "P". Some Asolos came in from Canada or from Europe, but the only Asolo we brought into the US was an early aluminum frame.

[oldpotatoe]

The Asolo was called the Stelvio in the US market with slightly different graphics. There was airbrushing, but not with the stylized "P". Some Asolos came in from Canada or from Europe, but the only Asolo we brought into the US was an early aluminum frame.

Nelson, is that you???

Peter, the retired one, here.