Eddy Merckx Frame Identification

[Elefantino]

Nice to see so many Merckxes finding new homes, in both restomod and classic guises.

They are everything those of you who told us we should get a Merckx say they are!

[weisan]

Originally Posted by tuscanyswe

Its not with me yet so dont have any better pics but likely enough for an EMC fan to see?

Looks like a Corsa Extra to me.

[Hindmost]

So I have a Merckx Professional that I purchased to replace the one I raced 30 years ago. I Eroica-ed this one a couple of years ago.

Bottom bracket is stamped drive side: N 9 and non-drive side:: Z 097.

I was puzzled about the under bottom bracket cable guides. This one has a bolt on plastic guide. My original had the cast in cable guides.

Any details that you can provide I would appreciate. Thanks.

[osbk67]

Great to see a range of Merckx frames in good shape resurfacing. I don't have the knowledge of Emerxil but did import Merckx frames in relatively small quantities for the New Zealand distributor in the 1980s and 1990s. I still have several catalogues from then. The italic font frame decals on this frame are type EM80, more or less the original type, and were replaced by type EM86 in 1986. Customers of the factory could and did continue with the EM80 style after 1986 if that was preferred, but a frame with EM86 decals will be c. 1986 or newer, or a respray. Standard specification in the early 1990s was aero K or flat N fork crown, wide or narrow S seat stays, braze-ons for gear levers, single bottle cage, front changer and external top tube cable eyelets, and single colour enamel without chrome. That said, numerous supplements were available. For the NZ market many frames had chain holder T, second bottle cage PB, photo finish (number boss) FF and wide 16mm seat stays, making this the "standard" spec. in that market at least.
FF does not indicate a "pro team" frame, only that the distributor ordered frames with that option. Name on frame was a factory option and available to anyone who wanted it and was prepared to wait.
Frame models in the late 1980s and early 90s included Strada, Corsa, Corsa Extra, Chrono and MX-Leader. Carbon Monocoque by Donnay was a short-lived "exclusive" model.
In the late 1980s the Criterium was also produced. It was listed as an SLX frame but unlike Strada, Corsa and Corsa Extra did not seem to have a top tube model name decal.
Oldest catalogue I have lists only the Professional road model and Professional track model. Probably dates to 1980 or soon after.
I doubt the catalogues are hard to find but if there's interest I'll post some photos, as tedious as that exercise is.

[Emerxil]

K5C 534 (on 99% B series): beautiful Corsa (v.2: no lugs with cut-outs, no chain bridge), stickers and a painting pattern point to 87/88 (if you change from fuchsia to blue you will receive a pattern used by the Intral team in 1988). The bad news is: internal TT, hanger number and owner's name on TT - these are all options available to everyone - for a surcharge (they don't mean the frame was built for profiteam); no team I know used the Corsa model (when the Corsa model appeared all the teams used the then highest model EMC Pro SLX / 753 and later Corsa Extra SLX / 753 - the Corsa model was never the highest model in the EMC hierarchy).
tuscanyswe: this is a modified (no chain bridge) Corsa v.1 (lugs with cut-outs) - probably 86/87.
N9 Z097: The elegant EM (Professional) 1984 (N is a surprise to me, I would expect something from the A,P,M set). In 1984, there were 3 ways to link to BB cover: "old above BB" (used since 1980), "improvised under BB" (added steel cable guides) and "plastic under BB". (screw in drain hole).

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator

[Emerxil]

Originally Posted by osbk67

Great to see a range of Merckx frames in good shape resurfacing. I don't have the knowledge of Emerxil but did import Merckx frames in relatively small quantities for the New Zealand distributor in the 1980s and 1990s. I still have several catalogues from then. The italic font frame decals on this frame are type EM80, more or less the original type, and were replaced by type EM86 in 1986. Customers of the factory could and did continue with the EM80 style after 1986 if that was preferred, but a frame with EM86 decals will be c. 1986 or newer, or a respray. Standard specification in the early 1990s was aero K or flat N fork crown, wide or narrow S seat stays, braze-ons for gear levers, single bottle cage, front changer and external top tube cable eyelets, and single colour enamel without chrome. That said, numerous supplements were available. For the NZ market many frames had chain holder T, second bottle cage PB, photo finish (number boss) FF and wide 16mm seat stays, making this the "standard" spec. in that market at least.
FF does not indicate a "pro team" frame, only that the distributor ordered frames with that option. Name on frame was a factory option and available to anyone who wanted it and was prepared to wait.
Frame models in the late 1980s and early 90s included Strada, Corsa, Corsa Extra, Chrono and MX-Leader. Carbon Monocoque by Donnay was a short-lived "exclusive" model.
In the late 1980s the Criterium was also produced. It was listed as an SLX frame but unlike Strada, Corsa and Corsa Extra did not seem to have a top tube model name decal.
Oldest catalogue I have lists only the Professional road model and Professional track model. Probably dates to 1980 or soon after.
I doubt the catalogues are hard to find but if there's interest I'll post some photos, as tedious as that exercise is.

osbk67: Thank you very much! Confirmation of some information by the man from the "EMC business" is priceless
- The "italic font" was the only pattern until 1984, used in EM (Professional), some Pro, late 3-Athlete, Corsa, Strada and all repainted (in EMC) frames built with SL/SP and R531.
- EM86" is probably the font used in some Pro, then in all Corsa Extra, Citerium and other top EMC models (it appeared in 1985).
- Between 1984 and 1986, 2 other font designs were used.
- The specification of the early 1990s frames can be found in the 1992 catalogue.
- absolutely invaluable information concerns the specification of frames imported to New Zealand (thank you again).
- Similarly is with the information about Carbon Monocoque produced by Donnay (if this information can be found in the catalogue - definitely ask for photos of the whole catalogue
- Criterium had "its" stickers from the beginning (years of production 86-88)
- The "White" catalog is more like 1981.

[merckxman]

Veering off a bit, I have a Motorola team winter cycling jacket in which MAGNIFLEX is the prominent sponsor after Motorola. I bought it in Italy and was told when they rode on Italy they used these. Anyone familiar with Magniflex? Quite a nice jacket.

[tuscanyswe]

Originally Posted by weisan

Looks like a Corsa Extra to me.

That would be my guess as well but mine would be uneducated

[Hindmost]

Originally Posted by merckxman

Veering off a bit, I have a Motorola team winter cycling jacket in which MAGNIFLEX is the prominent sponsor after Motorola. I bought it in Italy and was told when they rode on Italy they used these. Anyone familiar with Magniflex? Quite a nice jacket.

Magniflex was a major Italian sponsor over the years. Back in the day a US pro rode for them and then spoke about serving indentured servitude in their mattress factory.

[tv_vt]

Originally Posted by tv_vt

Yes, mine is really elegant. It may be a 'standard model,' but unlike most of the MXLs I've heard of, mine easily clears 28mm tires and looks like it could clear 30s. I've got Corsa 28 tires on DA c24 wheels and there is still a lot of room under the rear brake bridge and fork.

Here are some photos of tire clearance on my MXL. It's quite generous, which seems contrary to what I've typically read about these frames. Not sure why mine ended up the way it did.

[jet sanchez]

C
8528

Columbus TSX tubing

Corsa Extra

[Emerxil]

tv vt: just in case, I measured my Mx Leader frame - just like in your frame: 28mm will fit seamlessly (30 rather too)...
C8528: a beautiful 1991 Tutti Frutti - I wonder what markings it has (the ones on the left side of BB cover).

[osbk67]

image.jpg

[Emerxil]

osbk67: Thank you very much ! This is one of the most unusual and rare models of EMC, produced in the "old" Donnay plant in Couvin under ... Italian management (probably only in 1992 - then came another "almost bankruptcy").

[velofinds]

Originally Posted by jet sanchez

Mine says Corsa Extra but there is no tubing decal and it has a Leader fork.

Found it on CL, it had been doing trainer duty for many years in the basement of a friend of Walter Godefroot who was the coach for Telekom.

It seems that it is one of Olaf Ludwig's racing rigs from the 1995 season as that was the only year that this colour scheme was used.

F 1386

This is the best color scheme.