# early 80's Merckx Corsa SL



## jhsb (Aug 21, 2015)

I need some opinions............

Merckx Corsa Team Molteni Project



I am looking at this on CL but I'm not too knowledgeable about buying components and building to finish an incomplete bike. The frame size is not a problem-almost exactly a match to my previous vintage steel road bike a 1973 Peugeot PX-10LE. I''d need a shop to help me source the remaining parts and do the build and I'd want a good quality but not outrageous re-paint and decal. I'm not too picky about exact detail - any late 70s thru mid 80s Campy Nuovo Record or Super Record mix and match would be OK. I would use modern wheel/tires and possibly pedals as well otherwise all vintage. 

Is the price reasonable?

Any recommendations on a shop to build this? (I can ship it)

Am I going to spend so much money building this that I should just buy a complete bike in good condition instead?

If I buy this what should I budget for a paint and completion?


----------



## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

that is a Professional not a Corsa. That frame is from the earliest years @ the Merckx Factory. Over the BB cable routing, flat crown fork. I sold one, complete, ready to ride with a mix of Super and Nuovo record for $900. Mine was Fiat Livery


----------



## jhsb (Aug 21, 2015)

Hey atpjunkie, I looked at the Merckx serial number guide at Cadre:

Eddy Merckx Serial Numbers

and this frames serial number C4 E 4414 indicates it is a Corsa according to the first letter being a "C" not a "P". 
Do you think this guide to serial numbers is inaccurate?


LetterModelA(Professional?)B(Professional?)PProfessionalCCorsaXCorsa ExtraTTSX (Century)M*Strada

<tbody>

</tbody>


----------



## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

ATP is right. That frame is from the early years before the Corsa.


----------



## Emerxil (Nov 21, 2019)

sorry, again: The E4414 was built in 1982, C is probably an inaccurate G, 4 = 54 or 64 seat tube. This is the Eddy Merckx frame, popularly called (unofficially) Professional, built on a Columbus SL/SP tube. Eddy Merckx Serial Numbers (cadre.org) is a complete misunderstanding: the letters A,B,P,T do not mean any type of tube or EMC frame model, it is the designation of the EMC employee responsible for the final preparation of the frame before chrome plating and painting; X = Columbus SLX/SPX; M it is also the designation of the employee (to serial number ~A1500), then the designation of the Strada model (Matrix/Cromor); Columbus TSX is the designation of TT (road racing geo) or TTB (century geo). Only C=Corsa is true...

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator


----------

