The Gambato Gran Sport series is a set of Argentinian 'derivatives' of classic Campagnolo models. While I am extremely unclear about the dates, I consider that they can be roughly grouped into three groups:
- a first series closely based on the 1953 Campagnolo Gran Sport. These Gambato Gran Sports possibly date from the late 1960s.
- a second series based, less closely, on the 1963 Campagnolo Record. These Gambato Gran Sports possibly date from the mid to late 1970s.
- a third series based, very, very, roughly based on the 1980 Campagnolo 980. These Gambato Gran Sports possibly date from the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The oddity is that, in each case, the Gambato models seem to date from about a decade after the relevant Campagnolo originals. It seems that the designs got lost in some kind of Argentinian time warp - perhaps in the boot (trunk) of a DeLorean.
I think that this is a early 1980s example of a Gambato Gran Sport, from the second series above. It has the following features:
- the look, styling and geometry are similar to a Campagnolo Record (1020) from 1963.
- unlike the original, the knuckles are plastic - reducing the weight to a startling 161g.
- the b-pivot bolt is probably not original, but taken from an earlier model.
- the p-pivot bolt is hollow and also a 'large knurled' headed item.
- there is a cable adjuster.
- the p-spring cover cup between the pulley cage and the p-knuckle casting is black and 4mm deep.
- the, rather thin, steel parallelogram plates are crudely finished and poorly plated.
- the pulley cage plates are aluminium.
- the pulleys are plastic and branded 'Gambato'.
This is a surprisingly cheap and nasty object.
- Derailleur brands: Gambato
- Themes: Ultra-lightweight - road racing models
- Country: Argentina
- Date of introduction: 1985?
- Date of this example: unknown
- Model no.: unknown
- Weight: 161g
- Maximum cog: 28 teeth (a guess)
- Total capacity: 24 teeth (another guess)
- Pulley centre to centre: 46mm
- Index compatibility: friction
- Chain width: 3/32”
- Logic: top normal
- B pivot: unsprung
- P pivot: sprung
- Materials: plastic knuckles, steel parallelogram, aluminium pulley cage
