1983 ELF Pro
Early Elf Frame with original chrome and decals.
I've been riding/racing/collecting Elf's for a few years now and this is the earliest Frame I've found. When I first got interested in Elf I had no idea that they dated back to this time. I've left this as I bought it, just cleaned off some very old dirt and I built it up using a mixture of parts I've got from that period plus a few NOS bits that fit an '83 race bike. The frame date is March 1983.
A few of these early frames are surfacing now, and the 'First Generation Script' pads that I've got on there now make sense. Until I bought this frame I couldn't work out where those pads fitted into Elf's timeline, but the font matches these early frame decals.
Parts breakdown:
Elf Frame and fork
Tange Beartrap Headset with Suntour Headlock
DK 'Square Corner' Stem
GT Bars with Ame Cams
Uni Hammerhead Seat/Post
DK Seatclamp
Dia Compe MX 1000 with Tuff Pads and Shimano SX lever
Suntour VX Cranks with Suntour Sealed BB
Suntour Pedals and Chainring, D.I.D Chain
Ukai Rims with Ashai SPokes and Suntour Sealed Hubs and Freewheel
Mitsuboshi Comp 3 tyres
Elf Pads and Haro Flow Panel Plate
Thanks to davkol for shipping the Pads here, I'm sure I wouldn't have found any in the UK..