Help please - Steel GT serial numbers

[bchede]

Have one for the collection:

GT Outpost 1994/1995 (repainted):
SY5L000026





I say 1994/1995 as I am a bit torn on the year. The serial number would seem to indicate 1995, but the bike features mostly line up with the 1994 model (Araya rims, Shimano Alivio canti brakes), while both the fork and the stem are clearly marked '94. Of course, it could just be that the components were swapped at some point over the last 28 years.

The frame was already repainted red when I bought it, but when sanding it for a better repaint, I uncovered what I assume was the original color:



I couldn't figure out if this is Cobalt Blue (1994 model) or Bright Blue Marble (1995 model).

Given that the last 4 digits of the serial number are pretty low (000026), could it be that this frame was made in early 95 for a 94 model bike?

Any additional info is appreciated!

 

[kingoffootball]

Thank you for sharing that one. I still have a lot fewer of the mid- to late-90s serials.

I'm pretty confident that is a 1995 bike. Production for most models appeared to shift from the Hodaka to Sanfa factory between 1994 and 1995. So the Outposts I have recorded from 1994 have a different format for the number, whereas that is the 1995 Sanfa format. They may well have still had '94 forks and stems to use up, but the other components could well have been changed given it's been repainted.

I don't think it would be made in 1995 for a 1994 model, since GT (like most brands) worked the other way around and started making the next year's frames around September most years, so when you get overlap it is usually a frame made ready for the next year's model.

 

[bchede]

Got it, that makes sense! Thanks for the info!

 

[27motorhead]

Finally brought home the 16" 1990 Team Avalanche I won from eBay on the weekend and needed some old school method to reveal the frame No...

00900915

Shout if you need/want anymore info. It's a beauty for sure and largely original. I'm super happy!!!

 

[kingoffootball]

Finally brought home the 16" 1990 Team Avalanche I won from eBay on the weekend and needed some old school method to reveal the frame No...
View attachment 765097
00900915

Shout if you need/want anymore info. It's a beauty for sure and largely original. I'm super happy!!!

Interesting. That doesn't match the format of others I have. Were all those numbers on the same side of the BB shell? All in a line as shown, or was the paper moved? Also, is the 5th character definite a '0'? It looks more ike a '9' on the photo.

Is the paint scheme Blue Widow?

 

[27motorhead]

Interesting. That doesn't match the format of others I have. Were all those numbers on the same side of the BB shell? All in a line as shown, or was the paper moved? Also, is the 5th character definite a '0'? It looks more ike a '9' on the photo.

Is the paint scheme Blue Widow?

Yep colour scheme is Blue Widow . All the numbers were on one side of BB shell perpendicular to the axle/parallel to the cup. No breaks in the numbering and all on one row.

The 3rd digit has a rust lump/spot on it hence it’s not very clear. I thought it was a 9, but happy to check again.

The 6th digit which looked like a 1, but when I did the “rubbing” it looked like a J due to a lump of the light blue drizzly paint... which could be something to note as this frame was built in Japan… They were all made in Taiwan the following year apart from the "tech shop" frames.

Will double check tonight/in morning with eye glass!!!

This takes me back to recording Raleigh Chopper frame numbers with the Chopper Club back in the 90s!

 

[kingoffootball]

Are there not any numbers on the other side of the bottom bracket shell?

For reference, the format I would expect would be:
DS: YYDD (something like 9002)
and
NDS: 002 #### (where # are the sequence/serial number)

Your number could match the NDS format if the third digit was a 2 (it doesn't really look like it) and if the 9/J was just a mistake and not meant to be there. However, the three digits are usually above the four digits, I think, rather than all in one line.

 

[27motorhead]

Are there not any numbers on the other side of the bottom bracket shell?

For reference, the format I would expect would be:
DS: YYDD (something like 9002)
and
NDS: 002 #### (where # are the sequence/serial number)

Your number could match the NDS format if the third digit was a 2 (it doesn't really look like it) and if the 9/J was just a mistake and not meant to be there. However, the three digits are usually above the four digits, I think, rather than all in one line.

Will have a look later. Probably in the morning and also take some photos too! I don't think I missed anything, but possibly I have? My eyesight isn't quite what it was looking at things close-up and haven't had an eye test since being in school, despite working on screens most of my life...

 

[27motorhead]

Right I took some photos last night after putting some vinegar over BB shell to help clean up some of the rust and I was mistaken!!!

x2 rows of text/numbers as shown:


Text on drive side looks like O2 to me:


Non driveside reads: 0030915


Does this make more sense?!*

Also ref to Japanese made frame:

 

[kingoffootball]

Thank you. I've updated my records. The format still doesn't match the others I have from that era, which is interesting. Especially not having a clear month and year it was made. It's possible this was made towards the end of 1989 for 1990 and they changed the number format going in to 1990 - but there could be another explanation.

The frames made in Japan usually only have numerals, like yours, whereas the Taiwanese frames begin with a letter (intially T, later others for specific factories).