? Stephen wrote:
<< Does anyone know if Raleigh published a list of serial numbers or if there is a serial number concordance for the production year? >>
Thinking about your question, I just visited http://www.sheldonbrown.com/
?I had to laugh at Sheldon's HUGE font warning, repeated through the sites:
"Do not write or phone me to ask the age or value of an old Raleigh. All of the information I have on that is on this Web page or RetroRaleighs.com/dating.html" Anyway, here is what it says about dating that bike:
<< 1974 - 1980's
In 1974, an entirely different numbering system was introduced for the higher end (531 and subsequently 753) Raleighs.? Serial numbers should begin with a "W", which stands for Worksop, the facility that produced theses frames.?? This is followed by another alphabet.? This alphabet indicates the fortnight in which the frame was built (i.e. A = 1st fortnight, B = 2nd, etc.).? The third character is always a numeral.? It indicates the year of manufacture, the decade being assumed (i.e. "4" could be '74 or '84; it is up to the interpretor to know enough to tell if the frame is from the 70's or 80's).? What then follows is a series of numbers.? At this point, these appear to be some sort of sequence, but this has not been substantiated. >>
I just sold a Super Tour frame, pic of the bb # at bottom of this page:
http://cyclesdeoro.com/
Based on the above info, it is a 1974. Now I need to write or call Sheldon to see how much it's worth.? :)
?
Dale Brown Greensboro, North Carolina USA
-----Original Message----- From: stephen <sbryne@comcast.net> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Sent: Tue, 13 Nov 2007 12:29 am Subject: [CR]Raleigh International Serial Number question
Hello all,
Does anyone know if Raleigh published a list of serial numbers or if there is a serial number concordance for the production year? My frame's serial number starts with a WH, in case anyone has any info. I believe it is in the 1974-1976 date range.
Stephen Bryne
In cloudy and cool Fairfax, California