Bill,
Perhaps you have better information than I (we)do. There's a area on the GitaneUSA.com Forum devoted to serial numbers and after a year or so we came to the conclusion that there was no logic to Gitane serial numbers.
Any information that you have is welcome on the website.
Since the original Gitane Micmo has been defunct for close to 30 years (when did Renault buy Gitane?) it's probably going to be difficult if not impossible to get any additional info from that source.
Mel Pinto the former Gitane importer may know something about serial numbers too.
Chas. Colerich Oakland, CA USA
Bill Roberts wrote:
> I'll post to the list too, I guess.
>
> I wanted to discuss Gitane serial numbers with you however. At least the
> top, or next to top model bikes from Gitane from 71 and earlier, had serial
> numbers that were definitely not random. They appear to be date codes, and
> then a typical sequential number indicating the number of frames built that
> year to that point.
>
> Admittedly, my sample size is low. But at least a couple of others have
> seen the same thing.
>
> I assume you were speaking of lower models in your post?
>
> This is important in trying to determine if some of the [top models] Gitane
> serial numbers can be used for dating.
>
> Best,
> --BIll