Classic & Vintage - Having a hard time with a Trek Serial Number

I can find what Im looking for most of the time on vintage-Trek but this one is giving me a little trouble. Any thoughts?
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c91/cusco-awd/partsfs/DSCI8742.jpg

So is it not a 24" '83 720? Maybe it's the special Tom Isaacs bottom bracket shell that makes some difference in the serial numbers. You've looked at the tables and seen that the leading zero gets dropped in the '83 listings. Maybe John D. Thompson will drop by and shed a little light on the subject.

Hmmm... Did you check out the Trek site? They have some info about serial nos. Didn't employees build bikes outside of the normal production schedule? I also seem to recall early Treks were without serial nos. What about custom builds? I better leave because I'm just winging it now! :o

Would a 1983 720 have water bottle braze ons located on the bottom side of the down tube?

Screws to secure the cables in the grooves?

Its a 1983 Trek 720. I have found that the serial number data base is very accurate to the actual bike.

1984 720 definitely had three sets of bottle cage mounts, 1983 was kind of ambiguous, although it does look like a set on the bottom side of the DT on the pic in the catalog.


Yep, 1983 specs state two sets of bottle braze ons, and there is no sign of any on the seat tube.

So is it not a 24" '83 720? Maybe it's the special Tom Isaacs bottom bracket shell that makes some difference in the serial numbers. You've looked at the tables and seen that the leading zero gets dropped in the '83 listings. Maybe John D. Thompson will drop by and shed a little light on the subject.

Thanks, I missed the leading zero part. It has 2 water bottle braze ons for the record. Both on the down tube. Its gonna find a new home along with my other bikes I have been holding onto that dont fit.

Would a 1983 720 have water bottle braze ons located on the bottom side of the down tube?

Yes. It sure looks like a 720 to me.