help decoding Paramount (?) serial number
 

HI,
Any help on decoding this number?
It is supposed to be a paramount E84100 on the cineilli BB and 495 4 at top of bracket
seller says nothing on the rear stays?
Is this a waterford...says columbus sl
yes i did use search but coild not find my answer

http://i64.tinypic.com/2gv7aj6.png
http://i68.tinypic.com/fciers.png

Since frame is bare any thoughts on Grouppo?
Would this also be Italian threaded?
No listing for color on the waterford site either...ideas about the paint, its not metallic?

Thanks, Ben

This is what I found. Seems to match the sequence you have. Surely the experts will chime in.


Determine the Manufacturing Date


Capacity Added for the Boom Years

Month Code: This one letter code corresponds to the month with A=January, B=Febuary and so on. Because I is not used, September=J and December=M.
Year Code: This two digit code is the last two digits of the year – 86 is 1986.
Sequence Number: This two digit number represents the nth frame and/or fork scheduled during the month. During the peak of the bike boom, Schwinn would add another digit, sometimes producing as many as 500 frames a month.
For example, H7634 is the thirty-fourth frame or fork scheduled during August of 1976.

Edit: http://www.cyclofiend.com/cc/2006/cc...lubin0706.html
I have an '84 Schwinn LeTour Luxe that came win an '85 paint job. Mfg date April, I believe.

seedsbelize,
Thanks did not find this site lots of info...I always thought Paramounts had the YMF on the rear stays...wonder what the upper letters/numbers mean.
Thanks again, Ben

Now you can figure out if it's an '84 with '85 paint or a true '85. I would guess the former.

waterford built correct?

I don't know, that far back. My understanding is that Waterford split off after the bankruptcy.

According to Waterford's site, Ed Schwinn shut down Paramount production in Chicago in 1979. He put Marc Muller in charge of rebuilding the brand and production was resumed in Waterford in 1983.

Under "Self Describing Serial Numbers", the 495 A indicates a 49.5 cm road bike.

E84100 would be the 100th Paramount frameset scheduled for production during the month of May, 1984, at the Waterford facility. This was around the time Waterford began using the "self-describing" serial numbers.

Paramount production began in Waterford in 1981 using the same serial numbering scheme Schwinn had used for Paramounts made in the Chicago factory "cage" during the seventies.

Here's the 1981 Paramount road bike catalog page after the move to Waterford. Note the copyright date in the upper left corner.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7...ps4td5hacs.jpg

This is a 1983 photo of the Waterford facility taken during an "open house" event; Marc Muller is second from left.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7...3OpenHouse.jpg

Thanks for the clarification.

Stan, Thanks for the info....the frame is bare so will have to source the grouppo (just need to decide which direction) after the build I am hoping it rides as good as it looks.
Regards, Ben

I'll almost guarantee it'll be an awesome ride.

BTW, Pompiere is right about the "495 A" indicating a 495mm (49.5cm) frame. The "A" indicates the fork has the shortest steerer tube. My '87 Paramount serial number 620E WK 87077 is a 62cm frame with a pretty lengthy "E" fork steerer. By 1987, Schwinn added a "W" for Waterford to the self-describing serial number. The K87077 translates to the 77th Paramount frameset scheduled for production during the month of October, 1987.

Mine sure is! I have a 635 and I should really have a couple sizes smaller, but whenever I start to think about selling it, I remember how great it rides. If another one came along in the right size, I would be interested. Until then, a Paramount in the hand is better than two in the bush.

I feel the same way about my '92 Panasonic Paramount.

http://i68.tinypic.com/34o23ar.png
Picked it up today with a few other parts....now to decide campy or?
Thanks to all for answering my questions. Ben