FrejusFred

My light tourer/daily rider is a Made In Japan 10 speed road bike bought new by my late uncle at an LBS in 1974. I know some LBSs carried low end no-name bikes by certain manufacturers, and this one really isn't a bad bike. The frame geometry is perfect, good lug work, and it is equipped with Shimano 333 Eagle RD and Thunderbird FD. I am curious if anyone has a lead on Japanese serial number charts or info so I can tell who the manufacturer might be. Bike only says EXECUTIVE, and Made In Japan. Serial number is F7L04631. Danke.

JunkYardBike

I searched "executive japan" in google (search string: executive japan site:bikeforums.net) and came up with this thread, suggesting a Centurion Executive exists:

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/43176-tell-me-more-about-my-centurion.html

Then I searched the Centurion database thread, post 62, and it appears your S/N is close to the format, but not exact: https://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.p...9&postcount=62

You might also try searching the Nishiki S/N database...and maybe there's another for a Japanese brand? I can't remember.

FrejusFred

Thanks. You had more luck googling than I did. All I got was corporate Japanese honcho info. I am looking over the areas you posted. I also am going down another path. Someone on Yahoo Answers mentioned his two "Puch" bikes branded Executive and President. Don't know how he made the Puch connection. Puch was lower end Austro-Daimler from Austria. I know Puch had outsourced manufacturing about that time to Japan and Germany, one with Asian components (my Shimano) and one with European. But I'm still not sure yet. Puch vintage bike info on the internet seems to be sparse.

T-Mar

It's a good match for the Fuji serial number format used in the early 1970s. If so, the bicycle was manufactured in Decemebr 1972, which would make it a 1973 model. If it hung around in the shop for a while, your uncle could have bought it in 1974, but during that period, the 10 speeds were flying out the door almost as soon as they came in. Use the forum's search function for Fuji Serial Number Database and you will get more info on the Fuji format.

FrejusFred

T-Mar, that information is phenomenal!! Yes my s/n appears to be right on for a Fuji format. Thanks for that and for the serial number database thread you started - wonderful reading!! As far as my bike, now I will try to figure out why it has stamped dropouts, JUN stem, and Cherry brakes, and if Fuji made non-branded bikes. The wheels are UKAI 27 x 1 1/4. There were no other markings or decals on it other than EXECUTIVE, Special Road Racer, Made in Japan. It weighs about 35 pounds with full water bottle, so I would say tubing is straight high ten steel.

T-Mar

I can't state for a fact that Fuji manufactured other brands but it would not suprise me. This was fairly common practice. Also, the Fuji S10-S from the era was called a "Special Road Racer", increasing the probability of your Executive being built by Fuji.

The JUN stem, Cherry brakes and stamped dropouts were typical fare on low end, Japanese models from the era. However, Fuji S10-S from this period typically used Dia-Compe brakes and Nitto stems, so it's not simply a rebranded S10-S. It could even be a case where Executive was a Fuji owned brand, but downscale from the Fuji brand, so as not to effect the Fuji brand reputation, much the same as Honda offering cars under both the Honda and Acura badges. It would be interesting to see some pics and make a comparison between between the two models on details such as lugs, fork crown, dropouts, etc.

FrejusFred

Some pics. Having trouble because it says max 100KB size.






I took off the cheap looking decals and pie plate chainwheel guard. I'm keeping the head badge and the original paint/patina to associate it with the original bike. Touched up the scratches and buffed down with 0000 steel wool. That projectile on the seat tube is my Starbucks thermos LOL. I could say this bike resembles the Fuji Sports Deluxe models in the 76 catalogs, especially the nice front fork rake. Catalog doesn't have closeups to see lugwork.