I was gifted an old Schwinn with head badge # 0113 and looking at the 83 catalog and I THINK I matched it to a LeTour Luxe, 27" (66cm) Im having trouble decoding the serial number from underneath the bb shell. The serial number is
2L 00495
Ive seen 83's on here with s/n that start with an "S" but this is definitely a "2"

Anyone have any idea about this?

Mike in Denver

It means the frame was built in November 1982 and the bike was built Jan. 11 1983. That is all the serial number can tell you. I have a blue one like it. Roger

Pics,Pics,Pics...That is a requirement for this section of the forum....

Roger is right; the serial number indicates the frame was built in November, 1982, as an '83 model. It was assembled on January 11, 1983.

From Schwinn Bulletin 23, "Schwinn Bicycle Identification Numbers":

Bicycles from Japan have a production month letter in either the first or second position and a production year number in the other (first or second) position. Examples J677123 = September, 1976, 6J77123 = September, 1976.

Here's an '83 LeTour Luxe I found on the curb and resprayed and donated to my kids' school for a silent auction.

Thanks to all of you for your help, now, does this mean it was built in Mississippi or Chicago?

I attached a pic, not too different from when I got it, minus the fork and Ki just finished sanding the paint off of the seat tube.

Mississippi. Roger

My dark blue '83 le tour luxe has the serial number on the dropout, and it starts with "SF3." The assembly date code on mine (four numbers on the headbadge) indicate it was assembed sometime in June 1983 if I remember correctly. I think the SF3 serial number means the frame was built in Greenville in June of 1983.