Tange Fork Date Codes?
 

Does such a DB exist? I have a few vintage mid-80's road forks, one in particular has "4K". Any clues?

1984 Raleigh USA Competition:
http://www.jaysmarine.com/TANGE4J_competition.jpg

1984 Raleigh USA Super Course:
http://www.jaysmarine.com/TANGE4A_supercourse2.jpg

1985 Raleigh USA Super Course:
http://www.jaysmarine.com/TANGE6D_supercourse_85.jpg

The theory would fit nicely, if it were not for the fact that the '85 has a "6" stamped in it.

-Kurt

4K - 1984 November. The letter code could also be a fortnight indicator, but I've never seen anything above L, so odds are that it is a month indicator.

Kurt, perhaps you have a replacement fork or maybe it's a 1986 model. What's the frame serial number?

T-Mar: So they are date code indicators? Interesting.

I'm quite sure it is the original fork. It matches one of the three different crown variants used on these machines during their production (sloping lugged, sloping lugged w/Raleigh logo, semi-sloping/flat w/Raleigh logo), the original stem was jammed in it, and there was no indication of a front end collision. It did not have any excess threading to suggest a replacement fork either. (That said, I've seen a few identical NOS Tange forks at the LBS. Apparently, these were often the 1980's equivalent of today's Pyramid replacement forks - the replacement theory is not far fetched at all).

I don't remember the entire serial, but I am 100% sure that it began with 5. For that matter, the '86s dumped the '85s chrome/blueberry scheme for medium purple metallic/dark purple.

-Kurt

hi - i've just bought a tange chromed fork for my holdworth for £5 as new.
mine is also stamped 4K......
do you know what tubing these were made out of (interest only)
much cheaper to buy these than get my own re-chromed

Here's the one from my Raleigh Portage which I believe to be a 1984 based on serial number and component dates. The frame is Raleigh 555T which some speculate is Tange Champion #2:

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s...ngestamp-1.jpg