BMXmuseum.com Forums

houndog · RSS feed for topic

Ok, more GT serial number discussion...

This is badged as an 89'. The pic below is original paint/decals. BUT, the serial number is DS80500750. Is this a case of one of those GT's that was produced so late in 1988 that it was just made as an 89? (if that makes any sense). Also, when entering this bike into the museum, do I enter it as an 88 or an 89? I am restoring it as an 89.

maximum85 · 2012-06-30 5:26am

you answered your own question...made in late 88 as an 89 model

houndog · 2012-06-30 5:45am

maximum85 wrote:
you answered your own question...made in late 88 as an 89 model

thank you. that's what I figured but needed to confirm it.

punkbmxer · 2012-06-30 8:34am

when you enter it put it under 89, bike are like cars for the first six months they make them that year for the last six months they make the next year

houndog · 2012-12-03 5:43pm

Still working on this bike. I've been through the "GT serial numbers explained" thread many times...I follow it. According to that information, this serial number (DS80500750) denotes that this bike was made in May of 88. Am I reading this incorrectly? If it's a May of 88, then wouldn't it just have been an 88?

Reason I say this is that I have an 88 with a serial number of DS80501719.

The DS and the first 4 numbers are exactly the same.

Thoughts on this?

Here is a sticker that was on the OG finish of the bike. Again, by all accounts, it's an 89----except for the serial number.

Last edited by houndog (2012-12-03 5:50pm)

houndog · 2012-12-04 10:25am

Hate to be a nag.....can anyone ring in on this? Talk to me about if I'm reading this serial number correctly.

SrRaV1981 · 2012-12-04 10:52am

88 made 89 model.. those decals were only for the 89 models.

SARON81 · 2012-12-04 11:19am

Perhaps a left over 88 frame redecaled as a 89 when new?
5/88 seems to early to be a 89 model.

houndog · 2012-12-04 11:24am

SrRaV1981 wrote:
88 made 89 model.. those decals were only for the 89 models.

yes, but i don't understand how it was made in may of 88 but badged as an 89. see what i mean? i've got an 88 that has almost the same identical s/n and it's an 88.

houndog · 2012-12-04 11:27am

Ok, here is a response I got from DemonGT, who was kind enough to help me out with some quality info.

No, you did the serial correct. It is what you said, frame made in 88 stickered as 89. Some times they made a bunch of frames all at once and anything left over was still used for the next year. Some times they would store them else where and forget about them and then remember and use them up. There were actually some 90 PFT frames floating around that had 87 serials. GT had stored a bunch somewhere and stumbled on them/remembered them so they stickered them up as 90 models, most were sold through Albe's.

SrRaV1981 · 2012-12-04 12:02pm

it's just the way they built them. They stocked up on builds months before the next model year. No different than a dealership selling the 2013 model year car months before jan 1st 2013.. It's the 2013 model but not like they waited until jan 1st to start making them..

I have a 1990 model GT Vertigo that was made in June 1989.. It was built, badged, boxed and sat on a shelf until GT started shipping the 90 models to the stores which was prob around December 1989...

houndog · 2012-12-04 12:11pm

Cool. Thanks for all the clarifications. I will put this bike in the museum as an 89', despite the serial number. stay tuned. this one came out great. changed it from black to white.

chromey · 2012-12-04 12:23pm

SARON81 wrote:
Perhaps a left over 88 frame redecaled as a 89 when new?
5/88 seems to early to be a 89 model.

Agreed,
Maybe it was just decaled and shipped out of the factory late enough to make the 89 shipments to the bike shops.

Your frame has 88 features though too.
The typical 89 frames have the cable guide underneath the top tube to route to brakes on the upper brake bridge on the seat stays.
This model (like most 88s) have the cable guide under the down tube - routing the brake cable under the BB to the brakes on the chainstays.

So yes, basically its an 88 frame, factory decaled as an 89.
To answer your question as the "Why?" .. Who knows..... I'm sure that happened more than once back then, and not just by GT. Its called "get rid of the leftovers".

Last edited by chromey (2012-12-05 8:22am)

cdridesonly · 2012-12-04 4:05pm

I love the 89 decals.

houndog · 2012-12-04 6:03pm

chromey wrote:
SARON81 wrote:
Perhaps a left over 88 frame redecaled as a 89 when new?
5/88 seems to early to be a 89 model.
Agreed,
Maybe it was just decaled and shipped out of the factory late enough to make the 89 shipments to the bike shops.

Your fame has 88 features though too.
The typical 89 frames have the cable guide underneath the top tube to route to brakes on the upper brake bridge on the seat stays.
This model (like most 88s) have the cable guide under the down tube - routing the brake cable under the BB to the brakes on the chainstays.

So yes, basically its an 88 frame, factory decaled as an 89.
To answer your question as the "Why?" .. Who knows..... I'm sure that happened more than once back then, and not just by GT. Its called "get rid of the leftovers".

Oh man. Excellent point. I'm very surprised that no one else has pointed this out yet----about the cable guide being on the top tube. I didn't even think about it, nor did I pay attention to it in the catalogs. Yeah, this bike should be an 88 but since it came as an 89, it will stay an 89. pics soon... I think you guys will dig the resto on this thing.

SrRaV1981 · 2012-12-04 7:39pm

I got a few questions about the decals. Are you going with the 89 decals?

The original ones on it, was the right side down tube decal shorter than the left?
The top tube decals, was the word performer on the left side of the rainbow design on both side of the frame?

houndog · 2012-12-05 5:04am

SrRaV1981 wrote:
I got a few questions about the decals. Are you going with the 89 decals?

The original ones on it, was the right side down tube decal shorter than the left?
The top tube decals, was the word performer on the left side of the rainbow design on both side of the frame?

Yes, the bike will have 89 decals. Going to assemble this weekend and will post. BUT, when I get home from work today I'll get the pics of the bike before restoration. I'll check it out then.

Ryan D · 2012-12-05 4:43pm

Yeah the serial is just the manufacturing date and doesn't always determine the model year. That is early but it happens. Someone here had a 89 performer pit bike dated 87 I think! It looked all original too with 89 decals and 89 parts.

houndog · 2012-12-08 5:17pm

Finished it up today. I think it came out looking fresh. Despite the serial number, it will be submitted as a 1989.

DemonGT · 2012-12-08 6:09pm

that came out great

if the mods give you crap about the year show them the pics before restore.

Login

confirmation on GT year

confirmation on GT year

#2 2012-06-30 5:26am

Re: confirmation on GT year

#3 2012-06-30 5:45am

Re: confirmation on GT year

maximum85 wrote:

#4 2012-06-30 8:34am

Re: confirmation on GT year

#5 2012-12-03 5:43pm

Re: confirmation on GT year

#6 2012-12-04 10:25am

Re: confirmation on GT year

#7 2012-12-04 10:52am

Re: confirmation on GT year

#8 2012-12-04 11:19am

Re: confirmation on GT year

#9 2012-12-04 11:24am

Re: confirmation on GT year

SrRaV1981 wrote:

#10 2012-12-04 11:27am

Re: confirmation on GT year

#11 2012-12-04 12:02pm

Re: confirmation on GT year

#12 2012-12-04 12:11pm

Re: confirmation on GT year

#13 2012-12-04 12:23pm

Re: confirmation on GT year

SARON81 wrote:

#14 2012-12-04 4:05pm

Re: confirmation on GT year

#15 2012-12-04 6:03pm

Re: confirmation on GT year

chromey wrote:

SARON81 wrote:

#16 2012-12-04 7:39pm

Re: confirmation on GT year

#17 2012-12-05 5:04am

Re: confirmation on GT year

SrRaV1981 wrote:

#18 2012-12-05 4:43pm

Re: confirmation on GT year

#19 2012-12-08 5:17pm

Re: confirmation on GT year

#20 2012-12-08 6:09pm

Re: confirmation on GT year

Board footer