Muddy Fox dating

[Valeboy]

Hi Guys, I have a black Muddy Fox MB-MF 26 A which I believe I bought in 1988
Unsure whether Courier or Explorer
Down tube sticker says S & G Cycles made by Araya
Seat tube has Araya 480509 stamped on it
Champion Mountain Bike purple & pink sticker just below seat
Shimano brakes

Can anyone confirm year of manufacture for me?
Also I am changing the bars so lose my front brake cable fitting, where can I get a stem fitting that will work?

Thanks.

 

[drystonepaul]

Mr Kawasaki had an S&G Cycles Muddy Fox which he'd determined was from 1986.
There's a bit of info here:--> viewtopic.php?t=138012

I'm not sure, but I think that the Muddy Fox brand really established itself in 1987 and lost the S&G Cycles moniker. The model names including 'Courier' and 'Explorer' were also first seen then too.

It'd be great to see some photos of your bike.

 

[Valeboy]

Excellent, thats it exactly! Thanks, I kept thinking it could be '87, seems it's poss.

 

[drystonepaul]

Happy to help.

 

[Augustus]

As Paul says, pre 88.

I believe S&G moniker was dropped in 87, so the last S&G i remember being available was in 86.

1987 was the same jam jar labels but jam jar paw print head tube stickers as well.

1988 was jam jar paw print head tube and plain black bold decals on down/ top tubes..

 

[drcarlos]

Some of the S&G era bikes also had names, the pathfinder name first appeared in about 1985 on an S&G muddyfox, resurrected in 1989.
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... =muddy+fox
Be nice to see some pictures but it does sound pre-87 to me.

Carl

 

[Valeboy]

Thanks guys, MF does not appear on the bike, must be one of the last before the change over of name transfer

 

[Unclejack]

I think its an 84 as its exactly the same as mine - and the frame number is 9 away from MADB's bike! so I guess they're sisters!