Orange Prestige frame numbers

[kafer-k]

Hi, I've just pulled my old Orange Prestige out of my dad's garage and was wondering if there was a way I could tell the year from the frame number?

I know it was early nineties but trying to work out which year...

A0194247

Does it mean it was made Jan '94, I was thinking it was earlier? It is powder coated black with purple Orange square type decals.

The front derailleur cable routing is along the down tube.

 

[brocklanders023]

Are the decals original? If so then I'd say around 92/93 as the square decals didn't show up until then. Prestige went out of production in 1993 so it can't be later.

Going from the frame number I would have said it was a Jan 1990 but I don't trust my dating method any more.

 

[kafer-k]

I seem to remember the decals were later than what was right from the frame when it was powder coated.

Thanks for your info on when it went out of production that definitely rules out 94. I've worked out I bought it second hand in 93 thinking about it more.

1990 would make sense and is closer to the age I thought it was.

 

[coomber]

1992 looks like this I believe: (if you use the search button you can see clockworkgaz's build where I nicked this photo from)

Great bikes, love to get one someday!

 

[kafer-k]

Cheers coomber (fellow devonian!)
The frame looks the same as the pic - did they make any changes 90-92 other than paint/decals?
The decals I have are purple block type and I remember they were much more modern than they should have been when I got them. I'm pretty sure it had the serif(?) font logos originally before the respray.

brocklanders023 - what is your frame number dating technique - does it put clockworkgaz's frame at 92?

 

[Anthony]

I haven't seen a serial number quite like that before, so it might be worth checking it. The meaning is in the A019, not in the last four numbers. Normally it would mean that it was made in the 19th month of 1990, but I have my doubts about that. Sometimes though the second digit goes with the A and the date is in the 3rd and 4th. In that case, this number could mean September 1991, and that would mean the frame was produced for the 1992 model range. That's still a bit odd though, I would have thought it would have been A0109 for that.

I think the Prestige was made from 1991 to 1993. The earliest ones can be identified from the seatstay joining the seat tube well below the top tube, as in the picture below. I think the one that Coomber has pictured is a 1992 frame as he suggests. If yours is more like the black one, then it tends to confirm the possible September 91 date and 92 model year.

 

[brocklanders023]

Gazz's frame is my old one so I know that's a '92.

Anthony's system is the one I follow but I must admit your serial number has confused me. :?

 

[kafer-k]

Thanks Anthony,

I double checked it and you're right I've misread it, ......sorry!

The frame number is A1094247

So if I am understanding this correct it would mean its a September 91 (92 model). This follows your hunch as the seatstay joins like Coomber's pic.

I must have been disillusioned about the serif font, maybe the memory of wrong decals was the colour rather than the font (the purple has very little contrast on the black).

 

[Anthony]

If you look in skiddaw's coincidental thread, he is talking about his old Prestige with very close number A1094197, copy of his holiday snap shown below. I guess that will represent the original paint and decals for this batch of frames.

 

[kafer-k]

That is crazy only 2 digits different!!!!!!!!



Thanks Anthony, I'll dust it off and take some pics soon, I don't think its been ridden for at least 10 years as I gave it to my dad and he stuck it in his garage when the Hope ultralite flange broke!