Mongoose Bikes Serial Numbers

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Frame ID Serial # Interpreting the Serial numbers and features on BMX Products, Inc. FramesIdentifying the serial numbers on the early Mongoose frames is actually quite easy and intuitive. For the most part the early Mongoose frames from 1975 and into early 1976 were done with hand stamped 5 digit numbers starting from 10000. For example, a frame from 1975 will have the numbers like 11994.A feature of an early 1975 frame is the brake tab. The brake tab on these frames is rectangular in shape. Some time late 1975 and onwards it became a single layer of steel, more oval and thinner in shape.The early 75 coaster brake tab is also thicker and is comprised of two layers of steel welded togetherAnother feature of an early 1975 frame was the chainstay brace where it connected the seat tube.

Note the flared shape of the 75 frame vs the later style (which carried on through all the later years of this frame style) and the extended seat tube.A further feature was the headtube was offset to extend more to the bottom than it was to the top. It is our guess that it was done this way to allow clearance for the squarer shoulder on Ashtabula forks. This feature carried over for the first few years till the ashtabula forks were replaced with the more rounder style Tange made forks.In early 1976, the letter C was added to denote Cromo ' During the early production of the Mongoose frames they were made using 1010 steel tubing,when we found problems with the heat from welding and breakage at the weld points they were changed to Chrome Molly tubing. Both frames looked the same but we need some way of determined the difference due to the frames being nickel plated or powder coated paint,it was impossible to tell the difference in the material for warranty reasons.

The letter C was used for chrome molly.' So the serial numbers would look like C17834.Another feature of an early frame built in 1975 - 1977 was the extra single gusset above the bottom bracket.In May 1976 the serial number process changed again with the addition of a month code. From here frames were stamped with the letter C for Cromo, a letter for the month, and a number for the year of production. Gusset at the front behind the headtube. A round hole below the upper seat mast.

Unique Heliarc weld pattern ('heli arc' is another name for TIG. It's proper name is GTAW, or Gas Tungsten Arc Welding. The 'heli' in heli arc comes from the shielding gas helium that was used. )NON GUSSETT FRAMES (POST 1982 FRAMES)To start with, any frame with a serial number starting with 'M' was made in Tiawan in the Merida factory. In 1982, BMX Products started to manufacture a new range of non-gussett frame starting with the Pro Class 20' frames. Then next came the first Californian and Expert frames and were USA made, while they were getting setup for Tiawan production.

The top of the range frames were USA made, (ie: Pro class, Rupe, Supergoose). USA made frames continued the standard USA numbering.

After the company was sold to Service Cycle, it seems all frame production was moved to Tiawan.

Quote:By the way, did I tell you that the guy ran GT's in house fabrication for the last ten years (he recently retired) was none other than Gilbert Axt. Do you remember Race, Inc.? That was Gilbert.He also did the original PK Ripper for SE Racing. History, man.It might be a really cool thing if I can track down Gilbert now and interview him for you.THAT is the kind of stuff that belongs in the BMX Museum!Yep, thats the stuff that belongs in there and not here.Bill Bastian owned Race Inc until its demise and in later years went to GT.Gilbert was a welder at Race Inc June 11, 2005, 02:53 PM: Message edited by: Bill Curtin. Would it be a supergoose?it had no name cranks w/ a sugino spider.KKT K-MX pedals.the bars had no markings, but are nice.045 wall and chrome plated.the bikes were owned by two brothers and the parts on the tho bikes were swaped.pro class rims and nice bars on the Rampar.dept store bars on the Mongoose.this guy also had a box stock Pro Raider as a grocery getter.he also has a PL20 Carrera f/f + extras he would sell for around 100.00 i need to check s/n.the highlight of the deal that i'm trying to convince him that he could let go is a Hutch 24 i think it's just f/f. He wants to make it the new grocery getter.