Zaphod Beeblebrox 

Post your Austro Daimler Model and Serial Number along with its date of original manufacture or if you don't know that, original date of purchase, or best estimate based on component Dates.

There is an existing Database here maintained by ClassicRendevouz. Perhaps we can add to that here...perhaps with a bit more date accuracy.

ScottRyder 

Thanks for getting this thread going Zaphod!

Mine's a red "Ultima Superleicht", mostly likely built in '75 or so.

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ghlight=ultima

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...3#post12674283

The problem with mine is that it doesn't have a serial number ... if it did have a number it could possibly be 00000001. I'm still working on getting that confirmed and waiting for the weather to clear so I can get some nice photographs.







Scott

Wildwood 

81 AD Olympian - ser # 6836885
Bike was thrown together with spare parts for "quality of ride check".
Will be assembled with Arabesque group and tubies.

qualla

Inter-10 #6222500
Purchased new around 1980.
The usual lovely A-D purple/brown/mahogany/maroon metallic with gold box lining & decals. All 531. Still has original Huret derailers and original headset. Converted to 650b.

Wildwood 

bump
get those AD bikes listed!

ScottRyder 

I'd love to see photos of the conversion ..

Scott

Roger M

early 80s? SLE - 6978506. I have it stripped down to the frame now. Will put it back together in the next few days.

I really like the color on this bike.

TheOtherGuy

My Superleicht; I've been calling it a '76. I'll have to dig it out & look for a serial #. Yeah, I know... Saddle & rear derailleur pictured are completely wrong.. Has a UnicaNitor on it now.




I also have an early red Ultima without braze-on cable guides, I'll look for a # on it when I can.

ScottRyder 

wow, good stuff here ..

Scott

collier

I have an Inter 10. I *think* the serial number is 6012750, though only the top parts of the 1 and 2 are visible, so I suppose it's possible they are a 4 and 3 respectively.

Actually, there are two numbers on the bottom part of the frame. The other one looks like this: [ ] 00315. And there other stray letters and numbers: an A and a 4 superimposed upside-down on the 00315 number, and a stray 5 off to the side. Can anyone tell me what those symbols mean?

I'm also hoping someone can tell me the year of manufacture...I'm thinking 1978 or 1979.

ScottRyder 

Collier, we'd love to see photos .. sometimes I think Austro-Daimler serial numbers were picked in some lottery fashion .. I've yet to get a feel for their logic. Mostly likely the component codes will get you a bit closer.

Good to see this thread bumped up.

Scott

lueckebw

I bought my AD SLE in late spring or early summer 1981, although I believe it is a 1980 model. The serial number is 6242604.

It has a Reynolds 531 frame with a Nervar crank, Weinmann rims and brakes (date stamp is 01 79 on both front and rear brakes), Huret derailleurs and shifters (date stamps of 0579 and 0679). The bike is Salzburg blue with gold striping around the lugs. The bike is all original, except the tires, brake pads, handle bar tape and cables. I rode it a lot for the first few years, but then it got put away and was hardly used. The last 2 years, it has been put back into service, ridden nearly every day during the riding season.

I don't have any pictures, but I'll try to get some (after I get it cleaned up).

lueckebw

Looks like I spoke too soon. Yesterday, I discovered a hole in my right pedal, where the outer bearings are located. You can see the ball bearings rolling around. So, I had to replace the pedals. For now, I went with a pair of Shimano pedals, and I'll use my cleats, but I'm thinking of looking for another original set, in case I want to go back to the original look with the toe-clips. Anyone know what brand the pedals were in 1980? I can't find a name stamped on them anywhere. They are stamped W. Germany.

Thanks.

ScottRyder 

Serial Number: 60 1988 1

I've been looking for a Vent Noir for a long time, it finally arrived a week or so ago. I found it on the Indiana Craigslist and queried whether the owner would be willing to ship. He was and he made sure it was carefully and professionally packed. Other than me switching out the saddle for a Brooks Pro, it arrived in the same condition it appears in the photos. I didn't even need to wipe it down or dust it off.




More photos available on my A-D blog:

https://austro-daimler.posterous.com/...r-vent-noir-ii

Due to the heavy rain we've had I was lucky enough to take advantage of the reflections in the water, as I did when I photographed my Ultima.

Scott

southpawboston

Duuuuuuuude. That bike is screaming hot. Nice score! Is that a clearcoat finish over bare metal? Or just gunmetal grey?

ScottRyder 

No, it's just chrome but with a black/gold tinge to it. This photo shows it the best but it still doesn't do it justice:



Scott

jjames1452 

Has anyone heard of an AD Starlight? I have one. I purchased the frame in the mid 80's from a distributor in central Ohio. I put shimano 600 components on the bike. I have not seen another like it.

ScottRyder 

Is it spelled "Starleicht" or "Starlight"?

The Starleicht shows up on the '82 A-D catalog:

https://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalog...Starleicht.jpg

I'd love to see photos of it, especially the decals.

Scott

TheOtherGuy

Many of those scans came from an enthusiast in Austria, and they show models not always available in the USA.

BTW- here's the serial on my red Ultima. I'm guessing the frame was from about '76-'77, as there are no top tube cable guides brazed on.

williamldavis

Here is my baby (serial number 7415895). Based on the absence of manuals for a particular year on bulgier.net, I believe this to be an 83' or 84'. Would love to know for certain.

The photos show how it came to me.

Reynolds 531 frame, Campy downtube shifters, front and rear derailleurs, Nervar crank, Weinman side pull brakes with drilled levers, no head badge, drilled out sprockets, braze ons.

Unfortunately I incorrectly listed it on Classic Rendezvous as an 'Vent Noir SLE.' Pretty certain no such beast exists.

ScottRyder 

William, what is the material covering the decal on the top tube? It's odd because I've never seen an A-D top tube decal using that type face ..

Scott

williamldavis

Scott,

I'll try to get a better shot, that photo really makes it look like a sticker vs a decal. That top tube decal has always seemed weird looking compared to the other decals, almost out of place...not worn like the other decals.

I also failed to mention the dropouts are Gipiemme.

The closest I've found to my bike is at the following link

https://chuck.kichline.com/bikes/advn/default.htm

If you look closely at these photos you can almost see the outline of where a similiar top tube decal may have been on that SLE. Obviously mine does not have the head badge.

Still not entirely sure what i have.

Thanks for your interest though, it is appreciated

williamldavis

Chuck,

I love knowing there is someone else out there with such a similar bike. The attention to detail on these older bikes is what makes them so intriguing. Just cleaning the nooks and crannies of the bike takes time, i can't imagine how long it took to build. It is like looking at the ornate details of an old skyscraper, only this one has wheels. :-)

Chuck, not sure if you have the bike? If so, does it seem like there used to be a decal on that top tube near the braze-on closest to the head tube?

Take care.

lueckebw

William,

Very cool. The color has a chromed look to it. Is that just the picture, or is it really that way? My SLE (a 1980 model) has the same blue color that shows around your "AD SLE" decal. I wonder if someone taped off the decal prior to painting the rest of the frame, so that may be the original frame paint around the decal. I've not seen that font for the top-tube decal, but my experience is limited to only a handful of AD bikes.

Anyone know the difference between the AD-SL and the AD-SLE models? It seems like the SLE only came about around 1978 or 1979 - the earlier bikes were called the AD-SL. While I was reading the AD history page again today, I started to wonder if the AD-SLE is simply an SL with all European components. Based on my own bike (and a second one I am currently rebuilding) this theory could be true. Or it could be hogwash (given the sample size of 2).

Bruce

williamldavis

Bruce,

No blue under the decal, this is the smoked chrome picking up the sky. The finish has a pearlescent color that really changes color in the light. Sometimes it looks brown or gold. Off axis you get the bluing and purplish tones. Much like the barrel of some rifles. Didn't AD dabble in rifles at some point.

It is also tough as nails. The guy i bought it from took a wire brush to it when i was considering the purchase. The ocd perfectionist in me wanted to beat him.

Just realized this may count as thread highjacking...sorry about that. I should probably opine about this bike in a different thread. Anyhow my serial number is listed way back. Thanks guys/girls.