Decoding Serial Numbers UK made Thorn Frames

[martyn]

I have picked up the idea here or on somewhere else on the web that the two letters before the numbers relate to the framebuilder. Looking at our tandems, two start LA followed by five or six digits. A recent posting on Facebook mentioned Lee Cooper as a possible builder for a 1999 Vittesse.  Checking Lee Cooper's website I see that during the period he was building for Thorn his business was called LA Cycles so this would all seem to tie up nicely. Our 2004 Discovery has MM as the first two letters but I've no leads on who that means or the KA on a year 2000 or 2001 frame.

The numbers might be serial number within month and year but I can't get an oder that works with all the numbers we have seen.

Can anyone fill out the meaning of Thorn serial numbers for the bikes made in the UK?

[in4]

Probably just adds to your research but my MK 1 Nomad frame an LA plus numbers stamped under the bb. Additionally it had a ‘67’ indicating frame size too. I recall the frame was from LA cycles and I think they were based in the Coventry area UK. I’ll trawl my photo archives to see if I can find a photo of the bb I took when selling my Nomad. Lovely bike; ridden UK to NZ by a lady purchaser a few years back.

[martyn]

Thanks for the information on your LA serial number. I've has a closer look at the bike I thought had a KA number but it turns out to be LA as well with a date in early 2001 - more easily decoded on the fork steerer column. The MM is a newer bike - 2004 so it looks like they didn't go straight from Lee Cooper to all imported.

[Danneaux]

  See:
https://leecoopercycles.webs.com/aboutme.htm

Best,

Dan.