Just when i thought i had it figured out, this came along: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...em=150313114916.

The owner sent me additional pics to my email and I could see that:

Is has a strait serial # behind the bb c5000295
It has the colored metalic badge.
1 Hole in the back brake bridge
The down tube and stays look normal cali size

I would assume that is is and 85 californian made in USA but

It has the original (looks old and warn out) seat post tube decal/sticker that says:

"Made in Taiwan"
"californian 1984"

I would think that the frame itself would dictate what it is and not the decal so...

1. Where all strait Serial # frames definetly made in USA???

2. Where the Tai frames (M5-J12345 type serial #onthe BB) manufactured (welded and Chromed in Tailand. But then the bikes where shipped to the USA, built and stickered up and then distributed to bike stores.
2a. If so then would this frame, if really made in the USA, just have had that decal put on it because that was the decal available, even though it is the wrong year and country??????

Any other clues, ideas, understanding.

if you need to see the pics, i could post them some where but its a pain.


O another quesstion, but not related to this, did they make a supergoose III in 1985, I know in 83 they started but not sure when they stopped. It seems like that frame style in 84 became the 10 year anni and in 85 the Eric Rupe???

i don't think any Mongoose frames were USA made later than '82 or 83.

There are many Mongooses similar to that and there are many variances. I have an `84 just like that with an M5B06505 S# on the BB and has `84 head tube sticker instead of a badge, but `85 seat post decal. I also have an `84 Californian with s# D5000200 on the gusset fully factory stickered as an `84. The one you are referencing in the ebay auction actually has a sticker on the headtube, not a badge as you state, and it is just a normal looptail (M1/Expert/Californian). I believe all standard looptails built after `83 were made in Taiwan, and that's what the seatpost decals reflect. I own or have owned many of both, and I really can't see any difference in quality between the two.

The looptail Supergoose was made in `83 & `84. It came back in `89, but used the new wishbone style looptail frame. The Rupes were restickered Pro Class's, not Supergooses.

Thanks, i updated with more questions from the same post as this one on the other site.