Abu 505

[BeechmereLake]

Paddex, your reel was before ABU changed the serial numbers, from 1964 when they first started to stamp reels the year of the reel was the middle two digits of that number, your reel showing 110702 will date it as November 1967, shortly after this the serial numbers were changed and the year of manufacture was the first two digits. It would seem that with the emergence of the 503 came different drag systems, different color cowlings, handles and stickers and a year after the 503 came the 506 which was another different reel all together, possible then the serial numbers too were changed.
I think the handles are painted black as the edges wear of to easy but hey maybe some were anodized black, if they were I have yet to see one.

[Paddex]

One thing I can tell you is in 1971 the handles went from red to black paint finish

shoudn't my '67 reel have a red handle then, BL?
I have an Abumatic 170 with red handle, number 087003, August '70 I suppose then,
but my Ambassadeur bought new in Sweden in '71 has the number 167960
if 11-07-02 is Nov '67, what is 16-79-60 then and I have it since '71?

[BeechmereLake]

I think your reel is borderline with the release of the 503, I would need to find more than one fishing reel with a certain date and colour handle on it to say "ITS CORRECT" but as a collector i would say anything is possible.
Your serial number for your abumatic I believe is correct but the Ammby is a whole new ball game, my good friend Wayne Real from Australia is the one to ask about this and had his famous website no been removed for work to be done on it I could of told you about the Ammby serial numbers, they are something I dont have any interest in but do remember reading something odd about ambassadeur serial numbers

[BeechmereLake]

I just re-checked Waynes site and its live again but seems a lot of info is missing but I have come up with this from someone else which may or maynot explain the Ambassadeur serial numbers.

1. 5 figure numbers-------------XXXXX--------------normally given to the "Record" ambassadeurs.
2. 6 figure serialized-----------eg. 179911------------Late 50's to early 60's.
3. 6 figure numbers-----------xx06xx------------------usually mid-60's. You replace the "0" in the middle with the number "6" to de-code it. My example given would be 1966. The earliest number that we've seen using this format is an 04----which would translate, of course, into 1964.
4. 6 figure number------------71xxxx OR xx71xx-----the 70's--where either the first 2 or the middle 2 will give you the year.
5. The 80's are same as 70's but in the 80's, it will almost always be the first 2 numbers.
6.Late 80's to early 90's---------3 pair of numbers separated by hyphen.
7. Late 90's--------06006 or 04006 refers to a reel made in 1996.
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