SWM Identification Help

[TT]

I've got a frame number, can anyone give me any idea of what year I'm looking at, please?
*USA*SWM*RS175GS*D*OO46*

[NSR]

Like this but in a 175


Kinda like this

[TT]

Thanks Noel,
It looks very much like the top one, but with leading axle forks.I'm being told it was bought in 1977. 

[NSR]

Tony I got that wrong. This is the 77-78 RS GS.  I think the one above maybe a 79.

[TT]

Interesting stuff. I was just looking through the '77/'78 RS GS parts book and it lists both leading axle and straight forks. I also found a photo of a '77 RS250GS in Italy with the bendy swingarm like mine.
So maybe it is possible that mine is that year like the owner claimed. 

[Canam370]

My 2 bobs worth - straight steel swingarm puts it as a RSGS, not TF1.

[supermoto.mc]

if it has leading axle forks maybe part mx in there some where

[GMC]

[TT]

Thanks for all the input, gentlemen.
I've been trying to nail this down once and for all over the past couple of days and he's what I've come up with.
I have a 1977 RS175GS with 250 top end (subsequently sleeved to 280).  It has a steel tank. The swingarm has been modified and lengthened, hence my confusion into thinking it was a later model.
SWM did offer leading axle forks as an option for the enduro models (they're listed in the parts book) but I've never seen another one with them other than mine.
I can relax now I finally know what I've got. 
It's certainly a looooong way from being a nice original bike, but I didn't pay a lot for it and hopefully I can turn it into something fun to ride. 

[supermoto.mc]

sorry they didnt... only mx had leading axle... as for the 250 -175 you have a short stroke engine with a 74mm boar not the real 280 which was a long stroke  are you from usa as your frame prefix states? oh i was one of the weird swm riders in the era sold them 7 years

[TT]

oh i was one of the weird swm riders in the era sold them 7 years

Beauty, you can answer the millions of questions I've got then. 

It's weird about the forks as the bike came out of the crate with them. Confirmed by owner and dealer. (I bought it off the original owner) And also weird that the parts book shows them as well on a '77 RS GS.

Were you a dealer here in Australia or in Europe or U.S?
I only ask as I wonder if it was a Euro thing. I was told that this bike was delivered to the U.S. in 1976, but is a actually 1977 model. It sat in it's crate in the back of Barry Higgins' shop in Georgia until the guy I bought it from, bought it off him in the early 80's.
But the other weird thing is that I can't find an engine number. Where is it supposed to be?
Thanks in advance for all the help you're going to give me.  ;

P.S. Whay sort of tranmission oil should I use.
It has gear oil in it now. 80W?

[paul]

ask rotax were the engine number is
http://www.rotax.com/en/

[supermoto.mc]

so i correct my statement Australian  prefix swm were shipped here with inline forks until i think tf3  81 when a nsw distributor took over from Bert Flood.....Gear box oil we always used ATF ie to lighten the clutch operation never a problem

[supermoto.mc]

ps  i forgot eng number ??mine were top of the engine cases  in front s/a pivot R/h side   BUT i have seen it underneath  stamped by hand

[TT]

Yeah, I'm in Australia but the bike was U.S. delivered.
Thanks a lot for the info, Mr. Supermoto.