should vin numbers frame motor match

[GoTa550indy]

have owned a 1974 GT550 for 2 1/2 years and wondering if the frame and motor vin # should match? When I search the forum for vin info nothing comes up = no matches. please help thank you

[tricky1962]

I can't help with GT550s but read somewhere (don't ask for a link because it was three years ago) that T500 numbers don't always match

[Madbuffalo]

Frame and motor vin numbers will not match. Ian Sandy of this forum compiled loads of good information for our bikes (see link below) that includes frame and engine #'s per year.
http://www.oldjapanesebikes.com/mraxl_G ... les/page-5" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[GoTa550indy]

Thanks for your help!!!

[Alan H]

Definitely not.
Suzuki had one production line for engines, and one for the rest.
Depends what the 'fetcher' picked up for that particular bike.

[ConnerVT]

Actually, Suzuki did a pretty good job of keeping the frame and engine VINs pretty much aligned. What I understand is that an occasional motor was pulled out of the line for quality assurance issues. The VIN numbers would then be out of sync, with the engine VIN being slightly higher than the frame.

[GT750Battleship]

+1 things got out of "out of whack" as stated due to quality control,crankcases found to be defective for lots of reasons...I still think Suzuki & Honda are a little ahead of the other Japanese Manufactures in regard to build quality ?
Cheers,
Roger

[pearljam724]

Definitely not.
Suzuki had one production line for engines, and one for the rest.
Depends what the 'fetcher' picked up for that particular bike.

The 'fetcher' ? Lol ! " Hey Jong Kong Lee, go fetch me that 750 A model engine over there." " No, Chung Ho Lee." That engine too heavy and far." " I fetch you this one."

[GT750Battleship]

What happened to Who Flung Dung !!! not at work that day ? or his cousin, wung hung low !
Cheers,
Roger

[jabcb]

At least in some cases, the VINs matched at the beginning of production for a new model.
But the #s drift apart during production as they likely pulled motors from the line for various reasons.

For example, 1969 was the first year for T350s & my early 1969 T350 has matching VINs.

[Coyote]

I seem to remember my 75 GT550 had frame and engine numbers that were very far apart. I know the bike had been wrecked at least once as the forks were bent and even the lower triple tree was twisted. I do doubt however that it had an engine change. Jabcb would have to verify the numbers
This post prompted me to check my current 76 GT550. The numbers are surprisingly close together for being in it's fifth year of production. Frame # 67916. Engine # 67999.

[jabcb]

I seem to remember my 75 GT550 had frame and engine numbers that were very far apart. I know the bike had been wrecked at least once as the forks were bent and even the lower triple tree was twisted. I do doubt however that it had an engine change. Jabcb would have to verify the numbers
This post prompted me to check my current 76 GT550. The numbers are surprisingly close together for being in it's fifth year of production. Frame # 67916. Engine # 67999.

Good memory.
Difference between the motor VIN & frame VIN is 02368, with the motor VIN being later (numerically higher).

[Coyote]

Hmmm.. Maybe the motor was changed before I got it' . The bike was built in 08/74, making it a 75. I don't have a lost of motor VIN's. Is the motor the same year?

[oldjapanesebikes]

Early T500's have matched numbers - up to late 1970 at least. With the GT750's and I suspect other early 1970's models also, you have to keep in mind that the domestic market in Japan had its own numbering for the frames, but generally pulled the engines off the same line as the export versions (the obvious exception being the split-head GT750 models). If you factor in the JDM production numbers then they are fairly close. As an example, if you look at GT380 export production in 1975 you have a starting frame of 65984 and engine of 73764, so a 7780 delta. Domestic GT380 production up till 1975 was 7182 machines so now you are only dealing with a gap of about 600 which is a more reasonable number for spares, replacements and discards. For the GT550, domestic production till 1974 was 1552 and the delta in the export numbers for frames and engines is 1566, so again, pretty close.

And as a matter of interest - I have two 'J' frames with original engines and sequential frame numbers which confirm Alan H's comment, the 'fetcher' snagged engine 16206 for the lower numbered frame, and engine 16203 for the higher numbered frame.

[Alan H]

My original GT550 J which I bought in the first month of imports into the UK, and I believe was the first registered in the North of England had a frame number of 10595 and engine 10576. This was registered in August 1972 (21st birthday present to myself!!) so it looks like Mr Fetcher got to the engine store before the frame line.
I have another GT550 J - first registered in October 1972 with F 13923/E 15183 which hopefully will be next year's project, but that unfortunately came without engine cases.
So I looked around for a replacement and found (yet another!) GT550 which had been 'built from parts' according to the reg docs with a F 59791(M) and E 15169(J) which is only 14 engine numbers away from what it was originally. What's the odds of finding one that close? Anyway, it runs and I have the original carbs etc so that will be sorted in the fullness of time.
All I need then is to sort/build a running engine for that one and sell it on with the other 550K that I have as an unused parts bike - and another garage full of spares of course!!
The GT550A that I'm currently doing has F 65600 and E68677, which are 3077 apart but as the http://www.ozebook.com/compendium/suzi/ ... engnos.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; data suggests, they started at 2735 apart so must have 'lost' or rearranged 300 or so engines by the time mine was made.

Devilish clever those Japanese yer know!!