T500 Frame and Engine Numbers

[oldjapanesebikes]

The VIN on my '69 T500 is 22298.

Thanks Frank - that puts it in the middle of the range - and it is a Mk II ?

[Frank T]

Yes it is a mk II with a GT500 front end.

[oldjapanesebikes]

Nice !

[diamondj]

The Vin on my '69 is 20085. I have a pair of Cobras - one with 12666 and the other is 14XXX (sorry I don't recall the last three digits right now). My '70 T500 III is 27691.

As I understand it, the frame and engine numbers matched until some time in the 1973 model year when something went awry in Hamamatsu between the frames and the engines.

My 68's, 69, 70, and 71 all have matching frame and engine numbers. My '75 does not.

Hope this helps!

Jim

[diamondj]

Frank,

That is a stunning 1969 T500 and is the color I want to paint mine when I start rebuilding it.

Jim

[oldjapanesebikes]

Thanks Frank and Jim - I have added those to the list I've started keeping. As these pop up here and there what I'll do is make a note of high and low numbers in the production range - so not a registry as such, but just attempting to zero in on the model change points. The later years appear to be fairly well documented so the focus is more on the very early ones, and as well on the highest 'B' model numbers recorded.

I may be able to share the spreadsheet easily via a URL - still looking at options.

[oldjapanesebikes]

The spreadsheet I'm using to track the early frame numbers it can be found at this link . If you own an early T500 model 500/5, MK1, MkII, MkIII or a model B that has a frame and/or engine number lower or higher than what I've listed then I'd like to hear from you !

[jabcb]

1968 T500 sold on eBay on July 31, 2011 by Paul Miller. VIN T500-10221
1968 T500 sold on eBay on August 21, 2011. VIN T500-14223

My topic:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4609&start=15

eBay sales:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1968-Suz ... 0634764916
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1968-Suz ... 0361459053

[ericsattic]

Hello all, glad everyone would like to get these things sorted out so the more data the better. My Cobra has a matching VIN / Engine number, 13558 - as we know the ID plate on the steering column has no manufacture date but this bike has always been titled as a 1968 (purchased new in Iowa in '68 by original owner). My 1970 T500-III also has matching VIN / Engine number 29227 and the ID plate gives a build date of May 1970. Do the 1969 Mark II models feature ID plates with build dates? If so, would be nice if members with Mark II and Mark III models could report build dates here too.

[ericsattic]

The VIN on my '69 T500 is 22298.

Does the ID plate on the steering column for the 69 model have a manufacture date on it? My 1970 ID plate has a manufacture date stamped on the top and the VIN number stamped on the bottom...

[ericsattic]

The Vin on my '69 is 20085. I have a pair of Cobras - one with 12666 and the other is 14XXX (sorry I don't recall the last three digits right now). My '70 T500 III is 27691.

As I understand it, the frame and engine numbers matched until some time in the 1973 model year when something went awry in Hamamatsu between the frames and the engines.

My 68's, 69, 70, and 71 all have matching frame and engine numbers. My '75 does not.

Hope this helps!

Jim

If it's not too much trouble can you find the manufacture or build dates on your 69 and 70 models? My 1970 model has a manufacture date stamped on the top of the ID plate and the VIN is on the bottom... see my other posts for relevant information.

[diamondj]

If it's not too much trouble can you find the manufacture or build dates on your 69 and 70 models? My 1970 model has a manufacture date stamped on the top of the ID plate and the VIN is on the bottom... see my other posts for relevant information.

Yeah sorry too much trouble....

Just kidding! The '69 does NOT have a build date. The data tag is the same style as the '68. The '70 however was built in April of 1970 and has the later style data plate.

I also noted the VIN on my later '68 which is T500-14751

Jim

[oldjapanesebikes]

1968 T500 sold on eBay on July 31, 2011 by Paul Miller. VIN T500-10221

Thanks - I've added it.

This appears to be both an 11 fin barrel, and also a long wheel base frame - if true, then Diamond J's comment about the number of 500/5's being in the low hundreds may be optimistic It may also mean that the 10 fin barrels, contrary to the period press of the day, were not very standard at all.

[oldjapanesebikes]

My 1970 T500-III also has matching VIN / Engine number 29227

Added - thank you !

[diamondj]

1968 T500 sold on eBay on July 31, 2011 by Paul Miller. VIN T500-10221

Thanks - I've added it.

This appears to be both an 11 fin barrel, and also a long wheel base frame - if true, then Diamond J's comment about the number of 500/5's being in the low hundreds may be optimistic It may also mean that the 10 fin barrels, contrary to the period press of the day, were not very standard at all.

I think the 10 fin barrel is a T500 "urban legend" based on a moto-journalist miscounting and it's been passed along as truth ever since. I've never seen one and for years I counted fins until I gave up on it as a myth.

I had heard the short wheelbase T500's numbered around 250 or less but that number is obviously lower. Cyclebuster posted his Cobra's VIN was T500-10203 and his does not have a short wheelbase either. The short wheel base T500 I saw in person was sub 100 on the VIN number and is owned by Paul Miller.

Jim