GT500 Serial Numbers Questions

[Dynobob]

I'm working at getting a title for a 1976 GT500 of mine. I have a three questions.

1) bike was mfg. in 6/76. It has a 1977 paint scheme (black oil tank, black headlight mounts & headlight). The tank is gold. Do I assume it's a 1976 model?

2) The frame serial number is stamped T500-1045xx. Do you eliminate the T500 prefix when dealing with DMV? (ie.: the serial number is 1045xx).

3) The engine is a different serial number (T500-1048xx). Did Suzuki use different numbers on the frame & engine?

Bob in Va.

[GT500Andy]

Your GT500 is a B qua colour scheme, covers, head light etc. but not with a gold tank, should be blue, red or black.
frame and engine nr; are for 1977 B engine nr; went wrong in about 1974 by Suzuki. What is the color of your clocks?

Andy

[Dynobob]

So it's a 77? The gold paint on the tank looks original. I guess it was replaced and came of a 76. I'll check the guages/clocks tomorrow afternoon. I need to drive over to my storage and look. Thank you for the info on the year

[Barry S.]

Mid to late year DOM numbers are usually for the next model year, the motor numbers don't match.

[oldjapanesebikes]

For a list of engine and frame numbers by model year, take a look here.

[Dynobob]

For a list of engine and frame numbers by model year, take a look here.

Good chart but my 1977 GT500 is between 1976 and 1977

I guess I will drop the T500 prefix in the serial number in my dealings with DMV. I'm trying to get a title long distance from a PO. It should be interesting.

[Dynobob]

What is the color of your clocks?

Andy, the clocks (guages) are definitely brown. 1976 are black and 1977 are brown?

[oldjapanesebikes]

1977 are brown - at least in North America.

[Dynobob]

Thanks for your help guys. I appreciate it
Knowing the exact year will solve 50% of my problems.

[oldjapanesebikes]

Good chart but my 1977 GT500 is between 1976 and 1977

Interesting - hadn't noticed that so I double checked my own notes, and the two examples I have are T500-1019xx with engine T500-1020xx and T500-1067xx with engine T500-1069xx. The one I'm rebuilding is 1067xx which is definitely a 1977, and 1019xx I've broken 1019xx for parts. It was a real wreck, so other than the engine there wasn't much worth saving. The frame number chart on Jarmo's site shows a 1977 'first frame' of 104422, which if correct would make yours an early 1977.

[Dynobob]

The frame number chart on Jarmo's site shows a 1977 'first frame' of 104422, which if correct would make yours an early 1977.

Correct. That chart is better

I also have a 1976 and a junker like yours

[rbond]

Mine is a '76. Clocks are blue faced, '77 clocks are brown. As far as I know, gold tanks for the GT's was not an optional color.