Author Topic: Frame and Engine VINs  (Read 1443 times)

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Offline txtiger

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Frame and Engine VINs
« on: October 14, 2018, 03:50:52 pm »
I have a 1974 CB550k. It’s a cherry 8,200 mile bike. Paint is near perfect, chrome is excellent and original exhaust. It appears completely original, but my frame VIN is 5,583 lower than the engine VIN. Frame is CB550 102 8xxx, engine CB550E 103 4xxx. Can this be the original engine? My ‘75 400f is only off by about 20 numbers. Thanks for any input.

Offline calj737

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Re: Frame and Engine VINs
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2018, 04:10:29 pm »
Frame and engine numbers are random. Assembled in different locations and then joined elsewhere. Probably more due to demand and volume than your 400.
'74 550 Build http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=126401.0
'73 500 Build http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=132935.0

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Offline 754

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Re: Frame and Engine VINs
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2018, 07:46:09 pm »
 5 K is a big spread.  Usually within 500 or less..
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Offline Bodi

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Re: Frame and Engine VINs
« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2018, 05:06:21 am »
Probably not the original engine but  there is no central database of serial number records that I know of where this could be confirmed. Honda would have recorded serials at the factories... but they have told others who looked for info like this that it no longer exists. Some jurisdictions did take both numbers when registering - not many, and tracking registration back is close to impossible. Some just used the frame number, some used the engine number.
A warranty engine replacement, rare but not unknown, could be the reason. More likely: a PO replaced a badly damaged motor.
I think if being 100% original is important to you for some reason, confirming it is not possible.

Online Don R

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Re: Frame and Engine VINs
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2018, 06:20:10 am »
 Could be an in factory repair or dealer warranty bike.
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Offline trigger

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Re: Frame and Engine VINs
« Reply #5 on: October 16, 2018, 03:58:01 pm »
CB550 numbers can be all over the place.
In the UK and Europe we still had the CB750 K2 up to 1975 so, you can have a frame number starting with 20***** and a engine number starting with 20*****,22*****,23***** depending on year . A few thousand apart  ;D ;D

Offline bryanj

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Re: Frame and Engine VINs
« Reply #6 on: October 16, 2018, 11:02:48 pm »
As Trigger said it is very complicated  The 500K1 was being built alongside the 550K0 only for the UK until76 I think.
Honda never supplied complete, numbered, engines as a spare,  any damage under warantee had to be repaired using individual parts and stripdown. New cases came unstamped and original number had to be stamped in by dealer, same with frames but i know in UK a few dealers stripped down new crated bikes in the first few months to get accident spares before Honda had built up a knowledge of what spares were needed fast. If it has theyellow paint on the main bolts it is probably original and nobody can prove different anyway unless you find several close frame numbers and check the engine numbers against that
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Offline dave500

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Re: Frame and Engine VINs
« Reply #7 on: October 17, 2018, 01:58:23 am »
the numbers can be miles apart and are never close,the uncanny thing though is I bought a pair of cb550 motors from Canberra once(im near Brisbane QLD)and a fair while later I bought a motor locally,the local motor was exactly ten numbers away from one of the ones from Canberra?they would've travelled down the factory line together then get shipped across the globe and separated then end up at my place!

Offline txtiger

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Re: Frame and Engine VINs
« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2018, 03:32:09 am »
Thanks for the info guys, greatly appreciated.

Offline The Lone Builder

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Re: Frame and Engine VINs
« Reply #9 on: November 08, 2018, 03:19:45 am »
CB550 numbers can be all over the place.
In the UK and Europe we still had the CB750 K2 up to 1975 so, you can have a frame number starting with 20***** and a engine number starting with 20*****,22*****,23***** depending on year . A few thousand apart  ;D ;D

+1
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Offline Deltarider

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Re: Frame and Engine VINs
« Reply #10 on: November 08, 2018, 03:36:29 am »
Lone Builder, is that you in this picture?
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