Bridgestone Motorcycle Parts Discussion Board
Bridgestone Tech Talk => 350 Talk => Topic started by: fast idle on September 21, 2018, 09:25:39 PM
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New member here so please don't kick me if this has been covered before. I was wondering if anyone knows what the lowest surviving 350 GTR VIN is.
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Vin # 00108 owned by member "bikenstein"
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Thanks, moonpup!
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well i have a TAKA with 00002 Ha.... beet that banana
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Do you have a low vin fast idle?
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Yes,
Acquired this bike recently from the original owner.
Still can't believe it.
It's a May 1967 bike.
Serial Number 21Q00037
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And the frame is NA1-00038
With engine NA1-00023
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Wow, congrats.....you now have the lowest GTR vin that I'm aware of.
Had to change some data I posted elsewhere on the site. See my post on page 2 of this thread..... http://bridgestonemotorcycleparts.com/index.php?topic=4487.msg26460#msg26460
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Thanks moonpup.
I just started on the restoration so the bike is in pieces but it will be back on the street next spring!
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Will echo the 'WOW', that's a very interesting find for the BS fraternity. Earliest GTR, known history and matching numbers, well, as near as they get on a BS ;D ;D
Looks like the frame welder was still on a learning curve !, he got the hang of it by the time he got to my 934 frame - noticeably cleaner welds ::)
Frame number stamped on the frame brace and upside down !, wonder when that got moved to the headstock tube ?
There were a small number of minor improvements made to the engines during the first 12 months of production, see service letters on this site for details. Most concerned the clutch arrangement. Yours may have some mods if it was dealer maintained but don't worry if it doesn't, it will run just fine.
Look after that one, its got provenance, good luck with the restoration and we're all here to help if you have any questions. Brian.
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Thanks Brian.
It's really cool to have the oldest known survivor but now it's also a responsibility. It has me re-thinking things. I was hoping to get by with a 90 percent restoration but this bike deserves better. It will no doubt eventually need a permanent home in a museum.
I'm up for the task but there will be some challenges. The mufflers are quite beat up. Hopefully there are all the necessary parts out there.
I've contacted Richard on the first round of parts. Waiting to see what he has.
Thanks for offering to help. I will definitely have some questions. I've restored many motorcycles but this is my first Bridgestone.
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Congratulations! That's a nice bike to have. As Brian says, very interesting to see the VIN stamped on the frame brace, haven't seen that before. I also noted the cable tang located on the inside of the frame...I could be wrong but don't recall seeing that before either.
Do you have any other pictures of the bike that you can add also please...would be very interested to see.
Thanks,
Steve
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I actually acquired two 350's at the same time. One assembled 350 GTO with the GTR exhaust on it. No tittle, no GTO exhaust.
The 350 GTR was 90% disassembled but came with a clean tittle from the original owner. He had parked the GTR when it needed major maintenance and picked up the used GTO to ride instead. That was decades ago. He used some of the GTR parts on the GTO. Everything sat in a shed for years until I ran across them.
Here is the GTO complete with Honda turn signals, a Kawasaki tail light, and period correct sissy bar, ha ha.
And the basket case GTR.
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Wow! The look good, really they do. I bet they will turn out nice! popcorn popcorn
Thanks for the photos banana banana banana banana
Jeff Bar
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Very cool find! Good luck with your resto...
...bert
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i truly respect your new-found appreciation for being the caretaker of the 38th frame and 23rd engine combination off the Bridgestone production assembly line! - "It's really cool to have the oldest known survivor but now it's also a responsibility. It has me re-thinking things. I was hoping to get by with a 90 percent restoration but this bike deserves better."
i am also glad you have experience restoring motorcycles! Best of luck with the project and looking forward to hearing any nuances you discover making #38 distinct from later VIN's!
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Thanks Steve!
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To nice congratulations that is super cool
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Awesome! Best wishes for a smooth and trouble free restoration. This is an excellent forum for help and information.
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CONGRATULATIONS FAST IDLE!!! Where are you located? I am in Green Bay, WI
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I'm thinking about this being the 38th frame and 23rd engine off the GTR line and it makes me wonder what happened to 1, 2, 3 etc. Did the first couple go to certain corporate employees or were they used for R&D? Would BS produce bike #1 and ship it to the US to be sold ?
Dan
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Thanks guys.
I'm up in Alaska so I'll have a nice long winter to work on this bike. ;D
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Thanks guys.
I'm up in Alaska so I'll have a nice long winter to work on this bike. ;D
a nice long winter and lots of nice bright light!
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DCR
seeing the 06800 GTO was sold in the USA before making its way to Australia I would say that its quite possible the 00001 probably was sold in America as well
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Completely antecdotal, but my guess is the first few were reserved for people who were "special" rather than going out to the sales floor. My grandmother had a friend whose father worked in the typewriter industry. He heard her lamenting about the lack of them during WWII, and so she had (now with my aunt) the first typewriter off the line after WWII once they switched production back over. I wouldn't be surprised if the first few went to people like this.
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as the numbers were never important(or just the language barrier) to Bridgestone if they were we would have matching frame and engine numbers
.i think if any bikes were kept for special people i think those bike would possibly be pre production
we know with the 06800 gto that there were possibly other numbers missing priar to documentation and that every motorcycle company has a run of pre production bikes
and to keep in mind that the gtr was not the first bridgestone produced and it was aimed for the American market seeing the arguably first gto and other early numbers of other models are known to exist id put my money on 00001 was sold in America