Mystery VIN. Please identify.

Mad Daego · May 27, 2014

After years of looking for a Commando 750 at a price I can restore it, I found one. And it's a mystery.

Engine # is 29M3S 151308.

According to the internet that # doesn't exist. 1971 is 141000 to 150500. 1972 begins with 200001.

Appears to have 9K original miles. Paint is yellow. The cylinder housing is not painted black. What is it?

madass140 · May 27, 2014

its late 71

Rohan · May 27, 2014

And that first 29 is actually 20

Mad Daego · May 27, 2014

That was my guess, but is it considered an SS? It's a pre-Combat motor, so that's good.

Rohan · May 27, 2014

The engine number doesn't tell anything about what model it was actually built as.
The factory records might.

The basic mechanicals are more or less the same, the cosmetics are all bolt on.
Thats what the factory did to make different models, after all...

Show a pic,
some of the owners of those models will likely be able to say what it is/was, or if its been messed with*
* not uncommon, in 40+ years of ownership.

Mad Daego · May 27, 2014

It no longer has any of the Street Scrambler stuff as far as I can tell. I'll have to check the headlight tomorrow. Pipes are standard looking Commando pipes. Gauges are silver. Bars appear to have been lowered because the control wires are wrapped around several times. Has been converted to a single Mikuni and that front fender has been replaced. Two tanks, so that's nothing telling. Drum breaks. Either way, cool bike for only 3K and needs some work but not a ton.

L.A.B. · May 28, 2014

Mad Daego said:
Engine # is 29M3S 151308.

According to the internet that # doesn't exist. 1971 is 141000 to 150500. 1972 begins with 200001.

From previous discussions, we do know that '71 production continued to around (20M3S)154xxx.

Mad Daego said:
is it considered an SS?
It no longer has any of the Street Scrambler stuff as far as I can tell.

Probably not an SS then. According to author Roy Bacon, the last SS was supposed to have been 150723.

Mad Daego · May 29, 2014

Thanks for the help. Turns out to be a late production '71 titled as a '72 (common, I hear) and I even got it running today. First gear is the fastest, most insistent thing I have ever ridden, which was exhilarating, but the higher gears seems bogged, grindy and loud. Might need a gearbox rebuild. For 3K it was a steal.

Mystery VIN. Please identify.

Mad Daego

madass140

Rohan

Mad Daego

Rohan

Mad Daego

L.A.B.

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Mad Daego

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