TOPIC:

OK...so towards the end of last summer and in the fall after buying my 73 Z1 900 custom chopper, I ran into a few issues with parts and places to work on it to finish it off. As I write this post, it has been completely overhauled and will be legal and road worthy by about mid week next week. I went to get it insured and my insurance guy comes back and tells me he has no listing for a Z1 900 or a KZ900 or anything even remotely like it so he cant quote me a price for insurance. I gave him the VIN number and its not matching up either but the number stamped on the engine and on the title is "Z116954". Through research and the internet so far, all I have found is VIN numbers that start with Z1E for the engine VIN. CAn anyone help me explain this phenomenon?? Wouldnt it be nice to find out that I have the very first Z1 engine ever produced?? Not with my luck but any help anyone can be would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks, OldSkool73

the bike vin will start with z1f-xxxxxx. hopefully its still on the neck. if its been ground off you might have to get another frame, or find a way to research what you have.

The bike VIN is definetly gone....I'm pretty sure but not positive that its a different frame than the engine started with.....

Still doesnt explain the apparent mistype of the engine VIN but thanks for the info and input....

OldSkool73

OldSkool73 wrote:

...but the number stamped on the engine and on the title is "Z116954"....

Whoa... red flag.

The VIN (and the number that is supposed to be on the title) is not the number on the engine. If you have a title that has the engine number on it, you'll have to get that corrected to be the number from the frame.

I had a similar problem when I bought one of my 750s, the VIN had the engine number AND had a zero/o mixup as well, and I had to have it inspected by the police, a new title re-generated by the state, etc.

What happened is that the state people couldn't enter the engine number in the computer with a o, so they changed it to a zero. Well, of course the engine number wouldn't work. Anyway, I couldn't get it insured either, much less registered correctly for plates.

Sucky...

Post edited by: biquetoast, at: 2006/03/30 22:07

The frame VIN is what should be on the title.

Also, I have insurance through Progressive for my KZ900, they didn't have any trouble assigning it a category. I think it's like "Kawasaki Other Model" or something like that.

thats not a kaw frame that looks like chopper frames everybody was pushing out the doors in the 70s get some old easy rider magazines youll probably see one close to it.you might have to take it to dmv to have it inspected and a new serial number assigned to that frame.goodluck,happy wrenching!

Hey Wireman got it, leave it to him to look at that photo. That is a pretty strange rear shock set-up; send another photo Oldschool, wouldya?

ive got the name amen or something like that stuck in my head that was either a brand or a model of frame cant remember for sure.;)if youve got a harley shop that works on older bikes near by take a picture of bike over there i bet theyll have some ideas who built it. goodluck,happy wrenching!

Post edited by: wireman, at: 2006/03/30 23:02

As much as the answers I am seeing are disappointing me, its good to be able to start unraveling the mystery. The frame is called an Amen Savior (good call wireman) made back in the 70's by a now defunct company called American Motorcycle Engineering. I think it was actually called an Amen Savior Buck but I digress. The frame number is long since been removed in one way or another and from what you guys (or gals as the case may be) are telling me, its looking like I may have to put off that first ride of the season here in Washington DC and the weather is getting so nice....

I wonder why Pennsylvania titled it with the engine number on the title and I am still back to my original mystery of why my engine number doesnt match anyone elses.....

Thanks for all the awesome info,
OldSkool73

P.S. Another photo attached for you Nevco48

I would think Amen would serialize the frames they made. It certainly wouldn't look like a Kaw serial number. Maybe it is some place not visible to the eye, hidden. By the way, they called them "Saviour" because they would "save your" butt from the traditional chopper hardtail poundings. I can't see how to adjust the chain..?
Bondo played a big part in choppers back then, so the frame number may be smoothed over with body putty. See if there are any older bike builders in the area, or the internet who might know about a frame number. Look on chopper sites for other Amen frames and try to contact the owner.
That pic brings back memories of the '49 Panhead my Dad chopped in the early 70's. I got very friendly with Bondo and sandpaper that year. IIRC, Dad had to register it as a homemade vehicle, but it did have the frame from 1949 with a number.

Good luck, it looks great!

i wonder if the rear axle rides in some sort of cam or eccentric on each side where it comes through the shocks to adjust the chain,kind of like some of the newer swingarms do? goodluck,happy wrenching!look for a flat machined looking spot on the frame thats how some old harleys had the serial number .

it was called amen savoir.
amen never put serial numbers on any frames they made,i never heard of any company back in the 70's that put vin numbers on thier frames, most guys used the vin numbers from whatever bike they got the engine from,the rear wheel/axle rides under the springs does not adjust the chain.

Post edited by: fastestz1, at: 2006/03/31 09:18