Z!A Engine Numbers ~ Checkered Pattern Surface

About seven years ago I posted a query I had on this forum... It is still in the archive somewhere.
I would now like to continue my search and see if I can find the first and last of these "checked" engine pads and establish the range.I'm now trying to solve the mystery of "When was the first 80mm bordered engine pad made by Kawasaki"

Have any of you Z1A owners with a Z1E around the 27,000 seen any?
Here is a picture of the pad.



These pads are expected to be the first of the 80mm long, bordered, engine number-pads after the 65mm un-bordered-pads.
RegardZ.

Does not look right to me. All the 20-30 thousand stamps that I have seen are not in the indented block. 30000 on up had it.

With respect Etbike, you mustn't have seen many ...nor have many of us Znuts. This is a gap of 10,000 Z1A's, however, as stated, I've been looking at these for a while and I was surprised that this has gone virtually un-noticed for forty odd years. However, it may have been too trivial to gain interest for Znuts.

Here is my study to date....
Z1A anomaly..... ENGINE NUMBERS.....
Last unit sighted {65 mm} un-bordered pad, 5 digits ... Z1E - 24591 (from Sweden)

First unit sighted {80 mm} bordered pad, 5 digits (checkered) ... Z1E - 27376 (from Sweden)
Last unit sighted {80 mm} bordered pad, 5 digits (checkered) ... Z1E - 27771 (New entry just received Jan 2012... Z1E - 27824 Australia-NSW)

First unit sighted {80 mm} bordered pad, 5 digits (plain surface) ... Z1E - 29217 (New entry Jan 2012 just received ... Z1E - 28116 USA -NY)
Last unit sighted {80 mm} bordered pad, 5 digits ... Z1E - 32887 (New entry ...Z1-33346 Jan 2012 Australia -SE QLD)
First unit sighted {80 mm} bordered pad, 6 digits ... Z1E - 033419 (different font, slightly smaller characters)

Some further info on Z1A Engine Numbers..
The main properties of these Z1A engine pads are~
1. Length of engine pad (65 or 80mm)
2. Whether bordered or not... I suspect the length changed when they went to bordered pads.
3. Whether 5 digits or 6 digits.
4. Change in font from earlier digits (I think the font was changed when they went to 6 digits eg. Z1E- 034000)
5. Z1A, Z1E Number, of course (last digit may be left out or an X substitute, if preferred)

The Particular CHECKERED Engine Pads are Boarded 80mm long and have 5 digits (see picture at Post #1)

Would greatly appreciate your HELP!.... 8 years in the making!
RegardZ.

I would like to inquire about the style of case these numbers are on. Are you familar with the early generation of Z1 case that does not have the extra 6mm case bolt boss in the front of the engine near the igntion side? Seems those were only on 73 and early 74 models and when your talking about a longer engine pad it would seem to me there would have been a casting change and I wonder if those were newer style KZ type cases?

Etbike, you are correct, there was a change in engine cases and you are also correct wrt all engine numbers after approx Z1E-30,000 had bordered pads.
There was a change in cases where "KICK STARTER' was embossed ... That was about Z1E-19000 and that was on the Z1's. The next change (could be wrong!) was during the Z1A about Z1E-27000. This is the change I'm trying to establish, it is the time they went from non-bordered, 65 mm engine pads to the bordered 80mm pads.

I have not seen a bordered 80mm engine pad before Z1E-27000.
I believe after about Z1E-30000 they stuck to the same cases, probably only changed the stamping on the engine pad to a smaller font and went to 6 digits (about 33,000). Also they kept these cases through to the Z900-A4... They did have the "Oil Capacity" embossed on the Z900 and presumably the KZ900.

This checkered pad will appear on the second change cases that will not have the extra boss, you mentioned. The main point is they will have a bordered 80mm pad and have kick starter embossed.

Thanks for your interest. RegardZ

This is interesting and a bonus, this Z1A engine pad is now the last sighted....
5 digit, bordered 80 mm, plain surface .... Great Stuff "RedZed" from Australian Kawasaki Riders Forum
and thanks for the help in solving this anomaly.

Noting that the first 6 digit sighted is Z1E-033419.
So we can see that part of my query is close to being solved...
KAWASAKI altered there engine pad numbers from 5 digit to 6 digit (and altered the font) somewhere between 33346 and 033419, that's within say 75 engines (prabably close enough).
RegardZ.

This article from Z1 Enterprises may help: www.z1enterprises.com/reference/z1-numbers-guide.aspx

here is a tanget. Z1A
6 digit, 80mm boss.
#031810

73 Z1. I guess this is you called "not bordered"?


[attachment:1]DSC_2220.JPG[/attachment]

73 Z1. I guess this is you called "not bordered"?

Tybolt, yes, this is what you call a "not bordered" or un-bordered 65 mm engine pad... This is off a Z1 (mauf 5/73).

MySpeedFreak, I am familiar with Z1 enterprises, that list of engine numbers divides the Z1-series up, into Z1, Z1A and Z1B, I am looking at the change in engine numbers and their pads over the period of just the Z1A... other of the series, didn't alter much!

Z1kzonly, well it looks as so I have to go back to the drawing board. This sort of mucks up my study. Just when I thought I had got close to solving this mystery. I'll have get back to you on this!

RegardZ and thanks for helping