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But I'd bet they made sure to get their money either way.   

Someone ground vin off frame.
Photo of vin in youtube video.
The engine vin pad lip was added around Z1E-27000, some 74 Z2 engines have the lip, some do not.

Inauthentic Vintage Motorcycle Sold for $85K at Auction? (youtube.com)
 

I watched the video with Mecum's follow up.  Seems reasonable but I still have questions.

Anyone who knows enough to restore a bike like that would know that frames were painted, not powder coated.  They would also know that frame numbers are extremely important and anyonw who powder coats should be asked to protect it.  Lastly, I had a frame powder coated and the frame number showed through.  So why did this one disappear. 

Lastly, it was clear to me the frame had been ground at the S/N and painted over.  Not a smart move for someone trying to sell a vintage bike for big money.  Even if the powder coating DID cover up the S/N he could have removed the paint without grinding or otherrwise disturbing the frame number.

The bike will now and forever be suspect unless the owner can prove a history of possession with the S/N he claims.  

The engine S/N MAY be correct for a '74 Z2, but it cannot be verified until the frame S/N is verified, and all of that would assume the Z2 engines followed the same process as Z1 engines.  Personally I think it's reasonable, as they both used the same cases, but only Kawasaki would know for sure.

Dunno...  The frame number characters that can be seen look flakey, & we question the font,  The pic is of such poor quality that it, itself, contributes to doubts.  We'd have to see the entire stamping.  What little that can be seen appears to have been ground into the steel with a hard abrasive wheel, but we've never tried to remove powder coat, so perhaps that's what powder coat looks like after removal via coarse wire wheel.

Marcus has been a fixture at Mid-Ohio VMD swap meet for many years.  We know him from there & elsewhere in the vintage Kaw community.  We've dealt with him in years past buying/selling parts.  He's always been a stand-up guy in our experience.  We're somewhat surprised he'd allow the VIN number to be coated over on such a rare bike.

It'll be interesting to see what transpires at his VMD vendor site this year.  The vast majority of visitors are unlikely to be aware of the controversy about his Z2, but many old-timers will & he'll get some good natured ribbing, at minimum.

Good Ridin'
slmjim & Z1BEBE

 

Engine stamp is not factory.
1974 Z2A  Z2F-03668 to Z2F-10336  (6668)
I had a chance to buy a z2 for $2500 several years ago, bad shape, needed complete restoration, z2 is 750cc, rather have a z1.
Kawasaki made 20,000 Z2, thousands in Japan, 100 for sale on Jauce, no clue why the price went so high.