unusual treks
 

Seller has two on ebay expire today with no action, one ishiwata the other 531 but look very similar. from VT below, Anybody know who the sub was, Japanese maybe?

According to the brochures, Trek did not make 41X and 61X bikes or frames during 76, 77, 78, and 79 and also not in 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, or 89. These serial numbers apparently do not follow the year convention used for other Trek models. It is likely these frames, SNs beginning with M or N (Models 41x and 61X), were contracted out or were made in a separate Trek facility, and were given the old serial number form so as not to interfere with the sequential numbers being assigned by Trek in their main shop, which began in late 1980.

Not sure about the decals , but the frame tubing decal along with the blue line shifters might place it around an '82 6xx model?

My '83 600 has a normal Trek s/n, so it's not like that one's format. JDThompson might know who the sub was.

Yes, this ishiwata dates 1982 with standard provided SN but shares same unusual decals. The 531 would be a 1980 based on sn database.

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...9&d=1437589311

This appears to be a Waterloo-built frame. Fork and rear triangle were brazed in Japan and shipped to Waterloo to mate with a frame.

I have never seen those types of decals on older Treks.

Do you mean the TREK lettering without the seat tube wrap? I have that on my 79 model year Trek. As I understand it was like that unti 80-81.

My 79 has no wrap and my 82 does, but what I meant specifically was the font. It just looks different. Plus the Shimano lettering on the forks is something I haven't seen. Almost like both these things were added later, but I of course don't know that for sure.

Those bikes are near me if anyone is interested.

The Treks with Ishiwata tubing were one the best values at the time.

Ditto - my 1979 Ishiwata 022 Trek 510 has that Trek decal.

I wholeheartedly agree with Noglider. Dupont Imron paint jobs and full Japanese parts, although sometimes parts would be subbed. They surely don't make them like that anymore.