Classic and Classy Motorcycles Ltd

From 1937 to 1949, Triumph motorcycle frame and engine numbers did not match. The frame numbers were non-sequential and had various prefixes indicating the type of model:
- TH (Triumph Heavyweight)
- TL (Triumph Lightweight)
- TF (Triumph Frame, starting from 1939)
- TC (Triumph Chassis, starting from 1946)

Each prefix was followed by its own set of numbers. Engine numbers were prefixed with the year followed by the model, e.g., 8-T-1234.

Yearly Details:
1937
- Engine prefix: 7-
- Frames Approx.: TL101 to TL3640, TH101 to TH2390

1938
- Engine prefix: 8-
- Frames Approx.: TL3641 to TL7690, TH2391 to TH6850

1939
- Engine prefix: 9-
- Frames Approx.: TL7691 to TL11642, TH6851 to TH10175, TF101 to TF2255

1940-45
- War Production (TL, TF)

1946
- Engines: 46-3T-72001 to 46-3T-79045
- Frames: TC101 to approx. TC3300, TF5001 to approx. 8726 (Nov 1945 to Aug 1946)

1947
- Engines: 47-T100-79046 to 47-3T-88781
- Frames Approx.: TC3301 to approx. TC6889, TF8727 to approx. TF14800 (Sep 1946 to Aug 1947)

1948
- Engines: 48-T100-88782 to 48-5T-100761
- Frames Approx.: TC6890 to TC9953, TF14801 to TF24055 (Sep 1947 to Aug 1948)

1949
- Engines: 49-3T-100762 to 49-5T-113386
- Frames Approx.: TC9954 to TC12557, TF24056 to TF33615 (Sep 1948 to Oct 1949)

Pre Unit 500 & 650cc Twins
- Frame and engine numbers matched.
- Engine numbers were prefixed with the model (e.g., 3T-1001N).


Triumph Models

The 'V' Denoting A 5-Speed Transmission, Versus The Earlier, Standard 4-Speed Gearbox. An 'R' Can Denote A Right-Hand Shift Motorcycle, As In The TR7RV. The Letter 'C' Can Denote A Competition Model, As In The TR6C.

PREFIX	MODEL
T140V	750cc Bonneville, 5-speed gearbox
T140C	750cc Trophy
T140E	750cc Bonneville
TR7V	750cc Tiger
TR7RV	750cc Tiger, right-hand shift, 5-speed gearbox
T120R	650cc Bonneville
T120RV	650cc Bonneville, right-hand shift, 5-speed gearbox
TR6C	650cc Trophy
TR6CV	650cc Trophy, 5-speed gearbox
TR6R	650cc Tiger
TR6RV	650cc Tiger, right-hand shift, 5-speed gearbox
T100R	500cc Daytona, dual carburetor
T100C	500cc Tiger or Trophy, single carburetor
T100S	500cc Tiger 100
T90	350cc Tiger 90
6T	650cc Thunderbird
T150	750cc Trident, three cylinder (triple)
T150V	750cc Trident, three cylinder (triple), 5-speed gearbox
T160V	750cc Trident, three cylinder (triple), 5-speed, electric start
T150T	750cc Trident (Seen them advertised as 68, 69 or a 70)

Triumph Twin Frame Numbers 1950 - 1969

Year	Unit 350 & 500cc	Pre Unit 500 & 650cc
1950	------	from 100 N1- 16805N
1951	------	101NA - 15808NA
1952	------	15809NA - 25000NA then 25001 - 32302
1953	------	32303 - 44134
1954	------	44135 - 56699
1955	------	56700 - 82799
1956	------	70930 - 82799 then 0100 - 0944
1957	H101 - H760	0945 - 011116
1958	H761 - H5484	011116 - 020075
1959	H5485 - H11511	020076 - 029363
1960	H11512 - H18611	029364 - 030424 then D101 - D7726
1961	H18612 - H25251	D7727 - D15788
1962	H25252 - H29732	D15789 - D20308
1963	H29733 - H32464	DU101 - DU5824
1964	H32465 - H35986	DU5825 - DU13374
1965	H35987 - H40527	DU13375 - DU24874
1966	H40528 - H49832	DU24875 - DU44393
1967	H49833 - H57082	DU44394 - DU66245
1968	H57083 - H65572	DU66246 - DU85903
1969	H65573 - H67331	DU85904 - DU90282

Triumph Twin Vin numbers 1969 - 1980

First Letter	Month on Manufacture	Second Letter	Year of Manufacture
A	January	C	1969
B	February	D	1970
C	March	E	1971
D	April	G	1972
E	May	H	1973
G	June	J	1974
H	July	K	1975
J	August	N	1976
K	September	P	1977
N	October	X	1978
P	November	A	1979
X	December	B	1980

1981 to 1983
Frame and engine numbers matched. Month prefixes similar to 1969-1980, with an added year prefix letter. TSXs and T140ESs exported to the USA followed ISO 3779 VIN standards, with the 10th letter indicating the model year and 'M' indicating the Meriden factory. Example VIN: SCGB75502CM032050. Engine numbers might include a check digit before 'BM' or 'CM'.

1981
KDA28001 to JDA29443 (Sep 1980 to Aug 1981)
BM028953 to BM029130 (Feb 1981 to Mar 1981 - T140E2S)

1982
EDA30001 to BDA31924 (May 1981 to May 1982)
CM030911 to CM032213 (Aug 1981 to Jan 1983 - TSX/T140ES)

1983
BEA33001 to CEA35601 (Feb 1982 to Apr 1983)

L.F. Harris
Harris machines also used full ISO 3779 VINs, with the 10th character indicating the model year and the 11th indicating the factory (N = Newton Abbot). Engine numbers matched the last 6 digits of the VIN.

1985 to 1988
- FN000002 to FN000191 (1983 to 1985)
- GN000192 to GN000788 (1985 to 1986)
- HN000789 to HN001176 (1986 to 1987)
- JN001177 to JN001258 (1987 to 1988)

Hinckley Era
Hinckley adheres to the ISO 3779 VIN standard with two variants: USA and European. The USA variant primarily uses the 10th character for the model year, while the European variant uses the 11th. 'SMT' indicates the UK and Triumph, with different factory codes for locations (e.g., J = Jacknell Road Hinckley, T = Thailand). Sequential frame numbers follow after 999999 starting with AA0001, skipping letters I, O, Q. Frames labeled 'AI' were re-stamped to 'AT' to fit ISO standards.

Triumph Tiger Cub / Terrier
Source: https://www.tigercubandterrier.com

Year       Start    End numbers
1954      101        8517
1955      8518      17388
1956      17389    26275
1957      26276    35846
1958      35847    45311
1959      45312    56359
1960      56360    69516
1961      69517    81889
1962      81890    88346
1963      88347    94599
1964      94600    99719
1965      99720    100013 ?

Source and Links

https://www.britbike.com/technical/triumph_serialnumbers.html