I remember back several quite a few years when someone down there in AZ told me that they just had serial number stickers, and when a production run of one model ended and they went to the next/different model, the serial numbered stickers just continued to be used, going from one model to a different model to a different model as the production runs changed. That means you could have one string of numbers for a Golden µMAX, then when that run ended the next serial number went on the next production run of maybe a Compadre, and so on. So one particular model could have a lower serial number and the next run of the same model might start with a larger number with those in between being stuck on a completely different production runs of various models.
As an example, my personal Bandido II µMAX is serial number 95716, but a newer Bandido II µMAX I have to sell or trade has serial number 20A 116318 so you can see there was quite a difference in numbering. This model was produced from 10/'97 to 1/'01, about 3 years and 3 months, and many other models were also made during this period of time, to include 099949 on my Silver Sabre µMAX which was produced one additional month, to 2/'01.
Also, I have picked up gently used Tesoro models through the years, two of them, that didn't have the serial number sticker on them. When I was a Tesoro Dealer, I had maybe 3 or 4 brand new, right out-of-the-box units that either didn't have a serial number sticker on them or one that was just barely attached and ready to come off. Those were on the newer ABS plastic housing models and I think it might have been oils or chemicals on the housing that kept the serial number stickers from sticking. In other words, we can get a Tesoro, even new or 'as-new' unit, that might not have a sticker and you wouldn't be able to reference it to any serial numbered models.
Monte
