I think your 1980 guess is a good one.Little details like weather the tom arms ratchet or have unlimited movement,the badge design,sprung or springless lugs,if the bd hoops are steel or wood,T-rod end shape.All are ways of narrowing the age,but are not exact.I believe things overlapped a bit-

Sounds like early 80's Export ELX.

The badge is black and silver and measures approx. 3" x 1". The lugs are spring loaded. Tom arms ratchet, bass drum hoops are wood and match the kit, T-rods on the bass drum are different than my 1978/79 Fiberglass kit but are original like the whole kit. The COS tom hoops are the old style with the small rounded area around the t-rod holes like the older kits. These are not the typical wood Pearl drums I have seen from that era.

The kit did come with a 14 x 6.5 Pearl Export snare but it has a serial number (684015) and says Pearl Export on the black and white badge. I didn't think it was original to the kit?

The only catalog with the lacquer finishes that I found on this site was 1980. There was no information on the wood shells or anything significant for that matter.

A friend and I drove to Cape Cod to pick up a set of the first Exports,and have all you've described but the wood finish and hoops.Only the BD head says Export,not the badges.Oversize dimensions,greenish speckle interiors,7/8 tube with logo on the mounting plate.

Interesting. I checked the black reso head on the bass drum has Pearl in large white letters and at the bottom it says Pearl ///EB///.

The only drum that says Pearl Export Series is the snare and I didn't think it was original to this kit? Plus it has a serial number and the rest of the drums don't.

Not much interest in vintage Pearl drums these days or is this kit an anomaly?

I think if you wish to boost up some interest.. then you will need to post a pic, or 2, of the kit

Cheers

Bump. bump, bump