For the latest update Hit "Read More" then click the "Jawa Update 2" button just on your right...

OK so I figured it was time I indulged (tortured) my love of ancient metal. I have a long history with beautiful, old cars (yes OK Ketzal... pieces of crap). I have not as yet buried myself in the motorcycle version of this affliction. That particular problem has now changed, I trawled the interweb auction sites until I found something suitably unusual and cool looking... It's a JAWA... yup the motorcycle... not the Starwars Species

PROJECT BIKE INITIAL ENTRY: 20 March 2009

Enter the mighty JAWA, this is a Czech company but they manufactured bikes locally here in NZ so the bike I managed to track down is a 1965 New Zealand built model. I have to thank Bike Trans for the hassle free transport to get it from halfway down the country to my garage. It is I believe called a Type 350 but I have yet to do too much homework. It is a 125cc single that, according to the stamps makes a WHOPPING 9... yup you got it NINE horsepower. That, if you can believe it is 2 less than my scooter... which is also a 125.

The plan at this point is vague, I want to retain the style as that is what attracted me to this machine in the first place, so you will keep seeing the chrome tank... in fact lots of chrome. Everything else is still up in the air... I have yet to decide on color... I am leaning toward a dark red frame with black and chrome everywhere else. However with regard to other details I am still contemplative, I would like very much to replace the aging switchgear with something a bit more modern, along with this I would like to add turn signals for safety and a powerful headlamp the trick will be adding these while retaining the character of the bike. I am also considering a different, slightly more powerful engine. The problem being that the standard unit really is beautiful, so it may be a matter of using one of the larger JAWA units... we shall see.

Anyway, enjoy the pics of how it looked when it arrived, the next step is to strip it down, see what needs doing and start prepping for paint/powdercoating/chrome.

So the time has come... well past if I tell the truth, for an update on the mighty Jawa.

There have been some significant... and not so significant events in the progression of the new toy. First and probably most important is that what was once a lovely, if somewhat rough and ready motorcycle is now a pile of parts in various boxes and scattered about the floor of the workshop. Learning from previous experience most of the small, easily confused or lost bits and bobs are safely tucked away in labled plastic sandwich bags.

Approximately half of the metal/painted/rusty parts have been for a bath in some serious acid which I can certainly recomend, I am not a fan of sandpaper and painstripper and the old Acid Bath cleans them up a treat. My hands did take a week or so for all the skin to grow back after this process but I can live with that. NB: Thanks for the loan of the truck Pa,  would have had a hell of a time trying to pack all the boxes of bits onto the scoot for the trip to Errols!

Following the bath I availed myself of a solid bead blasting unit which blasts tiny beads (looks like sand to me!) at high pressure to strip any remaining greeblies off the metal parts. this process leaves a beautiful flat metal surface ready for paint or powdercoating. That will be next on the list after I figure out how to remove the swingarm (it has me stumped at present and manuals in czech aren't super helpful) and dump the rest of the bits in the bath.

Now before I carry on with this update I have to extend a HUGE PLUG to the boys at Errols Diesel and Turbo who where extremely gracious in humoring my extremely amature manipulation of their toys... acid, bead blaster etc. So if you need any Deisel or turbo work... Service, rebuilds, seals... I don't know Deisel and Turbo stuff for your Earthmoving equipment, truck, boat etc in the Auckland area give them a buzz!

oooh what's in the box? well it may well be a shiny new engine of larger capacity... or it may be a rabid Wombat... you will just to wait for the next exciting installment to find out if I have manage to acheive the impossible and track down a suitable, larger engine for the beast!

Ok, so this is becoming a bit of a standard beginning to my project updates... Sorry it has been so long between drinks... what can I say, I am slack and haven’t done a whole hell of a lot to the little Jawa in the last few months.

However I have made a decision, I have decided that I want the damn thing together by Christmas which means some serious pulling of proverbial finger from proverbial rear end. So with this new resolution in mind I have made an attempt at progress. First of all a brief list of what needs doing...

Get frame to powdercoater
Paint all tinwork, and wheels... ok so prep, prime, sand and paint
Rebuild hubs, brakes etc
Source Indicators
Source new taillight (existing one is HIDEOUS)
Source new instruments (woops broke existing ones trying to repair)
Source new cables
Source new chain
Rebuild Front Suspension
Source new rear suspension
Source new suspension bushes
Reupholster/reshape seat
Build new Wiring loom
Source new battery
Source (potentially... probably) new exhaust
Finish Tank... potentially source second tank (can’t make up my mind what to do so doing both)
Source tires
Get assorted bits and bobs to chrome plater
Reassemble
Grumble about spare/leftover parts
Disassemble,
Reassemble
Try to get the wiring to work (I fail at electricity)
Potentially 12 volt conversion (probably job for MUCH later... see above)

Compliance

Ride?

Ok so maybe December is a big call but I will see what I can do... also if anyone reading this has any of the assorted bits (or services) that I need to “Source” floating around and would like to donate... cheap or free in exchange for Massive publicity and love on the site... I would be glad to receive them.

Anyway, some progress has been made... All the parts are now back in my possession (in boxes in the garage) after finally getting off my lazy arse and finishing the bead blasting (thanks again to the boys at Errol’s Diesel and Turbo... you guys rock my world!) so now just some final sanding and painting to do on the tin before it is ready for paint... prep has begun! ... in fact I have even started on paint on painting the instrument binacle thing (the bit that covers the handlebars etc)

I mentioned above that I’m not sure what the plan is for the tank, at the moment the two options are for a full rat rod styled tank, that will include full authentic (no airbrushing here) designer rust with satin black logos and polished (dark grey steel) stripe down the centre and leave the dents and whatnot in situ. This is the option I am currently running with ie the tank is out in the rain as we speak!(Thought I was joking... see first pic of tank ala garden) Option B is... assuming I can source a tidy enough tank... to get the tank copper plated, clear coat and fit... this is a slightly more “bling” approach that will still fit with the overall theme of the build.  Assuming I pick up another tank I will probably do both and swap them as I get bored.

Wheels are 90% complete, thanks to the semi rat rod style this bike is going to take on the finish doesn’t need to be perfect, and the satin black with stainless spokes and brass lugs is looking lush! I have also polished/cleaned up the hubs and whatnot so the centres are looking pretty damn tidy too... all in all pretty happy with how they are looking

I have removed, repacked and refitted the front wheel bearings... they now roll smooth as silk which hopefully means the wheels won’t fall off the first time I ride it... actually maybe I will honour Mad Bike Boy with the first ride... just in case. Rear bearings will be stripped and tidied up on the weekend.

Excitingly enough I also managed to track down an original owners manual which comes complete with some super useful information including how to rebuild the suspension... which as you will notice is on the list of things to do... ace!

So... only about 150 thousand things to go... there really are a lot of bits... hope I remember where they all go. Anyway I promise more regular updates over the next couple of months and any assistance, advice, donation of parts is gladly accepted... back to the dungeon I go.