Topic: Latest Project: '75 CZ Jawa 400 Dirtbike

[tophe7d]

I managed to sneak this out of my dads garage a few years back. He bought it new back in '76. It's got maybe 20 hours of total run time on it. It's been sitting in the garage dormant since 1980! It's time to resurrect the old gal.

Photobucket page:
http://s31.photobucket.com/albums/c374/tophe7d/CZ%20400/

Current Form:


What she should look like:


It'll be a nice compliment to my '75 CB750 four...
One '75 Street bike and one '75 Dirt bike. 

Should be fun!

Chris

[bill440cars]

      All Right! I came across one of those (73' CZ400) about 18-20 yrs ago. At the time, the motor needed rebuilding and he couldn't find one of he motor covers (just happened to have the magneto stator attached to it) and it had a bassoni Exhaust on it. Almost had another motor to use parts from. I knew the guy (who had a small bike shop/ salvage) had to be talked into buying it off the previous owner so, I loaded up a CB350 motor I had and a SOHC 750 gas tank and went over to do some dealing. I started with the gas tank. He said,"What else ya got?" We talked a little more and then I showed him the 350 motor and he said, "What else ya got?" I just looked at him. If I could have done some swapping, the rebuild was going to cost me $200 and I would be done! I told him that I actually thought that the motor & the gas tank (the tank was smooth, sanded, primed & ready for paint) was a bit much but would be willing to to it anyway. He still wanted more. Thing is I knew that he'd given only $12 for that motor! A buddy saw the transaction take place and told me all the details, along with the comment that he thought I should have been able to get it for nearly nothing. About 10yrs ago, I swapped the CZ400 for 2 81' XS650 Yamahas (that needed work) and ended up selling them last year.

                  Lots of luck with your build! 
                                Bill                
   

[tophe7d]

Thankfully, my dad still has all of the parts in decent condition. All I need to start it is a new coil, points and condenser and make a new spark plug wire. I'm having a heck of a time finding some of the seals and gaiter dust boots for the original rear "air shocks". I just started stripping it down to the frame so I can detail and paint it if needed. Again, given the amount of run time and current condition of the bike, it should be a fun project.

Funny story, I was actually forbidden to touch that bike for a long time. When I was 10 or 12 years old I came home from school and started taking off the spark arrester. Well, I managed to drop the anchoring bolt down the exhaust pipe. My dad was pissed! He then shouted "You are not allowed to touch my bike! That's my bike, not yours! You stay away from it! Got it?!?" I got it!  Now that I'm no longer a non-mechanically inclined kid he's loving the idea of me rebuilding the bike.

Chris

[DarkRider]

good luck with that old bike...the friend that i got my CB from initially has a collection of CZs and Jawas..one of which is an old 125CC Motocrosser with a dual plug head which he got off of my dad long ago..Off and on i have talked to him about the idea of me taking it back into my familys posession and rebuilding it..

[bill440cars]

      Lots of luck with that Chris. With Jawas being in my family's history, I can identify. My first bike was a modified Jawa 50, my next one was a 58' 125 that I had to put together from scratch and paint it (I was about 14 at that time) and now, I've got a 74' CZ175 (needs restored, my Jawa50 and a 60's 250 Jawa (also needs lots of work)

                                  Lots of luck Guys,

                                          Bill