Full on into repair mode.2

  Greetings Blauwe muis fans.    It's A.C. here.   As I write the new normal is becoming the normal.   Ok for Mr G5chinotrousers but don't worry I'm still old oily-normal. (NoG4jeans) In fact pre Covid19, most peeps would have classed me as not normal.   Blooming heck!  So many normals! Too much choice.. Too many chances to swing to different normals.

Normal  Normal  Normal  Normal. What a silly word!

So, as the local brass band practices 'socially distanced' on the moors nearby I crack on with resto of Blauwe muis.

The rear shock repair/rebuild continues. Using 10mm Stainless bar stock I've made 2 x new piston rods. Whoops...had to make 3. One ended up a scrapper on the final threading operation...Damn. The thread galled as I removed the die. Ah well, who said engineering was easy?

For a week the seat base was zapped in my 70ltr electro rust removing bath. Big brown foamy head and a few leaves floating on the top but deep down in the depths the constant 12 volt had done a great job. 

 

Wire brushed, washed and then a lick of phosporic acid to stop the rust forming instantly as I readied the paint brush.

 

Through the keyhole update - Previously you saw some of the wildlife decor in The Old Sidevalve Bar'  (Ancient spider webs that money can't buy - not even Elon Musk, they belong to me and I ain't sellin'.)  So here's another glimse as to my shed normal.  Always have the radio tuned to Planet Rock or Absolute Rock.  If ya don't like loud rock or Giant House Spiders then stay home!!

Stay safe Vintafaker tip -

 Dine in on Yorkshire Pudding with lashings of gravy!  Cheap too!

• 2 large free-range eggs
• 100 g plain flour
• 100 ml milk

        225°C/425°F/gas 9

Full on into repair mode.1

 Greetings, Alb here. Did I mention Covid19 and lockdown? Probably....Fully locked down in the Shire of York, (again) what a wonderful thing. A shed full of oily 'Old Skool' goodness and time to play with it... Just like Indiana Jones I passed by the bling goblets and for almost half a century I have been chosing my treasure wisely. (and cheaply)  Collecting the unwanted - the unfit for a skip. I'm richer than a rich man....

 Yes,  'The Holy Grail' - 'The Old Sidevalve Bar' it's the same story line - just a different film. Of course the entrance point is only known to the few that have survived the falling down cider initiation test. Once though the pallet-wood door then it's cobwebs and dead spiders a plenty...many have turned back assuming the sight of Alberts treasure would not be worth the horror of musty webs occasionally falling into hair and down the back of neck.... 

But fear not once in there's lockdown homebrew continually on the bubble so I'm self sufficient in ale. I've access to internetwebbything with a whole world of Ebay to shop for parts on, using my magical paypal account...

Blauwe muis is still getting the main attention. So here's my current status report.

Turned a couple of aluminium spring top locators on the lathe for the shock rebuild/repair project.  Material was of an unknown grade of aluminium but hey it was supplied F.O.C. so why not?

New rear chain and sprockets kit ordered on the ebay rather than direct Czechoslovakia. A UK seller but original source unknown. India? The bearing supplied for the cast hub/sprocket arrangement was the incorrect size. No worries, I shall salvage the original Czech one out of the old hub. Glad I did, a but notchy until a wash and regrease had it spinning like new. Where's that bearing been in the last 40 years? Where will it go in the future. ( Remember -A bearing is for life, respect a good bearing and they will respect you back) 

In went the old bearing.....but whats this? The groove that holds the retaining circlip was 1mm out of tolerance. HEY!! I'm going off road, where few men have been before....last thing I need is a wobbly rear wheel. Just not good enough.

Fixed by ordering a pack of 5x1mm bearing shims. A couple of £s to make it right. Small price. Any of you readers need a 1mm shim to fix your CZ ? I've 4x spares.

 Did give the UK Ebay seller polite feedback on the engineering abnormalities.... Phufff, no response, Sometimes being Mr Nice guy is a waste of time... He's probably bought 200 of them direct from manufacturer at very low rupee and doesn't have answers.

Hey hey it's flagon time. UK seller not my problem!!!

Closer inspection 2 - and repairs start.

 Greetings blog readers.. Albert here, Inspection on-going so here's more close up views of the 'Blauwe muis'. Rear suspension units....Phuuuff! You could call them suspension but that wouldn't be a very accurate description.  'Rusty siezed Rods', that covers it better. I'm not keen on hitting the big Belgium boulders with these fella's as they are so let's start repair work. Wonderful, these units are designed to be stripped and rebuilt with very few tools.

Internet search found a couple of marvellous websites selling spares for Jawa CZs. Over in the 'Blauwe muis' homeland Czechoslovakia. Everything available and reasonably priced too. Placed an order for bushes, seals and new rods....Damn...only one rod available...no news on when more stock would be arriving, but worst of all no others available in the whole world at the other suppliers...I'd bought the last one in captivity. Happy I owned one, but more sad I needed two..

A week later a parcel from the CZ homeland arrived at 'The Old Sidevalve Bar'. Rod, seals and bushes....but what's this? The rod is nothing like mine now I have the unit stripped....Damn..Last one in the world and it's no use to me.,,Cost £4.00. !!!!! Call it an investment, someone somewhere might be willing to pay big money for it....

Looks like I'm going to have to set too and make some. Of course I could buy universal chinese shockers for less than £40 but why? These originals need to go up and down again. To be brought back from the dead. What can possibly go wrong? Measuring the shocker rod with a micrometer has the diameter at 10mm. Yep, plain old 10mm not special manufactured to stop home engineers in their tracks. I can surely make a couple of replacements out of 10mm stainless rod, easily sourced on ebay. Pushed the buy it now on a metre and waited arrival, in the meantime attention turned to the shocker top. Cutting 2 out of steel plate was an option. Keeping all cuts straight and at 90deg to the face would be the challenge.

A grinder in a stand with a slitting disc was the best mechanical device I could lay my hands on. Slowly, slowly, catchy monkey is how to do it in 'The Old Sidevalve Bar' The holes for the shocker bush were pre-drilled as near as my holesaw range allowed. These will need to be re-sized in the lathe later as well as further shaping with my linisher. ( Read 'linisher' as flap discing and hand filing)

So dear reader - Keep looking for more news on the preparation of 'Blauwe muis'. Right now I need to test a new brew that has just finished fermenting. Gonna lift a couple of pints straight out the barrel top....No time for second fermenting in the bottle.....Going straight in!!!!I may be some time!!!!

 

The plan - Old Skool is cool.

So, whats the plan Albert? Any idea's on how to make the 'Blauwe muis' more T.E.T ready? 

Indeed dear blog readers, what I was thinking is this - 

Preparations for riding the T.E.T. to be in accordance with I.S.D.T regulations 1973. 

The I.S.D.T. (International Six Day Trial)  was dominated by Czechoslovakia between 1970 & 1974. All riding Jawa CZs of course. Blauwe muis fits nicely into that period. 

Here's a few pictures of early '70s Czech riders & bikes to get the juices flowing.

 

                                              

Below - Of course I.S.D.T.s most famous rider....Cool as fook.... Steve McQueen.  Making famous Barbour Jackets and Bell helmets. (Even more cool if he rode CZ)

So, get the idea. -Let crack on...Let's get cool....Let's pour a beer.