Ostrava restorers bring British 1920s motorcycle back to life
The restoration lab of Ostrava Technical University successfully revived British-built motorcycle AJS 500 OHV from 1929. After successful test drives, the vehicle has been displayed to the public at Kunín Chateau, half an hour away from Ostrava.
The motorcycle is part of a collection counting 41 vehicles, donated to the Moravian-Silesian region in 2019 by late sculptor Miroslav Rybička. The University’s Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, who conducts the restoration, aims to reanimate at least one of these machines per year, says spokesperson Petra Halíková.
“In total, we already finished work on six vehicles, the seventh is on the verge of completion, and work will soon begin on the eighth” Halíková told the CTK news agency.
Lukáš Kudrna, supervisor of the restoration lab, sheds light on the process of restoring these historical vehicles.
“Thanks to cutting-edge technology and a passionate team, the restoration was fairly straightforward. The most difficult part is always acquiring original parts, but that too we have been able to manage.”
Besides auctions, rummage sales, and reaching out to specialized communities, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering’s restoration lab also cooperates with the Faculty of Material Science.
"They are able to make specific components, such as levers, clutches, and brakes, using conventional methods, but also modern technologies like casting, reverse engineering, or 3D printing,” Halíková explains.
The 1929 500 OHV was one of the last models produced by UK manufacturer AJS before absorbing into Matchless in 1931 due to financial difficulties. Other old-timer motorcycles from the collection restored at the Ostrava Technical University include a Jawa 500 OHV, Jawa 250 special, Jawa 300 sv, Indian Scout 37 and ČZ 150c.
