1968 Honda Z50A K0 #19 (Tall Bar)
VIN# Z50A-101016
Bright
Yellow
/ Ivory
If you are a Honda Z50 aficionado or collector, then you
need to pay attention to this one. This is one of the
first Z50's produced for U.S. import and features a really
unique look. If you look closely at the handlebars,
you will see that they are taller than normal....by over 2".
The first 1,125 of these bikes received these bars and this
is one of only a handful of these bikes left in existence.
Assembly
and Restoration Pictures
The main frame tube is made from a thinner material and
required a 'saddle' or brace on the main tube. This
was supposed to strengthen them, but all of the early bikes
that I've seen had structural problems which is why Honda
probably went to thicker material at some point. This
particular bike was found intact with the frame unbroken.
Closeup of the 'saddle'.
Bars are so
tall they won't hardly fit in the picture. I don't
think anyone knows why Honda changed the bars, but they in
fact did after serial number 1,125. Shown here also is
the K0 style seat with the more flat back portion as
compared to the K1 version. Guess the lip at the back
held people on better.
This is serial number #1016, Z50 K0.
Shown in this picture is the long-tail stator cover.
Notice the back portion of it comes down almost to a point.
This was changed out for the K1 bikes and with the weak #415
chain, most of these were broken when the chain wadded. up.
Original
Z50 K0 Carburetor. You can tell by the drain pot and
the knurled knob.
The
signature Z50 K0 on/off switch. Notice the browish
colored nut holding the switch in place. This was also
the only 'ground' spot on the bike and turning the 1-wire
switch to off, grounded the coil.
Notice the
"welded neck" tank signifying an early Z50.
This was one of the running changes made by Honda on the Z50
where subsequent models had the hole for the filler neck
punched from the top down instead of the inside out
necessitating the welding on the outside as illustrated
here.
Tall bars
with a wide and different angle than subsequent versions.
The first 1,125 K0's got these "Longhorns".
Almost
ready to take down off the jig. Here you can also see
the "Slant Guard" made for the first 5,306 Z50 K0's.
The step
bar on the bottom is unique to the K0 as well with a much
thinner bar and the straight lugs. Pretty easy to see
why Honda made a running change here.
Here it
is.............almost complete.
#415
chain and sprockets. Try finding one of these chains
these days.
This lug
is only found on the Z50 K0 engine cases. Was a boss
that was tapped for oil on the older S65 bikes. Later
K1 Z50's did not have this boss.
This is
another very rare piece to the K0. The muffler shows
"Pat Pend" and then later replaced with the muffler with
Patent #3407575. Also, later mufflers were stamped
with HM045 toward the front with '045' being the model
designation of the Z50.
On the
first 8,295 Z50's these bolts were used to secure the 2
wheel halves together. After that, a running change to
a bolt with a shoulder which would apparently not chip the
paint so badly when installed.
This is
the rear fender strap on the early Z50 K0's. The first
3,192 bikes got this strap and then a running change to a
stronger strap and then Honda took that and chromed it for
the K1 model.
Here are
the early "ISO" markings on the Honda bolts.
This is a
rear shot of the diffuser used on the first 20,087 Z50's,
then Honda made a running change to the long stinger
diffuser that is more commonly seen on the Z50's.
More
assembly pictures to follow.
Click on the image to enlarge picture
Marblesmotors ©2004
|