Author Topic: Kuwahara KZ-NOVA replica project (Read 5946 times)

20to26 · « **on:** January 13, 2010, 02:42 PM »

Back in '83 my folks bought me & my brother our first Kuwahara BMXs - I've been wanting to build a replica of it for ages.

It's been quite a road trying to identify the bike correctly, as it's not a standard KZ or Nova - look closely - out of the shop it was a Nova spec with a KZ frame. I know it wasn't a one off because my brother had an identical one!

Here's some pics of me riding it:

This is an ad for the Nova - mine was the same spec except for the rims which were Araya, Sugino Stem and grips which were Type 3 style:

I guess what's makes this bike particularly special was that I won my first trophy on it - which I still have!

I almost have all the parts for the build but this is what I have so far - it seemed like a good day to put it all together for a pic:

Some of the stuff is survivor and some nos. The only changes I made to it bitd were Suntour beartraps and ZapPad so that's what I've assembled for my replica.

daz bmx it! · « **Reply #1 on:** January 13, 2010, 02:49 PM »

Love a bike and a story

looking forward to seeing that built up

monkian · « **Reply #2 on:** January 13, 2010, 03:05 PM »

What a buzz

Great stuff man, looks well nice

pkradman · « **Reply #3 on:** January 13, 2010, 03:17 PM »

kuwies are very close to hart .... how much do u wish u had the irc kuwie tyres

...

lookin godd bud !!

20to26 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 13, 2010, 03:23 PM »

Quote from: pkradman on January 13, 2010, 03:17 PM

.... how much do u wish u had the irc kuwie tyres ...

I joined the "make a wish club" for those! I can only imagine the price if any ever turned up... I'll have to do with some repop Comp IIs if they make the light of day

Muffski · « **Reply #5 on:** January 13, 2010, 03:27 PM »

Nice story

,Looking foward to seeing it built

neiljonarcus · « **Reply #6 on:** January 13, 2010, 04:50 PM »

nice bundle of parts there carnt wait to see them all together on the frame

NORTY40 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 13, 2010, 05:08 PM »

Great stuff mate and some nice old school pics too

Looking forward to seeing it built , by the look of the parts and the frame it's going to be mint

rollin72 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 13, 2010, 09:04 PM »

nice pics

hunterdubber · « **Reply #9 on:** January 13, 2010, 09:12 PM »

At one time back then I had a black Nova frameset like the one in the ad

( swapped it for my GT Nora frame )

I would've prefered a KZ1 though

Ste gonna be a sweet bike when it's built up ,, I hope it's a keeper

bobafett · « **Reply #10 on:** January 13, 2010, 11:15 PM »

DIRTBIKER250F · « **Reply #11 on:** January 13, 2010, 11:20 PM »

Partial to a Kuwahara myself Steve, great pics aswel.....I know a Myth with some of them IRC tyres, he is a myth though

Muffski · « **Reply #12 on:** January 13, 2010, 11:25 PM »

Quote from: DB250F on January 13, 2010, 11:20 PM

Partial to a Kuwahara myself Steve, great pics aswel.....I know a Myth with some of them IRC tyres, he is a myth though

Yep he exists in a world beyond our world

Jt · « **Reply #13 on:** January 13, 2010, 11:52 PM »

hunterdubber · « **Reply #14 on:** January 14, 2010, 12:00 AM »

Quote from: DB250F on January 13, 2010, 11:20 PM

Partial to a Kuwahara myself Steve, great pics aswel.....I know a Myth with some of them IRC tyres, he is a myth though

I thought "The Stig " was Bodamus $:-\$

DIRTBIKER250F · « **Reply #15 on:** January 14, 2010, 12:17 AM »

No one knows "Ian" i heard he walks in a constant moonwalk

Rodgy1970 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 14, 2010, 06:23 AM »

great project

pickle · « **Reply #17 on:** January 14, 2010, 07:29 AM »

awesome pictures and great looking build! Kuwi's have to be my all time fave bikes!

splodge · « **Reply #18 on:** January 14, 2010, 08:05 AM »

Looking good, cant wait to see it built. Theres just something about Kuwies & its a great feeling when you build one like you had bitd. I was lucky that I still had mine in the shed, its now restored & on the wall.

What is it with the small hole just below the large hole in the gusset, I've seen a few like that but my ET doesnt have it, only the large middle hole. Is it a KZ thing?

Mattdub · « **Reply #19 on:** January 14, 2010, 09:41 AM »

Very nice Steve , look forward to it's progress

20to26 · « **Reply #20 on:** January 14, 2010, 09:53 AM »

Thanks guys. I'm really stoked about this build and it's a keeper for sure.

As far as I know Splodge the ET's didn't have that hole in the gusset and of course they had looptail stays like the looptail Nova which did have the little hole AFAIK.

Got the stem out - it was awol yesterday:

20to26 · « **Reply #21 on:** May 07, 2010, 04:02 PM »

I've finally had some time to work on this project a bit more - my wife wasn't that happy that it's been sitting in the conservatory for the last couple months.

It was time to tackle the few rust spots on the frame, fork, bars and stem.

My biggest concern is this rust spot on the DT which I'd missed up to this point, thankfully it's hidden underneath:

I thought I'd give the Vinegar bath a try this time after seeing the success of some on bmxmuseum - I dunno if it's any better than Coke Zero. Tesco own brand vinegar is cheaper than chips and the tub was less than a fiver at Wilko's - I couldn't get the frame laying down in it tho!

I've had a lot of time to think about this build while I've been collecting the parts and now starting to put it together I'm glad I decided not to go ahead and rechrome it. After the vinegar bath I gave it a good old Autosol to try and get as much of the rust off that I could.

It's amazing how this build has started to take on such a different feel from what I had originally planned - she's not going to be a NOS pony anymore. It just wasn't feeling like the right direction to take.