Schweres Kraftrad 750cm3 mit Seitenwagen (angetrieben) - Zündapp Typ KS 750 - Inside Track | Renault TSF Tank Kent

We now know our Zündapp was most likely to have been assembled in April 1944. The next step was to locate good original images of Zündapp KS750 with known Fahrgestell nummer from April 1944 and around this date to confirm our findings. This was not possible so images were sought from early 1944 and May/June of the same year to see if our machine fell within the range of numbers at either end of these dates. We were very fortunate in being able to locate a fine group of images of June, July and August assembled Zündapp KS750. These were within the group of newly issued KS750s which had just arrived in Finland from Germany in 1944. The very useful tool here was that the Fahrgestell nummern and their registration numbers were provided in a separate chart prepared by Finnish researchers. This offered a unique opportunity to analyse the bikes with the Fahrgestell nummern most relevant to our machine. The missing time period was pre-April 1944. All we had was a high resolution image of a newly issued Zündapp KS750 that was Dunkelgelb in its paint finish and therefore post March 1943. It did not fit the profile of any of the Finnish issue bikes other than the June 1944 example but with some small differences. We were on to something here. This was an earlier Dunkelgelb finished KS750 but could not be pinned down to any month post March 1943. This did not matter though as the characteristics of a newly finished Zündapp KS750 in June 1944 were now known. What were the similarities between both bikes of obviously different chronological backgrounds?. The first common detail between the two motorcycles and others slightly beyond this tight time horizon were the wheel rims. All appeared to have black painted spokes and brake hubs. See the attached original image of the wheel hub. This important detail did not concur with any of the countless restored Zündapp KS750. Was this wrong or were we on to something. A recently concluded trip to our friendly motorcycle expert brought to the surface an original untouched post March 1943 Dunkelgelb finished rim. This was brought back to the Foundation workshops. See the attached image – the black spokes and brake hub are clearly visible. Another interesting feature is that the entire hub appears to have been painted black prior to the application of the Dunkelgelb. This led to another discovery and acquisition during the visit of a genuine period pannier box still retaining its original paint.... The next matching detail were the bolts on the front forks, the headlamp bracket, sidecar fixation, driver seat springs plus passenger seat spring etc. All were black. Please refer to the attached images for detail. The lifelong experts claim that these bolts were chemically blacked, but this does not stand up when examining a number of images in detail. The large bolt for the axle halfway down the front forks does not appear to be round – the black is misshaped. Study of this area shows a welded area around the bolt hole which is sometimes blacked in colour – see attached image. This can only suggest that the area was painted in black. Does this mean that the chemically blacked solution for the bolts was only utilised elsewhere or that all bolts were painted? We have chemically blacked all of our bolts but leave this question open for later resolution. .

Membership

Corporate Membership available on application.

Affiliate Member