ESO (From "Evergreen Jawa
1929-1989" by Jan Kralik)
The popularity and success of Jawa in speedway racing dates back to
prewar times. However, after World War II the make was not engaged in speedway motorcycle
production, so mostly British JAP machines were used for speedway in Czechoslovakia. It
had not been exceptional that some riders were successful in two or three kinds of the
motorcycle sport, and this was the case of Vaclav Stanislav and Jaroslav Simandl,
weather-beaten old wolves from the 1930's. They were not idle during the War either,
taking part in the development of the new machines as had been mentioned. No wonder they
went back to their beloved sport after the War.
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ESO S45 LEFT VIEW
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Their story which began quite innocently while waiting
for a ship at Dover, had for them as well as for the Czechoslovak sport, rather unexpected
and incredible consequences. The two were returning as participants in the 1949 ISDT in
Great Britain. Stanislav had bought in London a connecting rod for his speedway JAP, but
needed a camshaft as well. And would J. Simandl lend him the money, he would look for it
in France as he had not enough to pay for it. Simandl was of course pulling his old pal's
leg saying he should not worry, because he would make him a complete engine when they got
back to Czechoslovakia. On board they betted the camshaft, on the way across France a
complete engine. Simandl swore that he would construct a single cylinder better than the
famous JAP.
When a chap makes a promise, he should keep his word, which Simandl
wanted, but it was difficult. Of course Stanislav kept bothering him so much that he saw
no other way out than to make parts for a total of eight engines which were copies of the
JAP design. Four he assembled, the other four were left for spare parts.
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The engines were divided between his pals,
Stanislav, Marha, Eman, & Holub. Stanislav took away the very first and instead of
JAP, he had "Jitka", the name of his newly born daughter engraved on the engine.
Marha wanted to have on it his name "Eman" engraves on his engine, and Holub,
(Czech for pigeon) wanted the symbol of a pigeon on his engine. Simandl kept the fourth
engine for himself. It seemed that the small toolmaker's shop where Simandl worked, was
well rid of the engines.
But word of Simandl's engine soon spread, and the Sports Commission of
the Automobile Club of that time urged Simandl to build more engines. Then Motokov, the
foreign trade organization, wanted to put the engine on display at a motorcycle show in
Sweden, so Simandl gave in. All he worried about was that the Swedes would give preference
to the original JAP rather than his copy, so he decided to make his own engine surpassing
the JAP. After all, the design of the English engine was 20 years old. So Simandl designed
a new short stroke single cylinder engine. He placed an order with his own firm to cover
the production, he paid himself 28,000 Crowns for it. The engine was installed it in a
road racing motorcycle frame which his son Jiri started to race and develop. In a workshop
with 18 employees there was of course no dynamometer.
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