Jawa 600 Minor – 1938

After the first World War, Czech arms manufacturer Franisek Janecek made a business decision to produce motorcycles. He designed the bodies and used Wanderer engines. The trademark “Jawa” was patented in 1929; the name came from the first two letters of Janecek and Wanderer. Motorcycle production was growing, and by the mid 1930s Jawa began building cars. The Jawa 600 “Minor” had a backbone frame of square section with swinging axles and a water-cooled engine. The engines were produced in Prague while the bodies were built outside the city. A body could be ordered as a two or four seater cabriolet, roadster, or sedan. Car assembly stopped in 1939 when war production began. Production resumed after the war and the Jawa 600 continued to be manufactured through 1947.

Specifications:
Manufacturer: Zbrojovka Ing. F. Janecek
Country of Origin: Czeckoslovakia
Drivetrain Configuration: Front-engine, front-wheel drive
Engine: 2-cylinder, 2-stroke; 615cc, 20bph
Transmission: 3-speed manual
Top Speed: 60 mph
Years of Production: 1937-1945
Number Produced: 3,950
Original Cost: 16,000 Kc