worth a read and look for some hints and tips
Indian 101 Chout.
This is a 1928-1930 Frame Modified to for a 1939 Chief Motor. I have owned other Chouts
before and after seeing what worked and what didn't, I decided to build one the way I felt worked
best. Over the years I picked the best items from loads of parts I bought to build this Chout.
My first intention was to keep the lines of the 101 Scout. I also wanted it to look period like
it rolled out of a barn. Everything we brazed and any area we worked on the frame or bike was treated
or left alone to look like the original parts. I NEVER HAD ANY INTENTION OF PAINTING THIS
BIKE. All parts were either nice patina/old paint, surface rust or original paint. No parts were used that
were rotted in any way. All work we did was recorded in a journal and documented. All receipts,
the journal and paperwork will transfer to new owner. In my state a notorized Bill of Sale is all that
is required to transfer title as Vermont does not offer titles past 15 years old. I may have an old 101
title around if it would be useful to register for the new buyer. Please ask me to look if this is a important
for you to register. As of now the bike is only sold with a bill of sale, the title is not included but I might be
able to help.
The motor and transmission we used was a very nice 1939 complete motor and not built from a pile of parts.
It was completely rebuilt by HP cycles in Berwick Maine. I have all receipts for the build and I can put potential buyers in
touch with the owner to discuss the work if necessary. The builder that worked for HP has since
retired but he worked on Indians and Aircraft work his whole life, an ace mechanic. In the pictures you
will see a Morris Magneto that drops in the distributor hole and is driven by the oil Pump. Engine has
been fitted in the frame. Last piece of the engine install is to finish the kicker assembly .
The period modication was to use a 20s Chief Kicker gear. This was confirmed used on a period
racer Chout that is in the Wheels thru Time Museum. I have a 20s Chief
kicker gear but it is worn and I have yet to locate another but I can aid in that location
for the new buyer. Another option is to braze a new pin just behind the original pin and use
the stock Chief arm and gear. George has successfully done this on another customers Chout
that was built about 5 years ago. Or lastly a stepped back pin bracket can created which
I had and worked well on a previous Chout I owned. All work can be done for the buyer after
the sale for a shop rate of $40 per hour. My thoughts is the most period correct fix is to
use the 20s Chief kicker gear which is why I haven't pursued the latter fixes.
I did all the frame and chassis modification in George Yarocki's shop with his help and
Tim Raindle (one of the best new guys working on 101s I know). All work was brazed and not welded, as welding
if done near the frame castings will turn them very brittle and unsafe. Although alot of people
may have problems with this, the frame was the nicest original frame I have ever owned. I wanted a straight Solid, no rot frame, or essentially one
that didn't need any work done to it. But just to be sure, we put the original 101 frame in the frame jig to test it
before we started any work to be sure it not structurally compromised. Then we stretched it
approximately 2 inches in the rear and 2 inches on the kicker down tube and 2 inches in front
down tubes. Then we used a set of 20s Chief NOS fork legs and 20s Chief links. We did this because modifying the
frame changed the ride height and angle of the chassis so we needed to bring the front end up a little. We wanted it to ride level.
To utilize the 101 front brake we had to braze the front brake anchor on which can be seen in the pictures.
We figured this was the way to go by talk to some old timers who did it back in day. We had to changed and repined the
fork stem because the 101 frame has a different diameter stem then the chief forks had. The wheels were rebuilt and tested, all recorded in the
journal. The fenders fit fine but the front fender road a little high due to the longer chief
forks so we made a custom front fender bracket to bring it down a little. The Headlight was an
original perfect light traded by a friend just for this project because the bike was for me.
THE HEADLIGHT THAT IS ON IT WILL NOT GO WITH THE BIKE. I said I would not sell the light and I
have to honor my word. A brand new, very nice reproduction headlight with glass lenses will go
with the sale. The headlight brackets were turned upside down and bent to look right, this was all
to get a lower streamline looked that was a period modification I was going for. The gas tank
was a super cool tank I got from Australia with old indian head logo on side, with a 22 bullet hole thru it. We repaired it with
tin as it would have been done during the period, both inside and out and tested the tank.
Because we used a later Chief engine we had to have a recirculating oil system. The tank has a
hole cut in the bottom to mount a plate that will hold all the oil piping. All the fittings
are there and the tank can be completed at the shop for a shop rate of $40 an hour after the
sale. There will be a generator mount included with the sale but my intention was to run this
with a 12volt alternator and convert the headlight and tailight to modern light for a brighter
light (bulbs for 12volt brighter light will be included in the sale). No generator or alternator goes with the sale.
The bike will run off the magneto so as of not no electrical is included with the bike. My goal was to run it and iron out the electrical later.
Again this is some that can be addressed after the sale for a shop rate of $40. The seat is a reproduction seat that we worked to look worn, and it looks great.
The brake lever is a very nice original. The bars were nice custom period bars that were cut and shortened to flat track as best I can tell. It gives that sport ride stance.
There is a cool old paint tool box. AN NOS SIDE STAND....only nos 101 stand I have ever seen. Two battery boxes, one original, one repop......bottom rotted out of original
almost all of them do so I figured it could be run with rotted box, use repop (not direction I would go) or cut the bottom out of repop and weld to old one (what I intended to do)
Jockey shift assembly is new from Rockys but the shifter lever is an original Indian Head Robbins.
No comments:
Post a Comment