Hitchcocks Forum

Does anybody have any knowledge about the early Indian frames. The early ones shipped to India would have had the cast fittings at the frame joins. Did Redditch frames go to the welded style as per the Indian ones or did they continue to use the cast fittings till 56 when the new style frame was introduced. 54 Meteor here has cast lugs so if they changed to welded frames it would have only been for one year? My question relates to the frames sent to India because on the information I have India started producing frames in 1962, so if this is the case what frames were being sent to India from the start the new frame introduction in 1956 till the Indian frame production started in 1962. Were they sending the old style frame to India or did the bikes shipped to India in that period have the later frame? Not important just curious

As far as I was aware the exported kit frames are the same as the pre 56 ones, might be wrong. Just out of interest, later 56 on style Bullets were also exported to Madras Motors, I had a re import 350 that was sent in1960.

Hi Chris, a friend of mine has a 1960 Redditch 350 Bullet which he brought out here a couple of years ago and it has the later frame so what you are saying is that your 1960 350 had the earlier frame, (is it welded or cast fittings), so does this tell me that they were exporting the earlier frame right up till India started producing their own frames in 1962?

Hi Norm, as I understand it, the cast lug frame was 1054/55 only, before that, there was a welded frame looking more like the more common and recent Indian ones. After 1955, the Redditch frames were welded again, but in the new shape, similar to the Crusader frames and not made by the Indian factory. Cheers, Paul.

That should read 1954 / 55 in the above post, Cheers, Paul.

Thanks Paul, that clears it up a bit but do you know when they went to the new swing arm the Indian ones use

I think there is some confusion here, all Redditch frames (excepting the 250 Crusader range,) have a cast headstock (except 1956 only 350 Clipper and early Bullet prototypes). There are some other cast lugs on frames at different times and depending on model (eg, front engine mount on bottom of downtube is usually a lug on big Twins but can be a simple welded tube on Clippers and 350 Bullets,) but the 1953-55 frames feature loads of lugs, most obviously for the swing arm pivot, which I think is what Paul (BW) is referring to. As to the Indians, well, as they say, information is scarce!
REgards, Mark

Norm my old 350, sent to Madras Motors in 1960 was actually the later Crusader style Bullet

Hi Chris, not being familiar with the Crusaders, can't recall actually seeing one out here but does that have the post 56 frame as we know it ?

My 51 Bullet was a largely welded frame. Different to the Madras bullets in a number of ways, different swing arm setup with bronze bushes rather than silent block and fully welded over the gearbox/rear upper mounts in that there was no long bolt but very modern compared to a similar vintage G80.