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[Stjames]

I found this Indian and the owner told me that it’s make and model. Yet I’ve looked online and can’t really find anything similar to that frame style. The owner said he would through in a free second bottom end that I could use or part out. He’s pretty much giving it away to me. Is it worth it to restore this. How hard is it for a project. I’ve only fixed 2000 era yamahas and there pretty easy. Is this something I can have fun with restoring. I’m gonna take it to my garage soon and take the chain case off to check if it turns when I have a chance. Thank you for the information I can’t wait to hear back.

[stinkwheel]

Easy? Probably a bad term. Simple? Yes, they are about as simple as an engine gets. But they have their foiables and oddities like anything else.

Finding all the missing parts is going to be your biggest issue here.

Looks eminently fixable from here providing you can source parts, -some of which may be hard to come by-. Also looks pretty cool in nm early 70's chop kind of way. I'm wondering if that's the original frame or if it's been chopped and raked a bit? Not a model I'm in any way familiar with.

[Adrian]

The Royal Enfield-built Indian Chief is based on the UK 700cc Super Meteor twin with different forks, 16" wheels for fat tyres and a few other differences.

That silly peanut tank is giving the illusion of a chopped frame, the headstock angle looks to be correct. The frame itself is of the same type fitted to all heavyweight twins and most non-unit construction singles built in the UK from 1956 onwards..

Here's a restored one.



You can read the whole restoration story here:

https://forum.classicmotorworks.com/ind ... ic=21851.0

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[Adrian]

The frame itself is of the same type fitted to all heavyweight twins and most non-unit construction singles built in the UK from 1956 onwards..

By Royal Enfield, that is! My apologies (in case that wasn't clear) to fans of BSA, Triumph, Norton, AJS/Matchless, Ariel, Velocette, etc, etc...

The long/extended look is down to the swinging arm (chain stay for purists!) rather than anything done to the frame. Note the the end plates on the Chief swinging arm are longer than on UK models of that era.

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[Stjames]

Thank you for the information I’m gonna run the vin at the DMV and see what other secrets is holds. I’ll update everyone with my decision soon

[Boxerman]

Michael Waller rebuilt an Indian Trailblazer from parts a while ago. His videos might be of some help to you?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc3YZf8zWwY

Frank

[Adrian]

This site has some good information.

www.re-indian.com

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[Vince2]

Hi, I would suggest that is not the original gearbox as the chief had the M series box. The chain line is different , ditto gearbox sprocket. Having just about finished A 1960 police chief I can say it proved to be the most difficult and time consuming rebuild I have done and has taken 5 years due to sourcing the unique parts. ( my normal rebuilds are done in weeks!) Vince

[Adrian]

As all the RE-built Indian Chiefs were shipped to the USA, I would think that that is where most of the model-specific used parts can still be found. Our hosts used to fill up the occasional shipping container in the USA and bring stuff back to the UK, but I doubt if they're repatriated all of it. You could buy parts with a record number of Atlantic crossings...

https://accessories.hitchcocksmotorcycl ... dian+Chief

Keep an eye on Dave Blasco's blog as well, https://www.royalenfields.com/ , also Craig's List and the US ebay.com site, as RE-built Indian stuff shows up there from time to time.

A.