Forum

[richy]

I have an early 1952 350 Redditch Bullet. Please can anybody tell me if it would be straightforward to fit a later Indian Electric start engine into this early Redditch frame? Thank you.

[Scalyback]

general advice with indian bullet electric start is, "NEVER use the electric starter, always use the kickstart."



The sprag clutch tends to always break up.



Don't know if engine would fit.

[Norm]

Better to just buy an e/s Bullet and sell the Redditch Bullet as it is a piece of history, putting an Indian motor into it just turns it into a bitsa

[Scalyback]

it would be morally upsetting, unless the engine is too far gone (or just gone).

[Beezabryan]

There comes an age when a man needs a little help, thank goodness I have not got there yet but maybe Richy has. So let us give him the benefit of the doubt

[Scalyback]

good point beezabryan,



Still don't know if it will fit, the Indian frames are based on the 1955 ones?

[Adrian]

Indian Bullet engine and gearbox into Redditch frame has been done with kick start models, with both pre-56 and later style frames. Besides building a K/S special into a Connie frame, I have also had a trial run with a set of E/S crankcases, 5 speed box and Indian engine plates into a '61 Bullet frame and at least these components fit. So far so good. Now my curiosity has been aroused, so in a quick trip to the garage I offered up my redundant Electra-X inner chaincase, that seems to go on OK, and then the starter motor - no go, two things stopping it, namely a bent downtube and a rather chunky malleable iron lug instead of the welded-on tube mounts for the front engine mounting stud, which all my other Redditch and Madras/Chennai frames have.



Not a runner with the knackered '61 frame, how about seeing if the starter motor physically fits between the downtube and the front of the crankcases of my '59 Bullet? Ooh, NEARLY, which suggests that with a set of E/S crankcases machined to take it instead of the K/S cases, in might actually fit in there. I also checked with the motor in its old home on the Electra-X crankcases, where I know it used to fit, and even that still has very little room to spare.



So, two questions for you: 1. Does your '52 frame still line up OK? 2. Is your front engine stud mount the welded tube type or the chunky casting? The online parts book picture of the '52 frame here http://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/pa ... ntre_Stand_ suggests the former, so if the frame is as it left the factory, you **might** just be in business.



This doesn't address the issue of whether you SHOULD fit an E/S Bullet engine into a '52 frame. The problem with the sprag clutches, particularly on the Electra-X models, was that they really didn't like engine backfiring or even stopping on the kill switch, with the engine spinning back a little against compression. Solution, make sure your carb and ignition are set up correctly, and on Classic E/S models stop the engine with the decompressor. You will also need the battery tray from an E/S model, which I presume can be made to fit even if it doesn't go straight on. But as Norm points out, if your 52 Bullet is a complete bike, do you really want to turn it into a bitsa?



Regards,



A.

[PeteF]

I'm with Norm here. Don't spoil the Redditch. If you really need an electric then buy a later model.

[Beezabryan]

If such a thing is feasable but needs permanent modification to either frame and/or engine then I'd agree with Peter & Norm
Whilst there may be some reluctance to part with possibly an old friend may be move the old Redditch on to some one who can and will use iand buy a more modern Bullet with an electric leg

[Norm]

Ok so now we have decided it is best to not chop up an English bike unless it is just a bitsa anyway, or without a motor, so now we have to think about the advice we give the OP regarding an E/S Bullet. Now we don't want to tell him that all is roses in the garden because we know they can wilt very quickly, and we don't want him racing out to buy a bike only to have the lecky start fail within the first week.Maybe he would be better off with a UCE because the lecky start on those seem to be much better than the early ones. I know some have failed but in the majority they seem to be reasonably reliable