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[stinkwheel]

I should add, when I say fitted, it physically bolted in place properly on the engine and frame. fitting it in such a way as it workes is another matter because the meteor gearbox doesn't have a hollow mainshaft for the pushrod.

[Mark M]

Adrian, thanks for that. I wasn't sure about the 350s, at the time they just seemed to fade away and 'new' ones often looked like old stock!

REgards, Mark

[Adrian]

Stinkwheel, I plead much ignorance on the twins, but the parts book (at least for 1959) shows a scissor clutch:



http://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/pa ... 247/Clutch



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[Mark M]

What complicates matters is that ALL the Twins have a longer mainshaft than the Bullets because of the wider crankcases. SOME Twins use a scissors clutch which has a solid mainshaft (no hole for the pushrod) because the clutch operating mechanism is in the primary chaincase and additionally there is no hole for the clutch cable in the gearbox or operating arm inside. So, Twin gearboxes don't work on Bullets or vice versa. Identifying them is another matter! Identification numbers stamped on the top of Redditch gearboxes can be found here: http://www.ozemate.com/interceptor/k_baseIndian1.htm Although this information is not perfect! Don't worry about these notes being compiled for US made Indians, the codes are the same.

REgards, Mark

[stinkwheel]

"Stinkwheel, I plead much ignorance on the twins, but the parts book (at least for 1959) shows a scissor clutch:"



Indeed. I will not burden you with a complete picture of what was done by the previous owner to try to make this work. It was not pretty.



I did what he ought to have done in the first place which is sell the twin gearbox on ebay to someone who needed one and buy a bullet one. I broke even on this procedure.



I do still have a scissor cultch pressure plate which I must get round to flogging at some point.



The main point is the gearbox fitted to the back of the engine and the mounting plates lined up, even when fitting a 1959 twin gearbox to a 1991 350 engine in a 2004 500 chassis.

[vince]

Hi, early redditch boxes have a different gears which do not mesh with later set. However a complete set of gears of either pattern will fit any box. Twin and single boxes are the same except for the mainshaft length which can be swopped over. Scissor boxes have a solid 'short shaft' which matches with a thicker clutch centre. A correct part scissor clutch will not line up using a standard length (long) mainshaft. Indian boxes interchange with redditch but with the changeover to metric bearings the mainshaft is different. Metric shafts can be modified to fit redditch but not the otherway round. Regarding gear selectors, parts will interchange redditch/indian. Early box as fitted to trials replica are different in that the inner ratched is orientated at a different angle. Hope that is of help. Vince

[Adrian]

Let's not lose sight of kh's original question. As he's not trying to mix twin and single lumps I suggest an early Bullet gearbox and late Bullet engine should line up not just at the gearbox studs but also regarding the clutch and engine sprocket alignment. Don't forget you'll need an alternator-type outer primary chaincase too though, kh!



Mixing twin and single big chunks can be fraught as outlined above, though you CAN swap complete engine and gearbox combinations between Redditch and Indian frames. Thus an Indian Bullet engine a 5 speed gearbox will fit a Super Meteor frame, and an Interceptor engine and gearbox will fit an Indian Bullet frame. You could see examples of both at the Sammy Miller Royal Enfield Ride-In a few weeks ago.



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[Chris Tindal]

KH I once put a 1999 Indain 500 Bullet engine in a 1953 frame and ran it for 7 years, they are all interchangeable. Any iron 'classic' Indian 350/500 engine will go in as long as you use your current Redditch gearbox top engine plates.

[John M]

If you intend using more of an Indian bike in your 1950 frame be aware that although you can fit an Indian swinging arm to a 1950 frame, you would find that the shock mounts are about 6mm wider each side on the Indian swinging arm and a later Indian wheel doesn't readily fit a 1950's swinging arm.

If you compare the top shock mount on the two frames you will see that the Indian ones are offset.

If you need to fit the Indian front forks, they will fit the 1950 frame without problem.

[Adrian]

Indian swinging arms and rear wheels can also be made to fit into later Redditch frames, using an Interceptor swinging arm pin and thrust washers with a spacer on both sides, (taking care to get the chain alignment right). In the case of the later frames however, the Indian swinging arm is actually a little **narrower** at the back when you compare with the shock absorber top mountings. I trim the shock absorbers' bottom mounting bushes to the width of the shock absorber eye (both sides) to make sure there's still enough thread for the nut to fit the bottom studs securely, and fit a spacer between the swinging arm and the shock absorber on each side to ensure they line up vertically when everything is tightened up.



I would add that if you're fitting a complete Indian front end to a Redditch bike, it's easier to use the older type pre 2003(?) bottom yoke or steering stem in RE parlance (our hosts have these in stock) as the factory used a different steering stop design on later models. This is the type you want.







(Photo courtesy of ebay as our hosts' on-line parts book hasn't got a picture up yet.)



Otherwise you can end up with this.







Later bottom yokes can be modified if you have to.







Also be prepared to play mix and match with Redditch and Indian steering head bearing sets if replacing.



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