What price perfection? What we have here is 1928 Indian Scout that was sold at auction a few years back for $17,000.00 plus 10 % buyers premium. The buyer, a dealer, also paid shipping cost to the west coast. It was serviced, detailed and properly brought back to life before being sold on for another ten thousand dollar bump. The first seller even never started the bike in his five years of ownership because he was afraid he'd damage it. What a shame to have such an amazing Indian V-Twin and not ride it, but each collector has their own agenda. A question mark hung over the bikes runnability and it was in desperate need of a top flight detail when he sold it at auction. The dealer who bought it however, was an old bike expert who sorted the bike and found someone who intended to use it. And so they paid for that privlege.
The Indian Scout below is coming up for grabs April 10 at the Chadds Ford Classic Motorcycle Auction.
It's a 1921 Indian Scout that is about 85% there, some parts still need to be sourced. Finding parts for a 90 year old American motorcycle might seem like mission impossible, but virtually every part is available as a reproduction. Finding the actual parts still requires time combing swap meets, but that is part of the fun. Places like the AMCA Perkiomen Chapter Meet in Oley, PA each April has allowed me to see machines I though no longer existed. Indian and Harley are well represented but by no means the only brands at these shows, there's lot's of oddities to see too.
The beauty of this bike is that it represents a blank slate to create the Indian of your dreams. Whether you want to duplicate Burt Munro's " World Fastest Indian" Bonneville record setting machine or go for a complete full restoration to full stock specs, it's all possible at this point. Hill Climber, board tracker, flat track racer, anything you choose. All it takes is determination, ingenuity and the finances to make it happen. You'd be amazed how much help and advice comes your way when you have a machine like this.
That front end has attitude in abundance.
This Indian below was a just a frame and tank with 37 cubic inch (600cc) engine,
the wheels and forks were long gone, as was nearly everything else.
Below, frames are being prepared at Gary Mauchers shop in Bucks County, PA. Gary has been campaigning an Indian for several years in the AHRMA Class C hand shift class.
#49 prepares for a run in the AHRMA Pre-40 class at Daytona Speedway.
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