old photos

[Tom Lovejoy]

Pete, those are awesome photo's! Those that know will tell ya real quick, but my guess is the chief is 22 or 23. I think the front fork changed in 24, following link to leading link - think thats right. Very cool photo's, I bet you were glad to get them. Did they pass along any neat old stories to go with them? I hope so, would like to hear some of em.

[micmac]

Thanks Tom, I am proud to be a third generation Indian man. The only one left alive is m Uncle Ken, he gave me the photo's. He wasn't born until the mid 1930's and knows little. I know my Grandparents were very poor during the depression with 5 little ones to feed., I remember Gramps telling me he and another man shared a job, that is to say, they worked the same job every other day at the fatory or so in order to put food on the table during the depression. I can remember seeing the tanks in his shop as a lid in the late 50's, early 1960's, and my Uncle seems to think the engine was employed on the farm, mebbe as a water pump. I know he won the bike in a raffle, mebbe from the American Legion, and it was his main mode of transportation, other than that the bike is lost to time.

[fillibuster]

Charles H.Cole Sr.& Florence Tinker Cole




Could someone help me ID the year of Papa's bike, I'm thinking early 20's, he won this bike new in a raffle. I have been trying to get these from my Uncle ever since this thread started. I am thrilled to finally have em!

Heads are not remove-able, so prior to '25, fork suspension links are compression which changed in 24, rear fender hinge (I think I see it) was new in 1922. It's a 22 or 23, 61" Standard, or 74" Big Chief.

go ahead, somebody bust me.

[Tom Lovejoy]

Very cool Pete, I like Indians too - my Scouts have made me a real Indian fan. Sorry to say though, I never even knew what an Indian was growing up. Would of thought you were talking about a western movie or something :-) I would blow those photo's up and put em in my garage, thanks again for sharing.

[exeric]

Tom Lovejoy nailed the Chief as a '22 or '23 because of the trailing link fork. The first picture, however, is a Powerplus. I recall that 1918 was the first year for Bowden cable in place of mechanical linkage on the handlebars, so my guess is a 1918 Powerplus for the first picture.

[micmac]

Thanks Tom & Phil, I am working on the posters now. Exeric, I did not realize they were two different bikes. the '18 must have been bought when Gramps came home from "over there". I will ask my Uncle if he realized they were 2 different bikes. He is the only one left on my Paternal side from that generation. Daddy's been gone 5 years now. All their sister's are gone as well. I am really psyched to realize he had 2 of em when he was young. He had a 40's Chief when I was a kid. He rode right up until he died. I used to spend summers up there with him. He got me hooked on Indians, Chevy trucks (I got a 63 like he used to have) and the Red Sox! Heck I joined the Army because he was a soldier which pi**ed my sailor Dad off! The guy was a genuis with machines and carpentry. I have several pieces of furniture here in the house he made including a beautiful cedar table made from trees he cut on his farm. I came home from overseas when he died in '72. I have his and Dad's flags on my mantle. I really like the boots he's wearing on the '18. Gramma looks real happy on the back of the '22 or '23, looks like it was laid down at some point in time. I'm sure most of the roads in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusettes were dirt back then, heck they are now! Now if I can get ahold of the photo's of my Dad on his Indian! Thanks again fella's, a family mystery solved! Anyone else see's anything about the bike, plese comment,
Thanks, Pete

[exeric]

Pete, I know what you mean about your Grandfather. I have that admiration for my Grandfather. They were a different breed that seems to be all but gone in America. . . Or, the world for that matter.

[sveger]

Great photos from CA

Whilst surfing the www I came across some great photos showing riders from the Oakland Motorcycle club CA. I dont know if any of these have been posted before, but they are very well digitalized and worth checking out:





http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobswan...7594381987163/

Check it out, some great hillclimbing photos there too

Sverre
AMcN
http://AmericanMotorcyclesNorway.blogspot.com

[sveger]

Pics from Yeasterdaze

More cool pics found whilst surfing the WWW;

Its easy getting a chick on the back when your motor is a Harley



Heading home after getting married?



This Exceslior rider have a real tomboy girl at the back, she seems to be wearing mens clothing except from the shoes. The "always make god" have some real neat and decorated hand muffs that I havent seen before on older bikes like this.


Sverre
AMcN
http://AmericanMotorcyclesNorway.blogspot.com

[sveger]

American Motorcycles

Way cool image showing an African Missionar with family taking theyr Indian Chief out for a visit in the bush.



Sverre
AMcN
http://AmericanMotorcyclesNorway.blogspot.com

[c.o.]

Great stuff Sverre!!

[sveger]

American Motorcycles

Glad you liked them Cory, there are so many out there kind of hidden in various forums, groups etc. Its just a question of searching. Will not let this thread die.

Sverre
AMcN
http://AmericanMotorcyclesNorway.blogspot.com

[INLINE4NUT]

Thanks for sharing !!!

[sveger]

American Motorcycles

Some more photos from the WWW;

Mr. Walter Chesire worked as a Police with this Pope twin. According to the pictures text he got himself killed in traffic when on duty. This resulted he got a bridge named after himself!!



This guy is by no means shy, cool hat. Some fancy leather cuffs he is wearing. Never seen these before.



Club lineup?


Sverre
AMcN
http://AmericanMotorcyclesNorway.blogspot.com

[sveger]

American Motorcycles

Ouch!!!!!! This one did hurt more than the wallet.



Sverre
AMcN
http://AmericanMotorcyclesNorway.blogspot.com