ebay: 1948 HD barn find

[charbo]

No affiliation just passing on the info. This looks like it might be a great project. Atleast for someone who can afford it and knows what they’re getting into. Currently at $14,000.

Item number: 140045113623

Richard

[exeric]

That's the way you want to find them. You just don't want to find them for that kind of money. I've had one "barn find" motorcycle. I was lucky enough to be put in touch with a fellow in southern Georgia who had a 1948 Chief for sale. I went up on a Sunday and met this guy at a Waffle House just off I-75. He was a crazy little guy, skinny, wired, and bug eyed, like a monkey on speed. I followed him to the proverbial barn, or should I say chased. This guy drove as crazy as he looked. We got way out in the middle of no-where and it occured to me that a Florida hippy with money in his pockets could easily vanish out in these woods. Fortunately he was just a good ol' Georgia "character" that was honest and trustworthy. . . . Just odd. The Chief was minus an engine and tranny but mostly there. The story was, he found it at a nursery. It had been in a dilapidated shed and the owner thought it would be best to dig a big hole and push everything into the hole. This he did, but didn't get the Chief fully burried as part of the front wheel was exposed. Our hero saw the wheel one day and asked the nursery owner if he could dig it up. This he did, but didn't go any deeper for the engine/trans unit. After I bought the bike I begged him to show me where he dug the Chief up. He kept that location from me and repeated calls later on gave no clues so I finally gave up trying. I would love to find another one like that but those miracles are getting few and far between. I envy whoever gets that '48 pan.

[stan]

I found my 37 chief kind of the same way. There was a person in my town who had a wrecking yard, and had a few old motorcycles. After the wrecking yard burned down, he got out of the business. I looked him up years later, he said he had a old motorcycle in a old shed at another place, but I couldn't see it because dirt had sealed the door shut over the years. He told me when he got the door opend he would call me. Abut a week later he called. There in this old shed was a old 37 indian chief. It had been there for so long dirt had covered the wheels, and had rusted the bottom part of the front and rear rims off. It was mostly complete except for the front fender. while looking for the fender I came upon a 36 4 rolling chassis. We made a deal for both the 37 chief, and the 36 four for 750.00 Here is where I hace been kicking my self ever since. He had a complete 38 or 9 four motor, and the motor for the36 four. I probably could have had both for around 1000.00 This was in the late 70's and money was a little hare to come-by. while trying to make up my mind, I made the mistake of telling someone else about the motors, and he bought them out from under me. That's my story and I am sticking to it. Stan