1947 FL Question

[D.A.Bagin]

Best looking Harley? Any Knucklehead. Best looking Indian? Any Four. Between both companies? 38-39 Four or 36 Knuckle? I can't pick one. Can you?? Let the battle begin. LOL

[Robert Luland]

No way George. 37 UL. The sexiest motorsickle ever made! Bob L

[Coolbreeze]

To my way of thinking, the Harley Knuckle is the best looking motorcycle engine ever. Likewise, the late (1945-48) Indian girder fork is the most attractive motorcycle fork ever made. You might end up with a good-looking bike. We would all love to see pictures when you are done.

[knuckleheadtim]

I'm sure there were higher numbers than the one I posted, but It's the highest I'm aware of.

[Lonnie]

This conjures up images of the knuckle I saw in Daytona a few years ago that had an Indian transmission.....

[Chris Haynes]

This was the last Knuckle built (until someone proves otherwise)!!!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]10249[/ATTACH]

I have seen higher numbers.

[LouieMCman]

Louie,
I read your post about combining the knucklehead and Indian.... it jogged my memory and I called a friend this afternoon who had done something similar in the late '60s. He grafted the rear section of the Indian plunger frame on the Harley straightleg frame but left the front frame section all Harley except that he grafted the Indian neck on the frame and ran the post war chief girder which he liked better than the Harley springer. Unfortunately he never took any pictures of it but I would think it would be similar to the pic posted earlier in this thread. As far as the rear wheel goes, my friend said that he used a Harley rear wheel to go with the Harley transmission and all he ended up doing was making a spacer or spacers to run the Harley hub in the slightly wider Indian rear frame. Anyhow, good luck.
Mike

Thanks Mike, I would love to have seen pictures of that bike. Harley rear wheel seems like the way to go, like you said would just have to space it and work out the brake. I'll take plenty of pictures.

[pete reeves]

This was the last Knuckle built (until someone proves otherwise)!!!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]10249[/ATTACH]

I have seen 47 knuckle VIN numbers as high as 1265*
Pete Reeves 860

[mcarver]

Louie,
I read your post about combining the knucklehead and Indian.... it jogged my memory and I called a friend this afternoon who had done something similar in the late '60s. He grafted the rear section of the Indian plunger frame on the Harley straightleg frame but left the front frame section all Harley except that he grafted the Indian neck on the frame and ran the post war chief girder which he liked better than the Harley springer. Unfortunately he never took any pictures of it but I would think it would be similar to the pic posted earlier in this thread. As far as the rear wheel goes, my friend said that he used a Harley rear wheel to go with the Harley transmission and all he ended up doing was making a spacer or spacers to run the Harley hub in the slightly wider Indian rear frame. Anyhow, good luck.
Mike

[knuckleheadtim]

This was the last Knuckle built (until someone proves otherwise)!!!
47 High Number.jpg

[LouieMCman]

I'm a firm believer that everything on a bike must work as designed or better. All my current bikes are 100% functional as will be anything I have in the future. I've seen to many nice (dare I say Winner Circle) bikes that half the stuff on them were not functional. I think the judging should go back to having to ride the bikes for a few miles before they are judged, boy wouldn't that shake up the judging.

[Rubone]

Keep in mind Louie, that it has to be really done well, or it just becomes another bad idea. Specials are only special if they work....

[c.o.]

I know one thing for sure Louie. You'll be able to have fun with folks telling a story around it. It's really gonna freak out the antique crowd!! Thanks for the warning....

[exeric]

I think as long as you use screwed up frames, and orphaned parts, you're just putting another bike on the road (i.e. and an interesting one at that).

[LouieMCman]

Your right, lots of '47 Knuckles and Chiefs around. I will be passing look alike Indians.....once in fourth gear!