45 Chief

[slarsonroy]

Hello. Im the new owner of this 45 Chief that belonged to a friend for at least 20 years. The history of the bike is said to come from Hastings, Nebraska where there was a Naval Weapons Depot during WWII. This is my 2nd Indian, the first being a 1943 741 that I bought in Davenport from Matt Blake. I'm happy to have found something bigger and a bike I can ride on the highway along with gravel roads where I live in Iowa. How do you tell the difference between essential use from military?

Resized952021030395173052.jpg

[Steve Swan]

As i understand it, 1945 Chief's are pretty rare bikes, only a handful were built for civilian use...?

[slarsonroy]

Yes, they were called Essential Use. A lot of government red tape needed to be signed off on to allow a sale. Police, government workers, Ammunition or warplane plant workers and also farmers were essential. I've been told all the 1945 Chiefs were essential use.

[pisten-bully]

I've been told all the 1945 Chiefs were essential use.

That's my understanding as well, the US military wasn't a customer for 74ci Indians, they went to Canada and overseas.

[Rubone]

You need a copy of this book Scott. It covers the military chiefs but also discusses the essential use models. American in Paris.jpg

[ChiefTwoKicks]

You motorcycle looks great. I'm diggin' the 18"wheels !! Looks like you're missing a right rear fender stay, ... Jerry Greer's Engineering may be able to help, if you need something.
Here's a short synopsis of what I just experienced with my most recent project.

I recently finished a '45 EU Chief. When I bought it, it was complete, but completely apart. The engine/trans were pretty much trashed. A magneto model, according to the cases, but someone had buggered up a '48 oil pump and mis-timed it when put on the bike. This caused much grief when I rebuilt the motor.
I now have the correct mag, but initially put it together with a distributor until I got it running and dialed in. I will put the proper mag equipment (idle gears, kicker pedal, ratchet gear, mag advance, and correct mag ignition switch, at a later date.

From what little research I could find, here's what I found ... (from memory) which isn't always too clear !! ha,ha !!
The differences are minor but distinct. Biggest thing is no chrome package offered for the EU; the tail light bracket and tail light assembly; military had black out lights, civilian, of course only a single tail light. Horn cover on the civilian model had the name INDIAN; military had no marking on the strip.

My frame/engine numbers are pretty low. Around #600 (+/-). Probably left the factory before the end of the WW2 (Aug '45). I painted my M/C with a lusterless (not flat), JEEP grey. After agonizing about the color choice, I decided on a color that was appropriate for a post war bike. Certainly not an official Indian color...
On my bike I parkerized anything that would normally have "shiny", such as the shock covers. the dimmer switch cover and horn button bezel; all the nuts and bolts (leaving the fasteners such as the cam cover screws clutch cover screws and most powerplant fasteners alone) I left the oil lines cad plated. My spokes are Stainless Steel finish. They are supposed to be black. I painted my exhaust pipes black. I eliminated nearly everything that might be chrome or "shiny". The only shiny stuff on the bike is the headlight ring, tail light ring, the speedo bezel and the amp meter bezel. Stainless Steel Spokes as noted above. Handlebar sleeve nuts and tank badges are parkerized. Also,both brake backing plates,and fastening bolts and nuts, are parkerized.
My seat is a dark brown. Gas caps, Oil cap are original, all with vent holes. The dashboard is a dull finish black powdercoat. Tool box lock is black. All the spark advance fasteners, primary wire tube, valve covers, intake manifold and nuts... parkerized. Clutch, brake pedals and linkage, too... You get the idea.

I purposefully went overboard on many of the items I parkerized. I don't have documentation for much of it. However, as I was putting the bike together I used "artistic license" to guide me
through the assembly. My reasoning is my minds eye; would the parts I didn't parkerize blend well with the overall look I was trying to achieve. I think the end result came out with the look I was after... not sure if the "judges" might agree. But, I'm happy with it.

I have some pics on my flip phone, but no way to get them to my computer files, sorry.
Here's the only one I have available (if I can get it posted with this reply).

Roger Herbison thumbnail_IMG-6235.jpg

[someozybloke]

Hi

What is the Engine Number, Frame should start 345xxx Engine should start CDExxx from #101 up. CDE1672 is the highest numbered 1945 That I have seen.

[slarsonroy]

You need a copy of this book Scott. It covers the military chiefs but also discusses the essential use models. American in Paris.jpg

I've been looking for one, thanks Robbie!

[slarsonroy]

You motorcycle looks great. I'm diggin' the 18"wheels !! Looks like you're missing a right rear fender stay, ... Jerry Greer's Engineering may be able to help, if you need something.
Here's a short synopsis of what I just experienced with my most recent project.

I recently finished a '45 EU Chief. When I bought it, it was complete, but completely apart. The engine/trans were pretty much trashed. A magneto model, according to the cases, but someone had buggered up a '48 oil pump and mis-timed it when put on the bike. This caused much grief when I rebuilt the motor.
I now have the correct mag, but initially put it together with a distributor until I got it running and dialed in. I will put the proper mag equipment (idle gears, kicker pedal, ratchet gear, mag advance, and correct mag ignition switch, at a later date.

From what little research I could find, here's what I found ... (from memory) which isn't always too clear !! ha,ha !!
The differences are minor but distinct. Biggest thing is no chrome package offered for the EU; the tail light bracket and tail light assembly; military had black out lights, civilian, of course only a single tail light. Horn cover on the civilian model had the name INDIAN; military had no marking on the strip.

My frame/engine numbers are pretty low. Around #600 (+/-). Probably left the factory before the end of the WW2 (Aug '45). I painted my M/C with a lusterless (not flat), JEEP grey. After agonizing about the color choice, I decided on a color that was appropriate for a post war bike. Certainly not an official Indian color...
On my bike I parkerized anything that would normally have "shiny", such as the shock covers. the dimmer switch cover and horn button bezel; all the nuts and bolts (leaving the fasteners such as the cam cover screws clutch cover screws and most powerplant fasteners alone) I left the oil lines cad plated. My spokes are Stainless Steel finish. They are supposed to be black. I painted my exhaust pipes black. I eliminated nearly everything that might be chrome or "shiny". The only shiny stuff on the bike is the headlight ring, tail light ring, the speedo bezel and the amp meter bezel. Stainless Steel Spokes as noted above. Handlebar sleeve nuts and tank badges are parkerized. Also,both brake backing plates,and fastening bolts and nuts, are parkerized.
My seat is a dark brown. Gas caps, Oil cap are original, all with vent holes. The dashboard is a dull finish black powdercoat. Tool box lock is black. All the spark advance fasteners, primary wire tube, valve covers, intake manifold and nuts... parkerized. Clutch, brake pedals and linkage, too... You get the idea.

I purposefully went overboard on many of the items I parkerized. I don't have documentation for much of it. However, as I was putting the bike together I used "artistic license" to guide me
through the assembly. My reasoning is my minds eye; would the parts I didn't parkerize blend well with the overall look I was trying to achieve. I think the end result came out with the look I was after... not sure if the "judges" might agree. But, I'm happy with it.

I have some pics on my flip phone, but no way to get them to my computer files, sorry.
Here's the only one I have available (if I can get it posted with this reply).

Roger Herbison thumbnail_IMG-6235.jpg

Very nice Roger, love that color!

I found another picture of a USN haze grey colored 345 that I may go with on mine. Or possibly this other police grey essential use Chief.

IMG_20210308_135303_655.jpg

FB_IMG_1615301412128.jpg

[slarsonroy]

Hi

What is the Engine Number, Frame should start 345xxx Engine should start CDExxx from #101 up. CDE1672 is the highest numbered 1945 That I have seen.

Both start with 345 and CDE, but are not matching. 1624 is the frame number, engine # is 600 less.

[ChiefTwoKicks]

Lucian's '44 Chief.jpg slarsonroy-

Oh boy !! looks like there's several 1945 Grey EU Chiefs out there... "50 shade of Grey". yea, I get it ! Actually, during my research to find the "right" Grey color for my choice of color. I found there were about 65-70 shades of a grey. Most are military, for so many reasons. Some were various different manufactures idea of what Grey is supposed to look like. The same goes for most other colors... even Indian Red has several different hues, throughout the years.

I toyed with idea of a "stealth Grey"... the color of the B-1 Stealth Bomber. Radar does not recognize the object if the color is "Stealth Grey", according to what I found. Didn't choose that color, because if radar can't see it, maybe someone driving a car might not see it either. just sayin'.

As I mention in my initial response to your first post... I really like the 18" wheels. All my chiefs have 18's. With the above pics you can easily see the dramatic difference in appearance. I believe there is also a dramatic difference in the way the M/C handles with 18's. I can't imagine why anyone would even want those big old ballon tires... makes the bike look and feel too heavy. But, thats just my opinion. Sixteen inch wheels certainly became the choice shortly after the war, Harleys, too. I'm not sure why the narrower tires were discontinued. Indian still had the 18's, but you had to special order them for the later years.

Thanks for sharing the other pics of the EU Chiefs. I'll add them to my others on file.
Here's another one I really like... Lucian Hood's documented Ohio Hiway Patrol '44 Chief. This one is stunning

C2K

[joe fxs fxr]

I toyed with idea of a "stealth Grey"... the color of the B-1 Stealth Bomber. Radar does not recognize the object if the color is "Stealth Grey", according to what I found. Didn't choose that color, because if radar can't see it, maybe someone driving a car might not see it either. just sayin'.

C2K

From my work as a defense contractor, it's not the color, it's the material, which is called RAM - Radar Absorbing Material - a highly classified formula. Grey airplanes (and ships) are also hard to see, so that enemy observers have a harder time noticing them. Your theory about grey motorcycles being hard for other drivers to see is valid.

[pisten-bully]

Bob Rice just posted a period picture of an essential use Chief (post 848)

[Rubone]

Bob Rice just posted a period picture of an essential use Chief (post 848)

Bobs picture was a leaf spring chief. Different animal.

[vph-d]

Were civilian Indians painted gray during the war, like Harleys? The USN had about four shades of gray during WW2.
VPH-D