Numbers Expert

[Joe G]

Hello, who is the numbers expert on this forum for Indian? I want to send him a pic of a case VIN to get an appraisal. Thanks! Joe

[DEEBS47Chief1991]

Here is a good place to start.

https://www.indian-motorcycles.com/f...ers-explained/

[DEEBS47Chief1991]

One interesting note about that number list is that a 1949 349 Chief is listed. I don't think they ever existed. A unicorn. Has anyone ever seen one?


case numbers.jpg

[Joe G]

Thanks Deebs, I was wondering if there was an expert I could send a picture of my engine Number to . I was hoping to get an opinion regarding authenticity

[Skirted]

Joe,
In my opinion Steven Bailey (board name Yellow53Chief) is the master expert when it comes to Indian numbers.....as well as other tech info. He has a mind boggling photo database of numbers as well as knowledge. He hasn't posted here for about 7 or 8 years. If you search and are able to find an old post from him you may get lucky and reach him with a PM. He was always very helpful to anyone seeking advice.

[JTR249]

1949 is the year Indian invested in the Vertical models to try and save the company from going under. Hatfield and Sucher comment on this in their books and mention that some people say there were in fact 1949 Chiefs put together, though not many. It would be interesting to find out the truth if it can be discovered. this issue is much like the story of the last Chiefs put together from remaining parts or the tale of the 648 50 bikes vs. 25 bikes and 25 powerplants.
Good luck.
-JR

[T. Cotten]

I heard '49s ran Amals, Folks.

Ain't that enough to doom them?

....Cotten

[exeric]

I am surprised there isn't more known about possible 1949 Chiefs. There were a lot of active Indian dealers in '48-'49 and they would have had their fingers on the pulse of the Indian factory, because riders, and dealers wanted big twin Indians. I don't doubt that there may have been Chiefs made for 1949 but I have to believe that Sucher, and Hatfield would have found living Indian dealers (in the 1970s) that could have given knowledgeable facts of what they could get from the Indian factory. That makes me believe that the few '49 Chiefs were only available to police, and who knows how they were stamped.

[JTR249]

Cotten,

Correct. The 49-52 verticals ran the Amal 275 on Arrow and scout, the Amal 276 on both Warrior models.
I don't think the '49 Chiefs, even if they were put together with left-over '48 parts, ever used Amals.
That would be very strange indeed.
-JR

[JTR249]

exeric,

I actually found an entry in Rick Conner's Data Book for what he calls "Model 349 Chief Prototype" and only a small list of parts.
The entry says, "New model, hand shift, foot clutch, front forks are telescopic type, dual saddle is the same as on the vertical single and twins except sprung like a standard Chum-Me-Seat" (202).
Then on p. 212: "The Chief wasn't mass produced for the 1949 season due to production difficulties with the 1949 Arrow single and Scout vertical twin. Only a very few Chief were built with hand clutch and foot shift. One was photographed at the El Paso, Texas, dealership." His source was: Indian Motorcycle Restoration Guide (Hatfield) p. 166.
-JR

[JTR249]

Yes. There are lots of times that I as well, when researching Verticals want to know how the person arrived at the knowledge they have.
Pete always says the real history of the verticals is yet to be written because there is so much documentation from close sources that evidently was lost, never widely shared late in company history and so on.
-JR

[exeric]

Very interesting comments, John. It makes sense that Indian would have wanted to start making the updated Chief as soon as possible considering how popular motorcycles were in the post war, and early '50s era. Thanks for posting.

[DEEBS47Chief1991]

Indian did use Amal on the 52 and 53 Chiefs. Most people chucked them and installed the Linkert. I had them on my BSAs. Metal on metal slides are pure air leaking junk. However, you can still buy a repop replacement if you choose to go for the 100 points.


amal 1.jpg amal 2.jpg

[DEEBS47Chief1991]

amal 4.jpg amal 3.jpg

[JTR249]

Thanks, Deeb. I had no idea they ever did that.
-JR