1949 IIndian?

[Jerry Wieland]

image_51404.jpg This belongs to a friend who bought it a couple of years ago. What is it. Title says 1949 Indian.

Some how my original picture disappeared so I reloaded it.

Jerry

[ammorest]

I might be wrong but supposedly there were no Chiefs produced in 1949; only vertical Scouts and Arrows. But who knows for sure. Any pictures?
Dave

[Jerry Wieland]

I might be wrong but supposedly there were no Chiefs produced in 1949; only vertical Scouts and Arrows. But who knows for sure. Any pictures?
Dave

I've had some of the 1949 Indian verticals but none have been flatheads like this appears to be.

Jerry

[otis71]

Back then some states titled vehicles when they sold and not necessarily when the model year suggests. Check the vin number.

[T. Cotten]

Back then some states titled vehicles when they sold and not necessarily when the model year suggests. Check the vin number.

"Late issues", Otis!

Like machines assembled from parts and then dealer stamped.

But I heard the legend that a few were produced to tease police departments, and had hand clutches, and (*gasp*) AMAL carbs.

.....Cotten

[FLFD7]

This weekend I’ll have to look thru my father’s stash, he told me he had a 49 Chief engine, was a NYC cop bike.

[exeric]

I've always been curious about the unicorn 1949 Indian Chiefs. I have to believe Indian built some for committed municipal contracts and the well-connected dealers. If there are genuine '49s out there, I would also be curious if they were built with girder forks, or hydraulic forks? I had a 'Heinz 57' Chief that had a 1950 motor and it had the compensating sprocket 'top-hat' primary cover. Would a '49 have that? And all of this reminds me of a story a master B.S. artist told me, (and he was the best liar I have ever known). He had access (his story) to a 1949 Chief and said he knew it was real. Now I disputed that claim but his rebuttal story would take 50 pages to document so I'll spare you that nonsense. He also had a friend that routinely rode his 1910 Harley-Davidson to the "Lill' General" convenience store for beer. In that context, I have to have a few questions about the validity of his claims All of that has tainted a lot of stories about '49 Chiefs but I still believe there are a few bona fide '49s out there.

[Peter Cooke]

For the uninitiated amongst us, what's the story re '49 Chiefs being non-existent or thereabouts?

[FLFD7]

I think it was because Indian was concentrating on their new line of bikes, the new vertical twin Scout and single cylinder Arrow, and were also in the process of moving their manufacturing to a new facility that the decision was made not to make Chiefs for 1949. I do believe they did make some, probably to fulfill police contracts.

[tfburke3]

Jerry Hatfields resto guide shows a pic of 1949 prototype photographed at El Paso dealer.
"Indian made very few of these foot clutch-hand shift chiefs."Obviusly this should read hand clutch and foot shift,as the pic clearly shows hand clutch.
It has "top hat"compensating drive,a vertical model seat sprung like traditional chum-me seat and aerodrualic fork.
Tom

[Peter Cooke]

Thanks gents.

[Jerry Wieland]

Well folks I figured out what this is. It is a Brockhouse built Indian Brave.

Thanks for all the input.

[exeric]

Jerry Hatfields resto guide shows a pic of 1949 prototype photographed at El Paso dealer.
"Indian made very few of these foot clutch-hand shift chiefs."Obviusly this should read hand clutch and foot shift,as the pic clearly shows hand clutch.
It has "top hat"compensating drive,a vertical model seat sprung like traditional chum-me seat and aerodrualic fork.
Tom

I should have looked in Jerry Hatfield's "Indian Photographic History" book at the picture of a '49 Chief, as Tom pointed out. That book also had pictures of the prototype 1952 Warrior which is a bike that should have been built and Brockhouse should have had the foresight to proceed with it. It's always interesting to speculate on what could have saved Indian (aside from management). I think Indian had the money to up-grade the Big Chief with a 4 speed transmission, and an OHV top end. They had a devoted following and post war riders wanted a Big bike. Hindsight is 20-20 but all you had to do from a marketing view is ask the Indian dealers what their customers wanted. You couldn't get better information than that. The vertical twins were a good direction, but Triumph, and BSA had that market covered and Indian should have been content to grab just a bit of a margin in that market. I know that British manufacturing was favored at that point after the war but Harley did very well right after the war, and Indian could have been right there. I think H-D listened to their dealers and put their energy and perspective in just the right position to build the motorcycles young men wanted post-war, but also had smaller bikes in place and the 125 as a unique filler. I believe Indian saw that potential, but their pre-war small bikes were the Sport Scout, and the 30/50 (741) which were hard to build, and the 30/50 was woefully underpowered. Unfortunately, Indian spent all their money on trying to copy the vertical twins of the superior British Triumphs, and BSAs. This is always a great beer hoisting conversation and I always learn from other Indian lovers opinions.

[Rubone]

The Brockhouse "Brave" was merely filler along with the Papoose, products Brockhouse already owned and could be injected to offer a larger line. Neither sold well in the USA. The concept behind the OHV models was interesting as modular bikes sharing many components with the Torque 4 being the top of the line but never getting there. Sadly the OHVs all gave up displacement to the popular Brits of the time so were never really in contention as competition. A major swing and miss. They also marketed that little CZ but it was another non-starter even though Cannonball Baker liked it!