1942 45ci military scout

[ryan]

I am looking to purchase a 1942 45ci military scout, but I really cannot find much on this bike, is it a 642b? It kind of looks like a 1940 sport scout with different fenders and just like a 45ci 640b military scout. So is the rigid frame a hold over for the 45ci military scout. Any information would be greatly appreciated because I am lost.

thank you!

[PaulCDF]

Ryan;
Have you had a chance to look at Jerry Geer's site? Under Information:

https://www.jerrygreersengineering.c...fy-your-indian

Link goes over basics of knowing what we are looking at.
I am gathering that you have a specific bike in mind for purchase.
Over 70 years fenders and other items may have been changed.

Hope this helps.

[ryan]

Ryan;
Have you had a chance to look at Jerry Geer's site? Under Information:

https://www.jerrygreersengineering.c...fy-your-indian

Link goes over basics of knowing what we are looking at.
I am gathering that you have a specific bike in mind for purchase.
Over 70 years fenders and other items may have been changed.

Hope this helps.

Thank you very much!

Yes, I have a specific bike in mind, it is in the back of an old chicken coupe behind some other bikes and parts. I can only see part of it, but going to dig it out. Owner said has a rigid frame, I saw a magneto and to me the engine looks like a chief engine, has the shifter like a chief, the front end looks like a sport scout and unknown looking fenders to me. It is dark to take a picture. The owner said he was told the bike was originally imported from England decades ago, so who really knows what it is till we dig it out, but he said it is titled a 1942????

Were all the military 45ci scouts 3 speeds or did any have a 4 speeds, I am asking because he said he thinks it has a 4 speed. I have never heard of a scout having a 4 speed except for the vertical scouts. I am out of my element on this one.

Thanks again!!!

[PaulCDF]

Ryan;
I believe all Scouts and Chief of that era were 3 speed
(If I am wrong I hope someone more knowledgeable will reply and educate us both)

If the bike came back to the USA from UK it could be a model 741 as many were produced by wigwam for export.

In addition to the information at Geers when you can check the top of the carb, should be a Linkert. Should bear one of these letters and numbers:

M741 for all 1941-1943 Military 741s

M641 for 1941 Indian Sport Scout 45
M642 for 1942 Indian Sport Scout 45

M541 for 1941 Indian 30/50 Junior Scout
M542 for 1942 Indian 30/50 Junior Scout

Not a dead lock as carbs may have been swapped out or modified

First go with Geers info to identify engine and frame.

Good Hunting!

PS
(If the gent has an extra set of tanks in that coop I would be interested)
Thanks.

[ryan]

It does not have the same type of shifter as a 741 and the barrels look a little different, I stopped and looked at a 741 after seeing the 45ci scout. There is a single cylinder Indian in the coup as well. It is going to take at least a day to dig the scout out, all the tires are flat and cracked. I will look for you Paul.
Thank you for the information!

ps: I guess one of the things that confused me about the scout is he kept calling it a 640 and when I looked up 640, it was a 1940 scout, not a 1942 scout. We will get it figured out. Thanks again!

[ryan]

I found some reading material that stated that the Scout 640b distributor model stayed in the states and was used on the Army posts and the Scout 741 and 340 Chief went over seas. So logically, if it was shipped from England, it should be a 741, but it looks different. The guy was born in 1932, and parked the bike in the early to mid 1970s, luckily on concrete. One thing I remember, about chicken coup bike, is the front brake drum is on starboard side of the bike, but the 741 is on the port side. I am second guessing myself on coup scout having a magneto because it did not look like it had a distributor, but was either the mag or distributor protected by some sort of boot or cover? I am done guessing, I will report when I did it out.

[kitabel]

I owned FDBXXX years ago, the front section was correct for the larger barrels (dog-leg in the seat post) but had a 741 rigid rear section with a GDAXXX stamp.. which of course makes it legally a 741.

[ryan]

I owned FDBXXX years ago, the front section was correct for the larger barrels (dog-leg in the seat post) but had a 741 rigid rear section with a GDAXXX stamp.. which of course makes it legally a 741.

Who knows what has been done to these bikes over the years, my luck it is a Heinz 57, but I wasn't looking for a Scout, just happened to run into the old fella and we started talking bikes.

[tomfiii]

https://www.ziggysmotorworks.com//bi...os/641civ.html Ziggy's site ,blue bike is a 1942 civilian
https://www.ziggysmotorworks.com//bi...os/640mil.html pics of 640 model

[PaulCDF]

Ryan
Another site you might enjoy:

Parker Indian Motocycles

[ryan]

Tom and Paul, thank you for the links, Tom, the military 640 looks exactly like the scout in the coop, from what I can see of it anyway. minus the rifle carrier, I assume. Paul your link showed the single cylinder Indian parked beside the scout, the prince.
The prices on those sites are through the roof, I know the one is in Aussy land, but still. No price has been discussed about the scout, but seeing those prices on those sites scares me.

[kitabel]

IDK whether the military used the same cylinders as the civilian Scout 45, but those are (AFAIK) also used in the Daytona 648, $$$