Fabulous Fifties Fixie?

[sdframe]

95% complete

Now all I need is a proper seat, front brakes, a little touchup, and this Indian Scout is finished!

 

[HuffDaddy]

Cool bike. I really like those rims! I like the gooseneck being frame color too. Maybe the seat post would look good being red too?

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

remove that front spring, and the seat would look a lot better. But overall, that is a great bike. Nice job. Looks fast and fun.

 

[Gold Street Customs]

I built a 50 Indian for B/O #4 , still one of my favorite bikes

 

[sdframe]

Thanks for the input, guys. The seat will be replaced, and if it's replaced with a red seat, a red post would be too much, I think. Things will change in the next few days, as usual.

Love that '50 Indian!

 

[sdframe]

I'm thinking my next build will be an old balloon tire cruiser, completely minimalized, with a seven-speed internal hub.

 

[kingsting]

I'm thinking my next build will be an old balloon tire cruiser, completely minimalized, with a seven-speed internal hub.

Do it! My RRBO #8 bike was one of those. It ended up being a wonderful rider!

 

[white_cross]

cool bike what clear coat did u use to get a matte gloss?

 

[sdframe]

I used Rustoleum Ultra-Cover Matte Clear, from my nearby Ace Hardware.

My 1951 Indian Scout is done! Went with a flaming arrow(?) seat borrowed from my grandson's old Thunder Road.

Got the front brake on. It rides quite nicely!

Here is my Indian. Pure, simple and sweet. I just remembered I have three subtle, small Indian repro decals on order. I may or may not add them. Did I mention this Indian is a member of the Fuggarwee tribe? To help out, I added one last vintage accessory, which came in an amazingly close color to my paint job:

Now my Indian Scout will never have to ask that old question again.

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Over.

 

[kingfish254]

Looking sharp.
Even with a GPS, I have to ask that tribal question now and then.

 

[sdframe]

The rat gods have been smiling down at me! On Tuesday, in a post, I ruminated on how I'd like to build a sweet old classic cruiser with a 7-speed internal hub. On Wednesday morning, I found this!

I'll definitely use the 7-speed hub, rear wheel and shifter on a future build. I'll either motorize it and sell it, or put that wild fork, crankset and disk brake front wheel into another project.

So then, on Friday morning, a friend sent me a link to a Craigslist post featuring a 1941 Hawthorne. I contacted the seller immediately and brought this beauty home:

Nice frame, sweet springer setup, Troxel seat in good shape, those streamlined pedals, nice headbadge and skiptooth!
It's actually rideable as is. I'm gonna take my time and let the bike "speak" to me over the next few months.

 

[sdframe]

Not quite happy with the 1951 Indian; so I took the silly compass off, changed out the flaming seat and added "Indian" decals to the top bar. Now I'm not happy with the placement of the decals, so I ordered another set. I'll put them far forward on the top bar so the feathers on the headress will mimic the painted scallops from days of yore. Then I'll be done. Or not.

Ehh . . . maybe it needs different handlebars.

 

[bebopblu]

Love the build so far....I would go with a shorter stem and some 2" rise fixie bars

 

[sdframe]

I was thinkin' keep the stem high and use 2" rise fixie bars flipped. I really like the fact that the skinny little black tires on the black deep vee rims actually look beefy!

 

[cherrydeuce]

The rat gods have been smiling down at me! On Tuesday, in a post, I ruminated on how I'd like to build a sweet old classic cruiser with a 7-speed internal hub. On Wednesday morning, I found this!

I'll definitely use the 7-speed hub, rear wheel and shifter on a future build. I'll either motorize it and sell it, or put that wild fork, crankset and disk brake front wheel into another project.

So then, on Friday morning, a friend sent me a link to a Craigslist post featuring a 1941 Hawthorne. I contacted the seller immediately and brought this beauty home:

Nice frame, sweet springer setup, Troxel seat in good shape, those streamlined pedals, nice headbadge and skiptooth!
It's actually rideable as is. I'm gonna take my time and let the bike "speak" to me over the next few months.

Really dig that front fork on the chopper, so much potential for an old school chopper build!!!!

 

[SSG]

Looks good, I like the deep wheels and chrome pump. I personally wouldn't have painted it, but I'm a sucker for that dark "Indian" red with patina, just my opinion though. I'm a big fan of English lightweights, and this one turned out sharp.

 

[sdframe]

That crazy fork and disc brake wheel will go on a motorized bike or trike.
I did relocate the decals on the Indian and I'm hunting for handlebars tomorrow, so it's really not finished. Are they ever?

 

[sdframe]

Okay, it's really finished. This time I mean it. Peeled off the first pair of Indian decals and stuck a new pair at the front of the top tube. Went with a low rise BMX type handlebar, flipped in the rat rod tradition.

Good luck to all you guys. I'm having a blast following your builds. You all inspire me!

 

[Wildcat]

That looks great!

Here's a little history on Indian bicycles. They were American built before 1945, then no bicycles until the 50's, then they were fine English made bikes. This says they stopped making Scouts when the company changed hands in 45, but there was a post here saying they have a 1951 Scout. But the frames and forks all look English made. The fork crown is the giveaway.

"In 1945, a group headed by Ralph B. Rogers purchased a controlling interest of the company. On November 1, 1945, duPont formally turned the operations of Indian over to Rogers. Under Rogers’ control, Indian discontinued the Scout and began to manufacture lightweight motorcycles such as the 149 Arrow, the Super Scout 249, both introduced in 1949, and the 250 Warrior, introduced in 1950. These bikes suffered from poor quality and a lack of development. Production of traditional Indians was extremely limited in 1949, and no 1949 Chiefs are known to exist.
Manufacture of all products was halted in 1953. Brockhouse Engineering and Royal Enfield bikes were imported from England and badged and sold as Indians through the rest of the 1950s. After this the Indian name passed to the company that imported Matchless motorcycles into the US, however it did not attach the name to any motorcycles, and it went into liquidation in 1962."

I found even more good info on the Indian bikes:
http://www.oldbike.eu/indian/?page_id=44

 

[sdframe]

Fascinating!