Super Cool Vintage Indian Motorcycle Packs Ford Flathead V8 Power
Pieced together with parts from a variety of manufacturers, this awesome Indian motorcycle has a Blue Oval heart.
We don’t generally feature motorcycles, because, well, Ford never built a Mustang motorcycle. But this cool custom vintage Indian motorcycle, up for sale at Classic Auto Mall, isn’t your average two-wheeler. Instead, it’s a hodgepodge of parts from different manufacturers from different parts of the world, and that of course includes the Blue Oval.
This particular Indian motorcycle started out life as a 1938 Chief inspired by a pair of old school custom bikes that were both powered by a Ford V8 60 engine. That was the goal here as well, so the builder started out by reinforcing the frame with 1.25 and 1-inch DOM tubing. The front end is an original Chief piece from this era, but it uses a custom triple clamp, rubber-mounted Flanders risers, and custom handlebars.
Pretty much everything else has been touched in some way as well, including the original tanks that have been stretched five inches, as well as fenders that were handmade from spare tire covers taken from the scrapyard. The seat is a repop Indian open seam solo piece, while the wheels are mismatched – an 18-inch vintage Indian wheel up front and a Harley 15-incher out back.
Perhaps the real star of the show here is this bike’s unusual powerplant, however – a low mile, factory rebuilt 1937 iron-sided Ford Flathead V8. The old school mill is topped off with a Stromberg 97 carburetor and stainless headers. It’s backed up by a Harley-Davidson four-speed transmission that’s shifted via a foot clutch and hand lever, and the bike even features a Porsche 12-volt generator to round things out.
Though this wild custom Indian motorcycle reportedly runs and rides, it does need some work to be truly 100 percent finished. That includes hooking up the aforementioned generator, finishing off the fuel and expansion tanks, hooking up all the lights, adding an electric water pump, installing a clutch cover and guard, and redesigning the shifter setup.
That’s not a ton of work, really, and this cool Ford-powered two-wheeler certainly deserves to be finished. It may be a bit heavy at the stoplights and perhaps even cumbersome to ride compared to cushy new bikes, but there’s no denying the fact that it’s one of the most unique custom motorcycles you’ll ever lay eyes on.
Photos: Classic Auto Mall
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