1947 Indian may soon be mine - Updated 07/20/14

[Xtracho]

They have already hinted at where they are price wise.. I'm not throwing any offer out there until I've gone over the bike entirely. We're headed up there tomorrow to take a look.

  What sort of hint did they give you for a relic they let sit around and deteriorate?

Good question Donald...my cousin mentioned the NADA book values. Said they would go with the "fair" category. That prices the bike at 12 grand plus. I told him that would be OK if the bike would start, run, and was driveable. Which it is not. We're leaving early tomorrow morning and will be there around noon. They are good people....and family. Having said that, I think we'll negotiate in a friendly way and come up with a deal everyone can live with.

[donaldcc]

  Good luck and best wishes.  Hope it works out favorably! 

[Xtracho]

Thanks Donald...just got off the phone with IndianDave. Got some real good advice from him. I'll let everyone know what happens tomorrow and have some more pics as well. It's gonna be a fun day.

[Xtracho]

Just back home after a road trip to North Alabama. Good to see family and reminisce. Had not seen some of them in years.

Oh yeah...the '47 Indian Chief...almost forgot. Frame and Engine serial numbers match. She is in much better condition than I imagined from the pictures I received last week. Sure she's got some rust but nothing that can't be dealt with. My Uncle's oldest son showed me the original Bill of Sale. WOW...what a piece of documentation to have for this bike. My Uncle paid a grand total of $754 and change for the bike! Title is clear.

I got her in neutral and shoved the kick starter down with my hand...slowly. The engine turned without so much as even a hint of resistance. I did this several times and the result was the same. A smooth push with no resistance. Main gas tank is very clean, reserve tank will need some treatment and the oil tank will need to be cleaned. The Indian Head running light is the original that is split down the middle. Rims will need a good cleaning but hell, the tires still hold air. It looks as though my Uncle, or someone, took some silver paint and painted the handle bars. Easy enough to remedy with some 0000 steel wool and elbow grease. The engine? I gotta tell you I was thrilled. It's all intact and only needs a good degreasing to look exceptional. If you see my photos in my initial post, you saw the generator cover missing. It's there, just was not on the bike. I was prepared to see saddlebags that were totally rotten...but pleasantly surprised to see them still in fair shape and can be made supple again with a good leather treatment...saddle soap maybe.

Folks...to say I was thrilled beyond my expectation would be a gross understatement. After a thorough going over we got down to brass tacks and discussed price. End result? I am now the proud owner of a 1947 Indian Chief that is entirely original and intact. All I gotta do is get her on a trailer and bring her home!

We settled on a price that made everyone involved happy. Dare I say it? Is is ethical to reveal what the selling price was? Will we all still be friends on this forum if I do? I hope so....I walked out of my cousin's house 11K lighter but that spring in my step more than made up for it!!

[John Schmidt]

That looks very much like the one my cousin restored just before he was killed in a plane accident. Last I knew it was sitting in his den/family room in Idaho, have no idea what his wife did with it but I'd sure love to have been the one to inherit it.

As for this bike, I agree with the rest. If you can get if for an affordable price, go for it. Then just get it running so it's trouble free, don't paint it or polish it. Keep the original look.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mark...just read your update. Sounds like getting the engine up and running won't be a major problem. Very encouraging. Keep us updated on your progress, this is fantastic.

[The emperor has no clothes]

congratulation!!!!

[ragincajun]

Congrats. A beautiful bike...even better with the family ties it has for you.

[BF]

Now I know where we need to ride to.  You're garage.   

[3fan4life]

GREAT DEAL !

I'm looking forward to following your progress as you restore your uncle's (your) old Indian.

[donaldcc]

  good for you!  you got what you wanted at a price you are comfortable with.  and dealt with family in a productive manner.

[MacDragon]

Congrats... would love to see the pics after it's all cleaned up.

[Patrick]

Good, glad to hear that.

[fudgie]

Awesome!! 

Talked with my co worker last night. His is a '53. Said something about his was used in racing. He had a guy local do his engine. He has $3k wrapped up in it so far. It was missing the heads, pistons, etc when he took it to him. Said pistons were $675 a pc.    He gave me some mag name that deals in antiques. Walnecks, not sure of the spelling.

[~ Timbrwolf]

...Last summer Chili and I did a bike night at a local bar a few miles away. Mostly Harley boys who live in the woods, but they were friendly for the most part. When we pulled up we saw this puppy sitting in a sea of Harleys. Lot of people were taking picz, including us. The guy who owned it was standing nearby and was only too happy to start her up and let us hear her. While we were all standing there, some woman came up and said he had won best bike there that night...(surprise). Cool thing was he rode it there and home and said he rides it around town...(although Ive never seen it since). Someone asked him how much it was worth and he replied.......I paid more for it then I did my house. 



.......1940 Indian.. 

[bigguy]

Thanks for posting the vids. I'd never actually seen anybody use on of those old "suicide" shifters and always thought it must be pretty hard. The guy in the first video didn't seem to have any problems though.
I'd think getting used to throttle on the left would be the hard.

[Jess from VA]

Left throttle was more common in the old days, and favored by police who could then shoot right handed while in motor pursuit. 

[Valkernaut]

And - if I remember - twisted the other way!

Jim

[Xtracho]

Cousin sent me a great piece of this bike's history. Here is the original Bill of Sale when my Uncle purchased the bike.. she is also on the hunt for photos of my Uncle with the bike.

[HayHauler]

Cousin sent me a great piece of this bike's history. Here is the original Bill of Sale when my Uncle purchased the bike.. she is also on the hunt for photos of my Uncle with the bike.

Wow....

Hay
Jimmyt

[Xtracho]

Been awhile since I updated. My work has kept me in Brazil most of the last year. Lots of changeover on the vessels and I had lots of new hands to train. Finally, home for my entire month for the first time since January this year.

First week of August I'll be headed to N. Alabama to retrieve this beauty.

One good thing about the time passing is that I've had the opportunity to school myself on these iconic machines and shorten the learning curve a bit.

I also hope to get some old family photos of the bike while my Uncle was alive. And some of those have started to slowly trickle in. Here is one of him on his beloved Indian. I am guessing early 1950's when this was taken.

[The emperor has no clothes]

 

[therapist]

I'm with many on here, this should be a gift to you.  In return, they would get the satisfaction of knowing that the bike would live again, in memory of your Uncle.  But then, if no one thought it appropriate to store it properly (couldn't even throw a tarp over it?), they probably aren't the sentimental type.

[RDAbull]

AFTER you get her, be share to Bitch Slap each of your cousins for disrespecting your Uncle and his legacy.

[Xtracho]

AFTER you get her, be share to Bitch Slap each of your cousins for disrespecting your Uncle and his legacy.

...too funny.

She's been stored in a climate controlled environment for the last 8 years. But I think that was more because it was a convenience and it was there, rather than a concern for its condition. I got a considerable amount of flack from my Uncle's grand kids about my getting the bike. Some of them seemed to think it should have been an inheritance. Then I find out that they only wanted it so they could sell to the highest bidder. I was happy with the price I paid....and apparently I did pretty good as I have already been offered better than twice what I paid for her.

But this machine ain't going no where.

[Bighead]

Where in North Alabama?

[Xtracho]

Where in North Alabama?

Big....Alabaster....BTW...used to deer hunt up around your area....there and in Minter, AL.

[Bighead]

So not really north Alabama but central and minter is more South Alabama I live close to the Tn line.

[Xtracho]

So not really north Alabama but central and minter is more South Alabama I live close to the Tn line.

Yeah you're right...but for me here in Panama City Beach anything North of Foley is N. Alabama.