1951 Indian Chief frame, motor, rear tire

You are looking at a 1951 Indian Chief frame. motor and rear tire. I bought this Chief a few years ago with plans on restoring it when I retired from the Army. things change. The guy I bought this from said it used to be his grandfathers but he didn’t have any more parts. I was expecting the old “barn” find story. The frame is in great shape. all the welds look solid. I do believe that the horizontal brace was added at a later date as the shape of the steel isn’t consistent with other supports on the frame. All the tabs look to be in great shape. one on the bottom rear looks bent. I cannot determine if any have been cut off but close inspection of the frame doesn’t reveal any modifications. The frame is straight/true without any deep rust. The seat plunger spring area looks a little rough inside but that is the only questionable spot. The rear suspension is complete; this is a rarity. as I have never seen a frame with the rear suspension intact. The rear tire. wheel. brake hub and sprocket are in pretty good shape; all the spokes are present and straight. Restoring it should be a piece of cake. Now to the motor. this is the big 74 cubic inch model and you will not find a more complete motor anywhere. My estimate is. it is 98% complete. You will need to purchase a carb and air cleaner but they are common. The fins on the motor and valve covers look great; only 2 are slightly bent and 2 that appear broke off near where the spark plugs screw in to the heads. I recommend a thorough review of the high res photos. The magneto. transmission shift tower. transmission gears. shift fork. primary chain. all appear to be in excellent condition. The cylinder walls feel smooth and I cannot feel any wear at the top of the cylinders. Now. here’s the issue. I cannot get the crank to turn. but from the condition of all the parts I have inspected. I firmly believe the cylinders are only froze in place due to sitting for so long. If you are seriously interested in this rare Indian motor and frame. you are already planning to rebuild/replace everything that is worn out so this should not be a deterrent. Also included is this Indian parts catalog I put together. it is complete with parts numbers. blow up parts views. and some instructions on rebuilding components. There isn’t a title or any paperwork with this Chief. Shipping: Buyer is responsible for coordinating shipping. local pick up in authorized and encouraged. The UPS store is nearby; you are welcome to contact them (UPS store 2600 New York State Route 11. Evans Mills. NY 13637: Phone: 315-629-0424). I will transport the parts to the store on your behalf where they will weigh. pack and ship. You can call them with me present and pay for shipping over the phone with a credit card. I encourage all serious Indian collectors and future restorers to carefully review the photos. ask questions. and request addition photos. These are extremely rare items. that are 64 years old and becoming more rare each day. Thank you for looking. Rob

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