A few jobs done over the weekend

Plumbed the oil lines to suit the Junior Scout tanks, swapped the front end round to get the brake on the LHS now the rear is on the RHS and made up some temporary lock stops

First few road miles today

Private road, honest guv!

Sorted some oiling issues, fitted a rear brake arm return spring, painted the mudguard (then rubbed it down with an oily rag - see oiling issues!!) All in a great morning out in the sunshine fettlin and riding 8)

Back from Foss Fab

Big thanks to Richi Foss for all his help, the work he has done to the bike has really lifted it to a level I couldnt have ever achieved.
A change of tanks back to the Junior Scout ones I started with yesterday due to finding a crack in the green 741 tanks, hope to get them repaired and back on there with some fresh paint.

Ready to have a roadtest

Still a lot of small jobs to do but all the essentials just where they should be, hope to get it ready for MOT next week

First Ride

Just back from Richi's workshop where we got the tanks back onto the Sport Scout, rigged up the temp oil lines and a few kicks later had a running motor..... sounds great through the new pipes!
Disengaged the clutch with the new Fossbilt pedal assembly, eased it back into first, hooked the clutch back slowly with my toe until it start...ed to bite, a wee paddle and we're off ........ absolute magic 8o))

Updating the Strathbran Speedshop website

all tucked in 8)

Seat mounting under construction at Foss Fab

Getting there

Stroker Scout coming together now, its been wintering at Richi Foss's workshop getting all the finishing bits and pieces done, exhausts, controls spacers etc etc

. Also getting a bit of a sprirtual lift with this highland  'Spirit Catcher' 8o)

Cam comparison pix

Here's what I have in hand at the moment

Mystery Cams

Bought via ebay as aftermarket Chief cams they look like Scout gears and shafts to me???

Naming the beastie

Its a bit of a tradition to name Indian specials with a suitable Indian name. In amongst my friends' and the bikes that I know of we have a Geronimo, a Cochise, a 2face, theres a Running Bare, Blue Smoke. Iknow of at least 3 Pochahontases (should that be Pochahonti???)
I've held off from naming the Stroker Scout until now, mainly because until it was running i thought that would be a  bit premature. I wanted a name that was a bit of a cross over between the native American tradition and also something that reflected the place where the SS was conceived - Achnasheen (from the gaelic achadh na sine Field of Rainstorms) So I was looking for the Souix  word for rain when i foud this fella - Ité Omáǧažu Chief Rain in the Face of the Hunkpapa Souix, he fought against Custer at the Little Big Horn

can't think of a better name for an Indian motocycle running around Strathbran with no front guard!

Vintage Scout Racer pic

Cant remember where I copied and pasted this from!!

Indian 741b motor basket for sale

All the main components, a great start for either a standard or stroker special!

Get in touch if you are interested  - steveATstrathbranspeedshop.com

Detail

Front brake from a 1948 Big Base 648 race bike

Shifters

Work in progress

Stainless steel head steady with built in manifold hanger under construction by Richi at Foss Fabrication in Inverness, steady will also support the cable guide for the SU carb

Tank Graphics???

Just playing about with photoshop

Trial fit

Took the lhs Chief tank in to Dr Foss's workshop tonight and tried it for size, exactly the same profile as the 741 Scout tanks but the front mount sits the tank about one inch lower, bringing the underside of the tank down to run parallel to the cross bar. The cut outs at the steering stem casting and rear frame casting line up perfectly too, so the tales of late Chief tanks and Sport Scout ones being the same (apart from the lower front mount) are true!

Chief tanks, for the SS

A pair of repop soldered late 40's Chief tanks, made in India (so genuine Indian 8) ) The top front and rear mounts are the same as the SS so might end up on there!

Pipes all welded up on the SS

Been checking valve spring lengths today, standard Chief springs, Bonneville followers and Shunk cams wont work, the springs bind up, 741b springs wouldnt bind but may be too weak for the job, tomorrow I'll check the installed/full lift pressures!


free bind fitted available lift lift
741b 59.58 31.05 45.1 14.05 10.91mm

chief 65.65 36.71 45.1 8.39 10.91mm

57" Stroker Scout recently fitted with Performance Indian SS1 cams and followers

Sneak preview of the SS's new exhaust

stitched up ready to weld 8)

Show us yer nuts!!!!

 

12 sided stainless steel cylinder base nuts (with built in washer) arrived today from Morgo, they are made to suit their Triumph big bore kits, just the right size for Indian Chiefs too!

thanks for the tip Moen ;)

Cams and Lifters

A month or so back I called Jim Mosher at Performance Indian in Santa Fe, New Mexico. We had a bit of a chat about cams and options for a hotrod Chief motor. He was working on plotting various cam lobes to put more info on his Cam Study web pages. he let slip that he had a set of original Shunk race cams and that he would be prepared to part with them after he had completed his study. a deal was struck, to include a set of new bonneville lifters, cam gears and shafts. This morning a gift box arrived from New Mexico 8)

Next in line to get Fossed

Waiting to get a stainless hi level exhaust system built by Richi Foss, along with some other trick bits n bobs 8-)