V8 Indian

oldskydog

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
Back in the 50's in my home town of Kingsville, Texas I rode a Cushman scoter. There was one guy in town that collected motorcycles and scooters by the name of Bill Drabek. He was known for his unique ride which was an Indian Chief with a Ford flathead. I went to his house one time looking for parts for my Cushman and got the grand tour of his garage and back yard. That big bike was the coolest thing I had ever seen and sparked my interest in Indians.
Wondering what ever became of that bike, I did a little search and heres what turned up. BTW, the last pic of the cemetery is where most of my family including my Mom, Dad, and sister are buried.
1541889404497.jpg


https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiBysq77creAhXqlVQKHbfxC-gQFjACegQIBxAB&url=https://www.rideapart.com/articles/256660/search-rescue-the-art-of-the-barn-find/&usg=AOvVaw2eQui3m8UmFOiM-kgTI_0i
 
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plumcrazy

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 6
Great story Cecil and thanks for sharing!!

Love the storys of motorized history, that era and here's a piece of ours I've never shared till now.. Its a part of our history, 1947 HD Knuckle. Its special to us because it makes me think of the boys when they returned from the war driving them. I imagine that guy coming out of a bomber and going off in the sunset... Its a little tough to get going, gotta have some kick, but man, we drive this as much as our other stuff and just feel like your back in time. It rumbles like history back then should...Left hand is ignition timing, left side tank hand shift, left foot clutch and wouldnt change a thing....

Out on it the other day till my snot wrapped around my helmet, 28*, ha....

Kids will have it someday, hope they feel its as special to where we all came from as me...
 

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Iowa 409 Guy

Well Seasoned Member
Supporting Member 15
That's one nice looking Knuck. All painted and chromed up for Thanksgiving.. The boys coming back from WW1 started the chopper era. How about more history on the Knuck?
 

plumcrazy

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 6
That's one nice looking Knuck. All painted and chromed up for Thanksgiving.. The boys coming back from WW1 started the chopper era. How about more history on the Knuck?

Your absolutely right!! WW1 started it and the innovation in engineering for motorcycles set the pace. In that time, cars, trucks were kinda utilitarian, but the boys inventing, building and racing a motorcycle were smart and brave as hell! Exciting and thrilling off road racing, or even crazier, board trackers that ran strait the hell out with NO BRAKES!.. Unfortunately the bikes from that time are't the most practical for real use on today's roads. Peddle start, slow to pick up, and sustained speeds above 45 using a "total loss oil system" tears up a lot of parts.

With necessity being the the mother of invention, i'd say the WW1 generation would be damm proud of what their kids did in WW2! Advancements in mechanical engineering learned from the aviation and transportation industries gave birth to the most coveted time in motorcycling. America, USA, big v-twin piston pounding "in-your-face" "bad boy " motorcycle racing between Indian and Harley Davidson!

Knuckleheads were produced 1936 through 1947 and still the foundation of every motorcycle manufacturer engine today. Pre-war production, 1936-46 was quite small, efforts from Harley Davidson were diverted to support the war, but in 1947, they did it, they beat Indian and the world began to heal... Same as Cecil, love the 38-47 Indians, Scouts, Chiefs, but for me, until I get a good one, the HD is art, history, and love the suttle designs.. I drive it all the time through the hills with a full face helmet and a pair of 100yr old motorcycle gloves. Your travel back in time and its just special..



 

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plumcrazy

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 6
HD built large numbers of 47's to deplete their parts supply before the Panhead came out in 48. Supposedly this 47 I bought Mary for her birthday present 21 years ago is a late serial number ....126xx Is yours an El or FL?

Our's is a EL, so the 61ci, and serial in the 4500's and always wanted the FL 71ci to attach a sidecar and drive around the kids and grandparents!! They hold on tight when i take them out now with the buddy seat, so a sidecar would be perfect...

Enough about that man, WOW, WOWOWOWO, what a BEAUTY you got there!!!! Love the red and whats the most badass, its your wife's and she has the pegs on the crash-bar!!! Lumbar support, whitewall's, absolutely awesome and setup for miles... Always welcome our house, :>),

I admire women in biking so much that we proudly have this picture, Dot Smith, The First Lady of Motorcycling on our shop wall right next to Johnny Cash. Something about a woman that's brave enough to break the mold like Dot and your wife always deserve's a tip of the cap. If anyone wants to read a great story, check out hers....

http://www.historybyzim.com/2013/10/dot-robinson-first-lady-of-motorcycling/



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oleblu72

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 5
Both my Uncles after they got home from the big one raced motorcycles. Uncle George was flat tracking & TT a Harley WL 45 and Uncle Jim flat tracked a 1947 Norton ES2 500 . Around 1949 or 50 Uncle George bought a brand new Harley Panhead and in the late 70's some Dick broke into his garage & cut the chain and stole the Pan, Uncle George always said he had a good idea who stole it but couldn't prove it. We were at Sharon Speedway one Sunday and I noticed he kept looking at this one Panhead in the parking lot so during intermission he went out and looked at the bike and he came back and told me that was his bike he evidently scribed some mark on the bike and the mark was still there. He went and got one of the Sheriffs that was walking around and told him about the bike & the mark he had scribed on the bike but the cop told him if the mark was not documented or notarized he could not do anything about it, so close but yet so far. We didn't know if the guy that rode the bike there was the same guy that Uncle George suspected of stealing the bike or not the Sheriff just told Unc don't do anything stupid because the law would be on the thief's side.

Mark
 

oleblu72

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 5
Our's is a EL, so the 61ci, and serial in the 4500's and always wanted the FL 71ci to attach a sidecar and drive around the kids and grandparents!! They hold on tight when i take them out now with the buddy seat, so a sidecar would be perfect...

Enough about that man, WOW, WOWOWOWO, what a BEAUTY you got there!!!! Love the red and whats the most badass, its your wife's and she has the pegs on the crash-bar!!! Lumbar support, whitewall's, absolutely awesome and setup for miles... Always welcome our house, :>),

I admire women in biking so much that we proudly have this picture, Dot Smith, The First Lady of Motorcycling on our shop wall right next to Johnny Cash. Something about a woman that's brave enough to break the mold like Dot and your wife always deserve's a tip of the cap. If anyone wants to read a great story, check out hers....

http://www.historybyzim.com/2013/10/dot-robinson-first-lady-of-motorcycling/



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What a nice looking bike simple and uncluttered and small compared to cruisers on the road today and she's pretty easy on the eyes too.

Mark
 
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