So this guy walks into an Indian....................o~`o

[Gobblerforge]

I didn't want to step on AmBraCol's thread on Royal Enfields so I'm starting another one. This is a motor that I just acquired that will be the heartbeat of a custom I want to do. It came from a 1958 Indian Chief and was made by, you guessed it, Royal Enfield. It is 700cc motor with matching numbered gearbox. It's the 53rd in the series of only some 800 made. Pistons go up and down and the valves work but I will be looking for a carb and cap and rotor, points and such to see if it runs. So far I have found nothing to indicate it won't. I spent yesterday degreasing and coon pawing it. The other picture is of a bike that will be the inspiration of the build over the next year or two.
Gobbler

[BenT]

That is pretty cool !! All kinds of options for that.

I just talk to a friend yesterday who 's father passed away at 91. I was suprised he was not getting his fathers Indian , it was going to a friend of his . But his father was driving one of those Can Am spyders right to the end.

[ollogger]

Lots of cool factor in them photos!!
in the early 70s I had a 750 Royal Enfield I think it was made in 63? like a lot of
things in life I wish I still had it



ollogger

[Hawkeye2]

That brings back memories! My first ride was a Royal Enfield Indian. 692 cc, blueprinted, high compression pistons, ported & polished heads, megaphones. The only thing I ever had trouble with on the street was a Sportster and I couldn't stay with it when we got into 4th.. The Harley just had too much torque. That bike later fell into my hands and I found out it was .060" over with Dutch pistons. To this day I don't believe I ever went faster on 2 wheels than I did on that bike trying to get by that Sportster even though I drag raced an extensively modified 750 Kawsaki triple till I wrecked it. Low slung and heavy at about 406 lbs., it handled well and they had above average brakes for a bike at the time. I can see that yours is a later engine by the window for a tach drive in the timing case cover. Mine was a '56 and didn't have that. The neutral finder was a nice feature. RE Indians also came with 16" wheels or the typical British bike combination of a 19" and an 18". I have looked long and hard at the current India bikes and keep hoping they will find the patterns and tooling for the vertical twin someday. I'd own one in a New York minute! I currently have a nice stock '76 Bonneville down in the basement that I'm getting going after it sat in a shed in Maine for years. I hope to get up North later this year to try my hand at Land Speed Racing on 2 wheels,

[bdhold]

if you haven't seen this movie, add it to your list (true story)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0412080/

[M. M. Wright]

Gobbler,
Does it use a single carb? If so, I have a Mikuni that would probably work and if I knew the size and shape of the cap I have a bunch of stuff that might be cobbled into working. Then too, I have a bunch of old magnetos. It's stuff I'll never live long enough to use so you'd be welcome to them.
I really like the idea of adapting a mag for it.

[Gobblerforge]

Gobbler,
Does it use a single carb? If so, I have a Mikuni that would probably work and if I knew the size and shape of the cap I have a bunch of stuff that might be cobbled into working. Then too, I have a bunch of old magnetos. It's stuff I'll never live long enough to use so you'd be welcome to them.
I really like the idea of adapting a mag for it.

I told you everything I know when I said hello. It does use a single carb and I was able to find that it was a monobloc? carb. I haven't looked yet but I am thinking the electrical parts might still be available. How would a person go about adapting to a magneto? It sounds interesting.
Gobbler

[Hawkeye2]

It used an Amal Monoblock carb and it already has a Lucas magneto unless yours is missing. The permanent magnet alternator is on the LH end of the crank and supplies current for charging the battery and lighting only (should be 6V). The engine will run fine without the battery and charging system and only needs a momentary contact pushbutton to shut it down (grounds the primary side of the mag). Amal carbs and parts are readily available and aren't priced too bad either.

[Gobblerforge]

It used an Amal Monoblock carb and it already has a Lucas magneto unless yours is missing. The permanent magnet alternator is on the LH end of the crank and supplies current for charging the battery and lighting only (should be 6V). The engine will run fine without the battery and charging system and only needs a momentary contact pushbutton to shut it down (grounds the primary side of the mag). Amal carbs and parts are readily available and aren't priced too bad either.

Way to go, Dude and thanks. I have read a little about the carb and even found an article that showed applications so I was able to narrow the model down to one of three that may have been factory. I bought a shop manual from England on ebay yesterday so when it arrives I'll know more. Quite frankly I haven't done anything but clean it but I will look into the wiring. It came to me with a car coil bolted on it which might indicate that there was a problem with the magneto.
Gobbler

[Booger Bill]

I had one! Mine was a single carb 1958 700cc Indian made by Royal Enfield. I bought in 1968 or 1969. Before that I owned a 1965 Royal Enfield 750 CC Intercepter. They looked almost the same except the Intercepter was twin carbs and 50cc bigger. I also had about a 1970 or so basket case intercepter but ut never put it together. The guy I sold it to restored it. The Enfields had a tall first gear. But when you hit 2nd you could wheelie it. I once broke the smith 120 mph speedo. Seems to me my 58 Indian didnt have a tach but the 65 did. Both had a heel button on the tranny that was a "neutral finder". Those things could kick back! I once had it shoot the heel of my boot off. Another time it kicked a hole in my cowboy boot. That hurt! They could be temper-mental. I didnt know what I had with the Indian Enfield. After I sold it I recall reading that I believe that year was the last Indian and I think the artical said only 11 were imported to the U.S. A mechanic where I worked also had a little earlier one and I think the fenders were wider than mine. The main Indian Guru at the time was Sammy Pierce. His shop was around Pasadena and I bought a few parts from him. I read where it was claimed the Intercepter was the hottest stock motorcycle those years. I rode them for about 5 years. Got into harleys about the same time.
I just now looked closer at your engine. Its been 45 years since I had mine but for the life of me I dont remember that area on the side that has a door or cover a few inchs square. Mine must have had it but I sure dont recall it. I think my Indian had one muffler but the Enfield Intercepters had two.
Those bikes were considered more of a conisuers MC than Triumphs and BSA`s were. They cost more too. I also had a Triumph T-110, a 1957 or 1958 single carb 650 and a 1965 Norton 650 Scrambler.
Also had a Moto Guzzi 700 cc. Think it was a 1969?, or 1972? Ambassador. I haff pictures somewhere.

[Gobblerforge]

Good stories and I would love to see pics.
Gobbler

[AmBraCol]

Here's a forum that may be of interest to you...

http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum ... ?board=5.0

[Gobblerforge]

Thanks. I already learned something the first time I looked at it.
Gobbler