A tale of two Chouts

The Ultimate Indian Motocycle Hybrid, the marriage of a vintage Scout frame with a Chief engine!


The Alchemist

The essence of motocycle, picture a rigid framed vintage roadracer, leaf sprung fork, single pan saddle, hand gearchange, foot clutch, left hand throttle and the biggest production Indian engine of the time shoehorned into the best handling Indian frame of All time! A true hotrod, the looks of a stripped down wall bike on steroids!


Thursday 23 December 2010

Valve spring study

After a trial fit of the Shunk cams, bonneville followers and the cylinders fitted with standard spec valves and springs it was noted that the springs were binding just before full lift. With the Chief std spring fitted I measured fitted length, with it removed and fitted in a vice I measured free length then fully compressed to coil bound.
Std Chief  - free length = 65.65mm
                 -fitted length = 45.10mm
                 - coil bound = 36.71mm

with the Shunk cam and bonne followers the lift is 10.91mm so its easy to see that there woulnt be sufficient free movement in the spring.



I pulled a set of used 741b springs from my spares pile and checked them out.

used 741b - free length = 59.58mm
                 - fitted length = 45.10mm
                 - coil bound = 31.05mm

a full 5.66mm of extra spring movement. referring to Jim Mosher's valve spring study the spring pressure of the shorter Scout spring is similar to the Chief one throughout the movement range, so it seems that 741b springs will be suitable to use on the Chief motor with the hi lift cams and bonne followers.







                 

Saturday 18 December 2010

Custom 101 tank

Collected from Parcelforce this morning and straight round to Richis workshop to try it in the 101 frame. Its a good fit, similar in profile to athe original 101 tank but abit more shark like! There is no provision for an oil tank in it so the plan is to half it and make two seperate tanks similar to the Junior Sout ones, oil on one side petrol on the other.



Wednesday 15 December 2010

Transmission parts arrived

I am planning to use a mixture of parts (if possible) from various years of Chief production. I have in hand a complete early, helical clutch transmission and a 1940's case fitted with new bearings. today I recieved a parcel from India with new mainshaft, high gear, slider gear and cluster. I plan to build the 40's box with a later chain type primary clutch basket that I also have.


The Indian made parts look to be of good quality, I will report my findings as I go!

Odd jobs 4

Tonight I set to work on the piston rings, checked and set all the ring gaps, and fitted the rings to the pistons. I started to fit the valves and springs to the cylinders but found that my compressor is a bit lacking in leverage, tomorrow I will bring in the heavy guns and use the hydraulic press wiyth the modified end off my small compressor!

Saturday 11 December 2010

Top yoke

Arrived from the States today, been modified to take risers and aftermarket bars at some stage 8-)