Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum

Royal Enfield Motorcycles => Vintage Royal Enfield => Topic started by: BTriggs34 on May 30, 2013, 09:48:13 pm

Title: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: BTriggs34 on May 30, 2013, 09:48:13 pm
My father has had this 1960 royal enfield indian chief in his garage for at 20 years. He is letting me have a friend of mine help me to get it running. I was wondering if any of you have any helpful information on this model?  I have the front fender and emblem for it but I am missing the brace rods for fender. I am not sure if it is missing anything else. Looking to find out whatever I can on it.

Thanks
Brian
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: BTriggs34 on May 30, 2013, 09:58:04 pm
The last picture is where my father bought it from. It was in that barn for years before he bought it. Here are some more pictures of it.
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: ERC on May 30, 2013, 11:54:43 pm
Looks like everything is pretty much there. If the fender is original the #s for the braces are 38759 front, 44223 center RH, 44221 center LH, 44222 rear. Hitchcocks has them.   ERC
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: BTriggs34 on May 31, 2013, 12:06:58 am
Do you know where I can find a parts manual and a owners manual for this bike.  I have had a lot of friends say to leave it and not restore it because it is only original once. And some say once it is running start to restore it to like new. What is your opinion?
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: ERC on May 31, 2013, 02:03:11 am
Hitchcocks has manuals for them. Go on their site and look for them. They generally have anything you'd need new and used. I'd use it and then restore it frankly it looks pretty original.  ERC
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: bullethead63 on May 31, 2013, 02:54:57 pm
Welcome to thr forum,Brian...I'm restoring a 1959 Indian Chief right now,and I'd urge you to get it running,and ride it as is...that's one of the cleanest,mostly original ones that I've seen,and finding replacement parts is a BIG hassle...they are as rare as rocking horse shit...I'm going to download your pix,and use them as a guide for my restoration...very nice!
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: BRADEY on June 01, 2013, 11:30:11 am
This was called "badged engineering". The Indian Chief marketed during this period were actually made by Royal Enfield for the US market. This relation however did not last for very long.

As for the part and service manual, Hitchcock is the most reliable place.
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: gunnerasch on June 03, 2013, 03:57:58 am
This is the very FIRST complete Indian Ive ever seen.  Mine was badly "chopped" and now I can see for the first time..what its supposed to look like.  Thanks!!

Gunner
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: rotorwrench on June 06, 2013, 12:43:55 am
All the Indian Twins used the same workshop manual. Tomahawk, Apache, Trailblazer, and Chief. There is a riders manual that covers all too. The parts book is a 1959/60 Chief Supplement to the Trailblazer parts book for 55 to 58 T-blazers. It just shows page for page part number changes for the Chief. There is very little information on the Chief models in writing or illustration since they were introduced about a year before John Brockhouse sold out to AMC. No specific manuals were ever produced that I am aware of.
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: BTriggs34 on June 07, 2013, 03:07:47 am
I am surprised to know that it is not common to find these complete.  When when I put on the front fender and get it running I will try to post more pictures and and a video. 
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: D the D on June 07, 2013, 03:50:45 am
No, that's really nice.  Most are chopped up and modified, crashed, or rusted out and aren't half as complete and in as good a condition as yours.
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: BTriggs34 on June 08, 2013, 09:22:14 pm
I was wondering what is the recommended motor oil and amount?  Also what oil goes in where the clutch component are and how much? My friend has the front break freed up and said the compression is good. Ordering new carb kit also.
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: ERC on June 08, 2013, 10:48:53 pm
I use 20w-50 in the motor and 10w-30 in the primary. I you use the 10w-30 get one that isn't "resource conserving". It can make the clutch slip. Fill the primary to the little screw in the bottom of the case.  ERC
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: bullethead63 on June 11, 2013, 02:45:15 pm
OK...maybe I was a little off the mark when I said "cleanest"...but it should clean up good...not in love with the hot rod pinstriping,but you DO have the INDIAN badged rear grab rail,and that is one tough item to find...I'll post some pix of my rust bucket Chief,for comparison...it makes yours look like a SHOW BIKE...
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: ERC on June 11, 2013, 04:29:29 pm
Lets make everybody throw up. Here's mine.   ERC
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: DanB on June 11, 2013, 05:43:45 pm
Gawd, that IS very nice ERC! 
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: barenekd on June 11, 2013, 07:01:01 pm
There aren't many 16" wheeled Indian Chiefs around because that model was only built for 1 year (1958). They had some leftovers when Brockhouse sold the Indian stuff to AMC, and Matchless dealers took over sales of the remaining inventory in 1960. The last Indian Chief I recall was at a Matchless dealer in Wyoming in 1962. They were able to sell them as current year bikes, even though they had been out of production since '58. But spares and documentation are rare because the bikes were.
Bare
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: bullethead63 on June 11, 2013, 07:51:05 pm
Lets make everybody throw up. Here's mine.   ERC
Alright,Roger...that's just not fair...I'll bet your Chief didn't look like THAT when you got it...I hope mine looks that good when I'm done with it!
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: bullethead63 on June 11, 2013, 08:03:26 pm
There aren't many 16" wheeled Indian Chiefs around because that model was only built for 1 year (1958). They had some leftovers when Brockhouse sold the Indian stuff to AMC, and Matchless dealers took over sales of the remaining inventory in 1960. The last Indian Chief I recall was at a Matchless dealer in Wyoming in 1962. They were able to sell them as current year bikes, even though they had been out of production since '58. But spares and documentation are rare because the bikes were.
Bare
According to the factory register,mine was built in 1959,but not sold until 1960...I've seen them titled '59-'62...they titled them the year they sold,but were only made in 1958 & 1959...total production was probably less than 700...I wonder how many are still out there...I know that some parts,like the Speedo and rear grab rail are HARD to find...the front mudguard Indian and tank badges are in reproduction,though...but GOD HELP YOU if you need a dash for one...
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: barenekd on June 11, 2013, 08:26:59 pm
I'll concede to a few months of '59, but not many!
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: BTriggs34 on June 11, 2013, 09:46:52 pm
Thanks ERC and Bullet for the picks. Nice to see some bikes to compare it to. Can't wait to hear it run once carb kit comes in. I will post some more picks when I get it cleaned up and running.
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: ERC on June 11, 2013, 11:18:00 pm
Bullet, I think yours will be better especially if you put matching whitewalls on it. After puting the new front one on by hand I decided the back ones staying as is. :P Actually Bare mine was built Dec 20th 1960 and despatched to Associated Motorcycles who took over the rights to the Indian name.   ERC
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: rotorwrench on June 12, 2013, 07:01:38 pm
John Brockhouse sold out to AMC in August or September 1959. I think he had a contractual agreement with one or more municipalities to produce police bikes for them at the time he was negotiating the sale with AMC. AMC made no bikes that big and may have held the agreement with Royal Enfield to complete the contractual obligation. Their may have also been a contractual agreement between John Brockhouse and Royal Enfield prior to the sale as well. This was a strange thing to happen in the motorcycle business for sure. Royal Enfield produced near 500 Chiefs from October of 1959 through November of 1960. Whether all were deliverd to Indian Sales Corporation (AMC) or not I don't know. The REOC/UK should have some info on this though.

Many of the Indian dealers completely lost their franchise when ISC sold out and they were some mad MO-FOs. A lot of bad blood followed AMC due to this. Some dealers that were Indian and AMC dealers got to keep their franchise but most Indian dealers were selling Royal Enfield stuff too so many of them changed to Royal Enfield only or they sold out.
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: ERC on June 13, 2013, 01:58:27 am
I guess that settles it for Bare.  ERC
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: bullethead63 on June 13, 2013, 01:45:27 pm
Mine was built and dispatched to Brockhouse in December of 1959...and yes,if I can find some nice 5 X 16 whitewalls,that IS the look that I'm going for...mostly Dakota Red (Dupont 1958 Cadillac color),and black...no gold pinstriping...with whitewalls...and I also have some NOS Bridgestone fiberglass saddlebags,as new,in the box...cocktail shaker exhausts,and possibly some Unity fog lights,on either side of the headlight...stay tuned,pictures to follow as I make progress...
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: ERC on June 13, 2013, 03:04:52 pm
Then yours will look better than mine. :'( Coker tire has those whitewalls.  ERC
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: High On Octane on June 13, 2013, 03:12:44 pm
I wish someone made enduros with whitewalls.     >:(

Scottie
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: Tom 60 Chief on June 17, 2013, 11:40:43 pm
A pictorial anthology of my beast.
1) Around 1983, my daughter Sarah is six years old.
2) On the way to visit family in southern Nevada.  Sarah is twelve years old.
3) Fathers day.  Sarah at 35 years with her children and Yamaha(gasp).  Me with my now 53 year old Enfield.
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: High On Octane on June 17, 2013, 11:48:17 pm
That's great Tom!  I hope I keep my Enfield as many years had you've had yours.  Too cool.

Scottie
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: Tom 60 Chief on June 18, 2013, 04:05:40 am
Thanks for your kind remarks Scottie.  This bike garners a lot of interest now, however when I bought it in 1978 it was just an old machine that not many were interested in. I'd like to claim prescient insight but it was just luck.  Brian, sorry if we have hi-jacked your thread, you know, boys and toys.  As to engine oil, I think it is difficult to buy bad oil now days, so what ever brand you like in a multi-weight should work fine.  You have the poorly designed "scissor type" clutch (as do I). At best, this clutch slips until it warms up.  I installed the heaviest clutch springs that will fit and used progressively lighter weight oils and found ATF in the chaincase to be the best to alleviate slippage, but it never goes away completely.  As far as history of these bikes, I think Rotors response is as accurate as you will find.  ERC, beautiful bike.  It appears that you have an original Volkes(sp) air cleaner, I have never actually seen one, difficult find.  My machine badly needs tires, they should be here this week.  I will whine here about my skinned knuckles (w/pics) when the deed is done.  This is an actual ad I cut off the bottom of an old MC magazine.  At least we know Matchless was selling these in 1961.
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: ERC on June 18, 2013, 06:25:34 pm
Tom I think you can still get those filters from Hitchcocks. Good luck with the tires. The main reason I didn't change the back tire it was new when I got the bike and was a 6ply, took one look at that and said good enough.  ERC
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: rotorwrench on June 19, 2013, 01:42:28 am
I ended up with one of those old Chief Volks filters from somewhere. It may have been on my Tomahawk when I purchased it but I can't remember. I purchased my first RE, a Trailblazer, about the same time as you Tom. A fellow I worked with way back when dragged the thing to town for trading material. He was an outlaw biker and was wanting to get back onto a big twin HD since all he had left was the frame that had been cable locked to a tree before being picked clean by thieves. I gave him 50 bucks for it and have had it ever since. When I moved down here to Texas in the mid 80s I drug it with me. I purchased most of my spares from Larry Graham over in Hunt, Texas. He was the editor of the REOCNA club news letter at the time and was one of the founding members of the club. He had more brand new NOS Indian Enfield stuff than I have ever seen before or since. One of these days I'm going to have to go over there and give that old Navy Seal a hard time just to see if he still has any of that stuff.

Kerby
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: Tom 60 Chief on June 19, 2013, 05:51:33 am
Kerby, That old theory 'six degrees of separation' seems a little more likely.  Larry Graham sent me pictures and information when I first got this bike.  I never bought parts from him but he was a great help in those pre-internet days.  I used to buy most of my parts from Sam Avellino in Mass., Green Light and Accessory Mart/Domi-Racer.  I recently contacted Accessory Mart and sadly they are under control of a liquidation firm.  The world turns.  I haven't heard Larry's name in decades, nice man, I hope he is well.  Tom
Title: Re: 1960 Royal Enfield Indian Chief
Post by: rotorwrench on June 19, 2013, 07:08:14 pm
I think they are all gone now. George Helm died not too long ago and Sam's son sold much of his stuff to Hitchcocks. I never did get anything from Green Light but I purchased some stuff from Bob Michalak way back when. He may still be around.
I still hear about Larry now and then. He retired from running the summer camp but I think ownership is still in the family.