WheelsOfGrace.com | Volume 15 Issue 3 | 27
M A T C H I N G N U M B E R S
Finding a 1942 Indian Chief is an
extraordinarily rare happening. The seventh
Chief off the line in 1942 and bearing
styling cues more akin to a 1941 model,
this '42 Chief is beautifully restored both
cosmetically and mechanically. Painted in
Seafoam Blue and black, it is a stunning
machine with nickel-plated cylinders and
the large-diameter wheels and leaf-spring
forks of the prewar Chiefs, which gives
them a lighter and more elegant silhouette.
Furthermore, the engine of this bike was
built by Mark Jacobs, a well-known Indian
expert in Northern California.
It's one of the most elegant
motorcycles ever built, and
this one benefits from a
stunning restoration.
While the Chief name is synonymous with
Indian, the Springfield factory took 20 years
to deliver its first model of that name in
1921. The Chief endures on Indian's Big
Twins through the present day, and it has
eclipsed the Scout and the Four as the first
impression for the brand. The 1921 Chief
was a fast and solid motorcycle using the
side-valve Powerplus engine and 3-speed
gearbox.
V - T W I N
THE 7TH INDIAN CHIEF OFF THE LINE IN 1942
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There's something very special
about these early 1940s Chiefs
with their sharp front fender,
leaf-spring front fork (dropped
postwar) and simple cast Indian
badge on the tank.
P H O T O S | H I S T O R Y | S P E C S
