Let's Talk Cyclecars

A buddy of mine recently bought this old indian 741 engine at an estate sale. It has a unique bellhousing mounted to it. we were thinking it may have been in a cyclecar or a tq midget. the adapter plate looks to be factory made, anybody ever seen one like it?

 

I don't know what it was used for.Sure is cool stuff though.The future possibilities are endless.i don't know the dimensions of the bolt pattern on the bell housing.Looks like a little three speed transmission from a Crosley might fit very well. The sure thing I can say is that I 'm very envious!

 

Are you sure that it is a 741, and not an 841? If i remember correctly, the 841 was a shaft drive 750cc (copied from the BMW) and 1000 were made, as compared to the more common (and anemic) 500cc 741 Long ago I had all the pieces for one, and let it slip away, so I dont remember what the clutch housing looked like anymore, and didn't have a camera back then.

Herb

 

Also, if it is for any kind of a motorcycle, why does it have cooling fins on the flywheel? curiouser and curiouser-----

Herb

 

Yes we are sure its a 741. around 500cc, indian made lots of these during wwII. the flywheel fan is the curious part-my thinking is that it came off an air-cooled car which had a shroud around it similar to a VW.

 

i saw the flywheel too.I was thinking stationary power unit.....

 

Yeah Bob, later pondering turned my thinking that direction also. Carb pointed right at were a fan shroud would be, starter gear F/W, etc.

Herb

 

That Indian Twin may be a WWII generator power plant, some Google time should turn up something. Post war they were very cheap race car motors. I'll search for whatever literature I have on them. twannabe,WELCOME to the HAMB! Bob

 

I'm thinking the flywheel clutch and bellhousing are from an early crosley which was 2 cylinder air cooled that would explain the cooling fins. Hope that helps wish I had some pics on hand.

 

Studebakerjoe you nailed it! That's the flywheel and bell housing. Thanks!

 

Not the best pic but look closely you can see the flywheel cooling fins and the bellhousing.

 

Thanks for the welcome. I've been a member a long time but don't post much as my interest has turned more to vintage motorcycles.

 

One more pic

 

I wasn't far off with my post #8247.....

 

I hope this isn't too far off the thread topic, but you guys might want to check out this old Popular mechanics from 1951 where they show how to build a TQ midget using an Indian motor like this one.
https://books.google.com/books?id=W...ce=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

That is a different engine, a flat twin.

 

I didn't look at the whole magazine...but I'll betchya there is an ad, somewhere near the back, from some surplus outfit in Georgia selling brand new surplus Indian engines for $49!

 

Yes Fred the engine in my pics are of the Crosley flat twin which is where the flywheel clutch and bellhousing came from that is adapted to the Indian 741. That's what was causing the confusion...the Crosley parts that were adapted to the Indian engine

 

The Crosley parts are what make it very usable for a cyclecar!

 

Sandford on offer through www.PreWarCar.com http://www.prewarcar.com/classifieds/ad197493.html

 

like this?

 

exactly!

 

Images from Rob Pike with Ewan Cameron at the Chateau
Impney Hotel.I think the green Morgan is the one that made the scriggly rubber mark in the drive.

 

Marc pics

 

Marc pics...

 

Marc pics ....

 

WOW, 83,000 euros. They're proud of that one.

 

1921 ALCYON from J.V. ...

 

David cyclecars were made in Barcelona,Spain by the Armangue brothers between 1914 and 1922.Early cars were J.A.P. powered.Later cars used MAG and Ballot four cylinder engines. From J-J C.

 

Something curious with the jackshaft on the David chassis. There is some lump on the right side just under the steering shaft and more parts on the right side than the left. Could it be a variable speed pulley? I don't see a tranny either; it isn't friction drive.