HOW MUCH RUST ON POOR LIL INDIAN

#21
Yes markus that is inspiring. joe51, I did notice that tab for rear fender was broken off while i was tinkering with it yesterday. also the main clutch off of the motor has another sprocket to place the second chain for the 2 speed clutch.

The Brief Story: My brother and I drove into an auto junk yard looking for an OBS Ford F250 Diesel. As we were driving through, I first spotted the tail light in the garbage pile I thought it might be something I would be interested in. I told my brother to stop so we could check it out. He said "If it's not a Bonanza we don't want it." When I took a piece of roofing tin off the bike I noticed the lil indian sticker on the motor. That was the thing that got me.
I got back in the truck and told him it was a lil indian. He said "There you go, that's why it's in the garbage pile." I called the guy the next day and asked about it and he said he would send me some pictures. That's when i knew i had to have it. I couldn't believe all the parts that were on it that appeared to be original. I also thought it was cool that it had a license plate on it from 1971. (In WV it was probably someone's main mode of transportation.)

Anyway, I'll post more specific pics of the different parts and their condition soon.

I appreciate all the encouraging words from everyone.
 
#22
I have a very similar story. Around 10 years back the price of scrap steel was high so I would pick up scrap on the way to work and on the way home. Averaging around 200.00 each week. This was my mini bike money. One Saturday while at my local scrap yard I spotted a motorcycle wheel under a pile, to my surprise when I pulled it out I had a complete Hodaka Road Toad and it had a perfect Bassani pipe on it. I paid scrap value for it. They would let me walk through the yard whenever I wanted. I have found Carlisle Indian head tires on snowblowers , engines, Ruttman wheels. I would buy the guys that worked in the yard beer for pulling mini bikes and go karts for me...….
 
#24
Hello,
Looks correct for the 68. Linkage appears to be missing where the throttle cable connected on the carb. On the valve cover there should be a small L type bracket where the return spring mounted. Also, you may want one of these when the time comes. Repo's I had made awhile back. Let me know if you need rear fender bracket dimensions. To replace your broken one.
Joe51
 

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#28
The original to the bike motor would have a ball bearing equipped PTO crankshaft. Also the original sump cover would have only one oil fill hole in the front. The rear should be solid. Easy swap from one to the other providing the crank in the original is OK. The donor sump cover would cause issues with running the original 2 speed. They did not have a lot of clearance from the 1st gear to frame tubing originally. Save the recoil from the original. Date coded correctly for the bike. Gov link on donor carb is located in the correct spot. Original is not. Both appear to be missing the added carb links for a mini bike engine. That little tab on the original carb butterfly I don't believe should be there. Looks like a homemade cable hook up. Using your engine numbers I went to partstree,com. They have a picture on the breakdown with what you need. Might have to search some for a couple of the parts but you should be able to locate them.
Keep the pics coming as you can.
Regards,
Joe51
 

markus

Well-Known Member
#29
heres how lil indian showed the throttle hookup for the briggs from(late 1968/early 1969 parts lists) which may help, 5hp is on the left lil indian throttle.png
 

markus

Well-Known Member
#32
It looks like an original setup but how does that choke lever get hooked up?
they deleted the govenor blue paint on the carb points toward some swapping/work being done over the years. Not sure on the choke, some of them seem to have the little rod with the spring that is supposed to spring it back and some dont.
 
#33
The 5HP just had the hand pull choke on the rear. No rod or spring on this application. I agree with Markus on the above picture. Someone at some point did a governor delete.
 
#34
A little sandblasting or hand sanding should clean it right up, I'd evaporust the chrome parts and see how they turn out. It has the brake caliper so you're not going to have to overpay for one, you did well.
 
#36
This is where the real adventure starts for me. I’ve always heard that you can’t be afraid of this stuff so I just started taking this motor apart. I’ve sprayed pb blaster on the clutch and flywheel to try to break them free from the rust. I may never get this thing put back together but I can sure as hell take it apart.
 
#37
This is where the real adventure starts for me. I’ve always heard that you can’t be afraid of this stuff so I just started taking this motor apart. I’ve sprayed pb blaster on the clutch and flywheel to try to break them free from the rust. I may never get this thing put back together but I can sure as hell take it apart.
Sounds like something most all of us have said at one time or another!
 
#38
Got clutch and flywheel off the 68 Briggs. Continue to try to remove rust off pipe and clutch cover. First used vinegar and comet. Then used coke and aluminum. BED4A67B-5150-4640-B4F2-6D49B08F2D16.jpeg 270D5D33-7946-44AE-961A-2610107FFBE6.jpeg 3613CE2D-9A78-4030-A18C-1C7E56461A87.jpeg
 
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