1940 Model Indian 78Ci Four Rare SOLD

1940 INDIAN 78CI FOUR
REGISTRATION NO. 964 YUY
FRAME NO. 440656
ENGINE NO. DDO656 M
1278 CC
• One of the rarest and most desirable American motorcycles
• Restored in the USA circa 2001-2002




This Indian Four Cylinder from 1940, is extremely rare and in outstanding all original running condition including the sheet metal – presented in the correct Indian red.

The bike is all original including magneto & carb etc, (no composite/ replacement parts), with exception of the rubbers & wearing. It runs & shifts very well as one might expect given the condition and age of the machine.
The large fender model was made for 2 years only 1940-1941, the 1940 model is unique and regarded as Indian’s most prestigious motorcycle ever made, it differs from the 1941 which has different tank ownings. There is currently believed to be less than 5 in Europe and certainly none in this condition.

The Brief;
• One of the rarest and most desirable American motorcycles
• Restored in the USA circa 2001-2002
• Acquired for a private collection in 2013

'The Four is the greatest motorcycle showpiece, the Duesenberg of motorcycling.' – Jerry Hatfield, 'Illustrated Indian Motorcycle Buyer's Guide'.
Marketed as the Indian Ace for 1928, the Springfield company's first four-cylinder motorcycle had resulted from its purchase of the Ace rights and tooling from Detroit Motors the previous year. The Ace company, although bankrupted twice, had developed a fundamentally sound four-cylinder motorcycle based on William Henderson's original design, and this provided Indian with an opportunity to offer an inline 'four' with minimal development costs.

Having acquired the Ace, Indian made few changes for the next couple of years before beginning to put its own characteristic stamp on the Four, beginning in 1929 with a re-style (Model 401) and following up with a new five-main-bearing crankshaft. Introduced on June 1st 1929 on the Model 402, the latter was the biggest single change made to the motor, which retained the Henderson Ace's basic architecture right up to 1936.
Following the debacle of the 'upside-down' Four, Indian reverted to the tried-and-tested 'F-head' (inlet over exhaust) arrangement, adding aluminium cylinder heads and fully enclosed valve gear to the specification. Mechanical changes after 1938 were few, the one most worthy of note being the introduction of 'plunger' rear suspension for 1940, which also brought with it the large, skirted fenders characteristic of the Indian Four in its final incarnation.

Production of the Indian Four, America's last four-cylinder motorcycle, ceased in 1942. No sales literature was distributed for the 1942 season - this would normally have been done the preceding fall - probably because the defence build-up prior to the United States' entry into WW2 was already causing manufacturers to focus their attention elsewhere.
One of the world's most beautiful and collectible motorcycles, this Indian Four was restored in the USA circa 2001-2002 and comes with bills, copies of old US title deeds, and other American documentation. Miklos purchased the Indian from Ireland in October 2013. Last serviced in July 2017, the machine is offered with DVLA correspondence, old/ current V5/ V5C Registration Certificates, and various (copy) instruction manuals and a parts list.
Call James on the details below

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