1933 Indian Four

By Greg Williams
Published on August 24, 2011
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Gary Phelps' 1933 Indian Four.
Gary Phelps' 1933 Indian Four.
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This 1933 Indian Four had been painted all yellow until Gary Phelps restored it, piece by piece.
This 1933 Indian Four had been painted all yellow until Gary Phelps restored it, piece by piece.
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Gary Phelps' 1933 Indian Four.
Gary Phelps' 1933 Indian Four.
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The cockpit of the Indian Four includes an oil pressure gauge and speedometer.
The cockpit of the Indian Four includes an oil pressure gauge and speedometer.
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The 1933 Indian Four Model 403's engine case and transmission were cast as a unit, with separate cylinders capped by a common cylinder head.
The 1933 Indian Four Model 403's engine case and transmission were cast as a unit, with separate cylinders capped by a common cylinder head.
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The 1933 Indian Four Model 403's engine case and transmission were cast as a unit, with separate cylinders capped by a common cylinder head.
The 1933 Indian Four Model 403's engine case and transmission were cast as a unit, with separate cylinders capped by a common cylinder head.
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Lucky dog: Ti Callahan and pal Benny enjoy a ride on Gary Phelps' 1933 Indian Four.
Lucky dog: Ti Callahan and pal Benny enjoy a ride on Gary Phelps' 1933 Indian Four.
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Replicas of the original spark plugs and wires used on a 1933 Indian Four.
Replicas of the original spark plugs and wires used on a 1933 Indian Four.
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Front suspension on Gary Phelps' 1933 Indian Four Model 403 is by quarter-elliptic leaf springs acting on a girder fork.
Front suspension on Gary Phelps' 1933 Indian Four Model 403 is by quarter-elliptic leaf springs acting on a girder fork.
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The original oil pressure gauge on Gary Phelps' 1933 Indian Four still does its job, almost 80 years later.
The original oil pressure gauge on Gary Phelps' 1933 Indian Four still does its job, almost 80 years later.
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Gary Phelps' 1933 Indian Four.
Gary Phelps' 1933 Indian Four.

1933 Indian Four
Claimed power:
30hp (est.)
Top speed: 75mph (est.)
Engine: 1,266cc (77.21ci) air-cooled inline four
Weight: 495lb (225kg)
Fuel capacity: 4.6gal (17.4ltr)
Price then: $395
Price now: $20,000 – $60,000

In the early days of cars, the Ford Model T was appreciated as an economical workhorse, a simple automobile with a basic four-cylinder engine. Certainly there were bigger and more powerful engines in far sexier cars, such as the impressive V-12 in the 1916 Packard Twin Six.

The situation was much the same with classic American motorcycle manufacturers. Stout and sturdy single- and twin-cylinder engines in numerous makes of two wheelers could be likened to Ford’s humble four-banger. However, while the four was at the bottom of the ladder in the land of automobiles, a four-cylinder engine in a motorcycle was the pinnacle of power in the late teens — and for the two decades that followed.

A four-cylinder motorcycle like Gary Phelps’ 1933 Indian Four was a luxury item for a private owner, as they were usually much more expensive than their single- and twin-cylinder counterparts. Generally, only the wealthy or police forces — where the machines were lauded for their power and ease of handling — were readily able to afford and operate four-cylinder bikes.

Watch a video of Jay Leno talking about his 1933 Indian Four 

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