The Star Power of Steve McQueen’s 1942 Indian Sport Scout

By Greg Williams
Published on February 5, 2013
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Steve McQueen bought this particular Sport Scout in 1975 from Indian parts and restoration legend Bob Stark, proprietor of Starklite Indian in Riverside, Calif.
Steve McQueen bought this particular Sport Scout in 1975 from Indian parts and restoration legend Bob Stark, proprietor of Starklite Indian in Riverside, Calif.
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Lovely handshift knob on the left side of the gas tank.
Lovely handshift knob on the left side of the gas tank.
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The Sport Scout, with its Art Deco lines, was meticulously restored.
The Sport Scout, with its Art Deco lines, was meticulously restored.
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Art deco touches extend to the horn, above the headlight.
Art deco touches extend to the horn, above the headlight.
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McQueen’s Scout is fitted with optional 16-inch wheels, which at the time allowed the fitment of large “balloon”-style tires.
McQueen’s Scout is fitted with optional 16-inch wheels, which at the time allowed the fitment of large “balloon”-style tires.
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McQueen’s Scout is fitted with optional 16-inch wheels, which at the time allowed the fitment of large “balloon”-style tires.
McQueen’s Scout is fitted with optional 16-inch wheels, which at the time allowed the fitment of large “balloon”-style tires.
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The 1942 Scout’s 745cc V-twin traces its roots back to the 1927 Scout 45 designed by Charles B. Franklin.
The 1942 Scout’s 745cc V-twin traces its roots back to the 1927 Scout 45 designed by Charles B. Franklin.
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By the time 1942 rolled around, most of Indian’s manufacturing was dedicated to military needs and the Sport Scout ceased production, making McQueen’s Scout one of the last.
By the time 1942 rolled around, most of Indian’s manufacturing was dedicated to military needs and the Sport Scout ceased production, making McQueen’s Scout one of the last.
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The McQueen Scout is a runner, as owner Daniel Schoenewald likes to show.
The McQueen Scout is a runner, as owner Daniel Schoenewald likes to show.
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Daniel Schoenewald with the McQueen Scout, a favorite in his collection.
Daniel Schoenewald with the McQueen Scout, a favorite in his collection.

1942 Indian Sport Scout
Claimed power
: 22hp
Top speed: 80mph
Engine: 45ci (745cc) air-cooled sidevalve 42-degree V-twin, 2-7/8in x 3-1/2in bore and stroke, 7:1 compression ratio,
Weight: 500lb (227kg)
Fuel Capacity/MPG: 3.5gal (13.2ltr)
Price then/now: $435 (1942)/$25,000-$40,000 

At their core, motorcycles are nothing but steel and rubber, gasoline and oil. It takes people to fire them to life, people to remember riding them, to share their stories and keep the fires burning. Sometimes, those individuals have a degree of notoriety, and their fame imbues a motorcycle with an aura it might not otherwise have gained.

Such is the case with just about anything ever owned by the late actor Steve McQueen, who was, among many other things, a passionate motorcyclist. Motorcycles McQueen collected have long commanded a premium, but what does his previous ownership really bring to the equation?

“McQueen was a cool cat,” says Daniel Schoenewald, current custodian of this 1942 Indian Sport Scout from McQueen’s former collection, “and the McQueen provenance certainly escalates the value, but in the end, it’s a motorcycle that was meant to be ridden, and in the 12 years I’ve owned it, it’s always been running and ready to ride.”

Bikes ready to run at a moment’s notice

Ever since he was a young teen living overseas, motorcycles have been an integral part of Daniel’s life. His parents were both from Casper, Wyo., and his dad was a geologist for Mobil Oil. Born in Anaco, Venezuela, Daniel was 6 when the family moved to Tripoli, Libya.

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