# 1936 Indian



## agreeneone (Oct 2, 2015)

Hi,
I recently picked up this Indian bicycle that has been stored away for many years. Based off of what I could find online I believe it is a 1936 model. Could anyone shed any light on the rarity or value of a bicycle in this condition? I don't plan on doing any restoration but to preserve it in it's current as found condition. Any help or information is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Aaron


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## catfish (Oct 2, 2015)

Very nice find. It is a 1936 German made Indian bicycle. But it's missing the tank. The hardest part to find..... And it's missing the chain guard. Not worth a lot. But I know someone out there needs the parts.


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## okozzy (Oct 3, 2015)

I think it is worth some good money as it sits.
The fenders are worth some money so is the drop stand and rack.

I think I remember fiberglass tanks being out there, get one and your in business.

My .02 cents

Below is what your bike should look like

http://www.nostalgic.net/bicycle225 check out this link for details.


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## American Vintage Bicycle Supply (Oct 3, 2015)

Wow, so nice. I'm interested as it sits if you decide to sell. Been looking for one. 


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## agreeneone (Oct 3, 2015)

I thought this was a girl's bike? Was there only one style with a tank for 1936?
Thanks,
Aaron


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## okozzy (Oct 3, 2015)

Not a girls bike and yes...


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## sm2501 (Oct 6, 2015)

Little is really known about the '36 Indian. Classic Bicycle News did a story on one in 2012, which happens to be mine. Here's the article-


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## sm2501 (Oct 6, 2015)

BTW, Not all the Indian's had tanks. I understand that some were left for girls, specifically the daughter of an executive at Indian.


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## agreeneone (Oct 7, 2015)

Thanks for all the info on this bike!


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## catfish (Oct 7, 2015)

sm2501 said:


> Little is really known about the '36 Indian. Classic Bicycle News did a story on one in 2012, which happens to be mine. Here's the article-
> 
> View attachment 241309
> View attachment 241310
> View attachment 241311




Great story. I realy miss the Classic Bicycle News.


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## walter branche (Oct 7, 2015)

fiberglass fake crap tank , why ??   to fool people later in the ownership , . sick of fake crap being offered for sale , . sell the bike to someone who has a real tank , and other parts , ..   in a few years , everything will be repro jokes , ..  all the collectors and hoarders will have the sweet pieces ,. look at all the repro high wheel bikes being produced it sucks , going to a meet and seeing these ugly examples of cycling history being thought of as original machines ,,  ..  the bike scene is dying a slow death R.I.P.


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## agreeneone (Oct 7, 2015)

After close examination this bike does not show any signs of having a tank. If it did have a tank it would have had to been carefully removed very early in it's life.


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## Bikermaniac (Feb 22, 2016)

Nice bike. I had 3 of these bikes. I sold 2 I just kept one. Still looking for a metal tank for it.












IMG_2464



__ Bikermaniac
__ Feb 22, 2016


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## Bikermaniac (Feb 6, 2018)

sm2501 said:


> Little is really known about the '36 Indian. Classic Bicycle News did a story on one in 2012, which happens to be mine. Here's the article-
> 
> View attachment 241309
> View attachment 241310
> View attachment 241311




I have some information about the AGB bicycle. These German bicycles already had the flared fenders when Indian commission them to build their bike.


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## Bikermaniac (Feb 6, 2018)

Those bicycles were very expensive in Germany back in the day. So I guess production of the Indian was influenced by that factor. Maybe that's why they stopped importing them.


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## Bikermaniac (Feb 6, 2018)

They also featured the "floating" rear rack. I think Indian added the tank, the saddle, the stem and handlebars, the pedals and the drop stand. They removed the complete front brake system and left the Torpedo coaster brake only.


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## charnleybob (Feb 7, 2018)

In 1936, Nazi Germany hadn't become the pariah of a nation yet, as they would host the Olympics.
For Indian, 1936 was a pivotal year when they completely resigned their engines using a dry sump oil process, utilized streamlining, and other new ideas for their motorcycles.
So why would Indian get their bicycles from Germany, when there were numerous good bicycle companies here in America?
Unique design that doesn't look like anything else?
The streamline design wars of the 30's make that decade like no other.
Harry Ward, out of Dayton, in the 1990's, found one of these bikes, and within a year found a NOS tank that matched the bike.
Not sure where that bike is today.
Here's an example of what else Indian was doing in 1936:


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## Bikermaniac (Feb 7, 2018)

Amandus Glasser was the director in Berlin of FN Motorcycles, a Belgium Maker. FN made mainly motorcycles but they also made bicycles.
While working for the Belgian company in Germany, he came with the design of the Super-Elastik Fahrrad (AGB Bicycle) which he presented in the Inventors Fair held in Leipzig, Germany in 1934, winning the First Class Award and the Inventors Golden Badge.
Maybe that's what called Indian Motorcycles directors attention and they ordered the bikes from AGB. Very little bicycles were produced due to the high cost, even in Germany these bicycles are not very common.

1939 FN Model M-86 1 Cyl 600 cc


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## charnleybob (Feb 8, 2018)

What I would like to see is original lndian literature where these were offered.
Here are some pictures of Harry Ward's Indian.
Not sure where it's at today or who has it.


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## charnleybob (Feb 8, 2018)




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## charnleybob (Feb 8, 2018)




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## charnleybob (Feb 8, 2018)




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## charnleybob (Feb 8, 2018)

This was for sale at Memory Lane meet in Perrysburg, 1994.


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## charnleybob (Feb 8, 2018)

Not sure where I got the picture of this one!


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## sm2501 (Feb 8, 2018)

charnleybob said:


> What I would like to see is original lndian literature where these were offered.
> Here are some pictures of Harry Ward's Indian.
> Not sure where it's at today or who has it.
> View attachment 750600




It resides comfortably in Texas.


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## charnleybob (Feb 8, 2018)

sm2501 said:


> It resides comfortably in Texas.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk




That's what I thought!


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## catfish (Feb 8, 2018)

charnleybob said:


> View attachment 750603




Harry's spare bed room.


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## Bikermaniac (Feb 8, 2018)

I know who owns the three bikes. One of them just chimed in.


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## Bikermaniac (Feb 8, 2018)

charnleybob said:


> What I would like to see is original lndian literature where these were offered.
> Here are some pictures of Harry Ward's Indian.
> Not sure where it's at today or who has it.
> View attachment 750600




I've been researching for many years and haven't found any literature about the bike. If somebody has anything please share it.
What I was able to find thanks to a fellow collector here in Florida Bill T. was the only picture of the bike in the Indian Dealer in the 1930's. You can barely see it, but it's there.


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## hoofhearted (Jul 24, 2018)

charnleybob said:


> Here are some pictures of Harry Ward's Indian.
> Not sure where it's at today or who has it.
> View attachment 750600




*The '36 Indian that belonged to Harry Ward ... that Indian used to be my girl.*

*Harry sold it to me at my request.  Could not focus on anything else when I 
visited him.  He once told me, ''I'm gonna have to cover this thing up ... you
and I aren't having conversations anymore ... I try to converse with you ...
and you shift into being a mindless twit when you're in the same room with 
that bike --- all you say is, Hmmm ... ''*

*Yeah, it was true.*

*Bought it in 1998.  It was beautiful.  Harry had the original owner's pics of
that machine.  And when he turned it over to Canadian Don, and Edna to
restore .. Harry included very strict and particular instructions on how he
wanted it restored and striped.  Sweet Jesus, he was particular ... !!*

*Harry always wanted to ride that Indian when he visited .. usually on the
weekends .. I was still teaching junior high.*

*Scott bugged me for some time about that same bicycle.  When he and I
chatted on the fone ... very often he would respond with only a 'Hmmm' ,
or start muttering in a very pronounced Buffalo, NY dialect.  I knew he was
under the spell of a picture of that .particular Indian.*

*As someone recently indicated, the tank was a nearly flawless, original.
The only flaws were minor, tiny scuffs to the paint.  Harry wanted NO paint
repair to those few scuffs.  The grips and pedal rubbers were custom-made
one-offs by FoxGrip.  The paintwork was top-drawer Canadian Don hand-
iwork, and the striping was pure-Edna --  consistent, flawless, tight ... and 
not a hiccup in sight.  She could hold a line like no other.*

*My friend, Harry died in 2002.  Tom Hern called me early one Winter morning
in that year with the 411.  ..We cried.*

..... patric


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## 66TigerCat (Jul 24, 2018)

This is a great thread. Thanks for the story Patric.


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## John (Aug 13, 2022)

Original paint boys and girls


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