22 hp, 45 cu. in. air-cooled L-head V-twin engine, three-speed manual transmission.

• An excellent example of an iconic American V-twin

• An original “barn find” with handsome colors and a complete, professional restoration

Linked in name and spirit to the famed Indian 648 Big Base Sport Scout factory racer, the street version of the Indian Sport Scout is a blend of the best of its predecessors, including the Prince Model, 101 Scout and Junior Scout. First appearing in 1934, the Sport Scout’s mix of parts brought out a certain character and a trend toward appealing streamlined styling.

The Sport Scout helped Indian’s fortunes and quickly earned a reputation for superior performance and agility, enhanced by great racing success. At the 1936 gathering of the Los Angeles 45 Club at Muroc Dry Lake, Fred Ludlow achieved a remarkable 128.57 mph on a Sport Scout, and in 1937 Ed “Iron Man” Kretz won the Daytona 200 on one. Despite being the last in a long line of side-valve Indians stretching back to 1916, it became a mainstay of Class C racing. The side-valve would be surpassed by new technology, but the Sport Scout was never truly eclipsed, for as historian Richard Renstrom once wrote, it was “designed and raced by men who were unconcerned about anything not produced in America…the Sport Scout… a monument to an engineering ideal.”

Because of its popularity for conversion to racing, a stock Sport Scout is a rare commodity indeed. An unusual and rare prewar Sport Scout finished in beautiful gold and red, this was a “barn find” from Alabama that underwent a complete and professional detailed restoration approximately six years ago. Equipped with 1940 aluminum heads, it was ridden just 1,164 miles since restoration. Beautifully presented, this is a brilliant example of a desirable Indian model.