1941 Indian 45ci Big Base Scout Experimental Racing Motorcycle

Frame no. 4127880 Engine no. EXP 3 HB

· A most strikingly important Indian prototype saved
· Built by Indian factory tech 'Little Bob' Hallowell
· One of 13 built prior to WW2

The Indian Big Base Scout racer was, to many, the last hurrah for the Springfield, Massachusetts based Indian Motocycle Company. This legendary machine is shrouded in mystery but still respected and/or feared on the racetrack. There are so many rumors surrounding this limited production race-only machine, historians are still trying to unravel myth from reality nearly 80 years later. Most experts agree two batches of Big Base engines were produced. The initial batch of 13 prototype 'EXP' engines were cast by Bob Hallowell, aka 'Little Bob' Hallowell, prior to his death in 1946. The Indian factory then built a number of 648 Big Base race engines for one year, 1948, with the goal of dethroning Harley-Davidson from the winner's podium in Daytona Beach, Florida. The late Floyd Emde did just that on his Big Base racer. While there is much confusion about how many Big Base Scout motors were actually built by Indian, most agree it was no less than 25 and no more than 100.

This (EXP3 HB) is a rare experimental version that was built years before Indian officially unveiled the 1948 one-year only (limited production) Big Base Scout. When asked about the EXP motors, Indian Big Base historian Gary Landeen reported that Art Mullen told him Hallowell cast 13 Big Base crankcases - stamped EXP 1 through 13, then stamped HB (for Hallowell Built) - prior to Little Bob's fatal car accident in 1946. Gary has seen only two of the EXP motors, the other being EXP 4 HB that Bob Hansen showed him years ago. Bob, nervous about the motor EXP VIN, sold it.

Landeen speculated 'I think what actually happened was that Hallowell and duPont (owner of Indian at the time) were friends. The factory had already made Big Base patterns, the war was on, and duPont thought if Hallowell wanted to cast some Big Bases at his own expense, why not? The factory was losing money on every motor they made. The more Indian motors competing against the Harleys, the better for Indian.'

Prior to being acquired by the vendor, EXP3 HP had been in the same private collection for well over 25 years. It sports an experimental 648 Big Base motor, lightweight 741 tube frame, oversized genuine Indian factory Daytona tanks, Edison/Splitdorf racing magneto, Linkert M-344 PD carburetor, alloy oil pump, Goodyear Grass Hopper racing tires and unusual handlebars.

As reported to the seller by Duffy Batchelder of New Hampshire, a long-time Indian specialist, 'EXP 3 HB is one of a reported 13 Indian factory prototype racers cast by Little Bob Hallowell built before World War 2. The cases for this series of 13 were stamped EXP 1 HB through EXP 13 HB with "HB" standing for Hallowell Built.'

'When Indian went out of business in 1953, long time Indian dealer Harold Boyajian of Rhode Island went to the factory to get as many race parts as he could. Many years later, I joined forces with Harold to finish building this bike. Harold told me the bike was a real deal experimental engine. He said all the parts were taken from the race department and the place was a mess. Harold and some others grabbed what they could and then built this bike as a high-power racer.

'Harold liked to build his racers like hand grenades – fast as the dickens, until they blew up. This was a cheater engine using long-stroke Harley-Davidson WR flywheels and tuned to the max. A set of genuine factory Daytona tanks and Indian 648 oil tank plus special handlebars and lots of experimental and rare parts are on this bike.

'Harold was racing it at a track in Pennsylvania on red clay. Someone knew Harold was cheating (bigger displacement than allowed by the rules) so he pulled one of the oil lines and stuck some clay in the oil lines causing the bike to seize. A few years later Harold gave the bike to me to rebuild, which I did.'

Duffy had built it as a racer and Duffy raced it on a track to honor Harold. He reported it was 'crazy fast and nothing could catch it – not even newer Harley 883 racers on the track.' Duffy said he would not recommend racing this bike as it is a hand grenade. Further he said, 'you can fire it up and ride it around, but not to wind it out.'

This bike, possibly the last remaining EXP machine, would be a headliner in any motorcycle collection and a front runner in any vintage dirttrack race, such as the popular 'Race of the Gentlemen' series held at Pismo Beach, California, and Wildwood, New Jersey.