Frames and forks are made with traditional castings. The castings are made with the lost wax process (look it up if interested; it's pretty neat) which is perfect for small batch production, and gives a nicer surface finish than sand castings.

Basically, wax patterns are cast in machined molds, ceramic is applied to the wax and fired in an oven which also melts out the wax. Molten steel is then poured into the ceramic shells. Shells are broken up after cooling and the semi-finished casting comes out. 

Castings are then machined. Tubes are cut and bent and brazed into the castings. The other cast parts here are made in the same way.

The example here is the casting behind the tank on 1922-25 Chief frames.

At least half the people who contact me about parts like these only want to talk about the parts, and hear what they cost so they can plan their fantasy project. That is kind of OK with me (I'm used to it with my IPE hat on), but it is hard for two part-time guys in a garage to deal with on top of the parts-making.

Then about half the people who are seriously considering buying parts like these (and have the money for it) end up dropping out for one reason or another. 

My job here is to help the two guys in the garage get down to the 25% of people who are actually going to order something.

So... You write me about something on this page. I am my usual friendly and helpful self, and give you a ballpark price and estimated production time, answer your questions, and help you figure out options for your Indian project.

But at the same time, I must judge if you are one of the dreamers or if I can pass you on to the guys in the garage without wasting their time. So be prepared to get real about this.

This approach may seem a little unusual, but all involved here are actually quite friendly and truly interested in helping you put another old Indian back on the road. But there are only resources in the garage for the hands-on parts making, so I must be the gatekeeper. 

Practical details: You will arrange payment with the garage, and parts are sent directly from there to you. The guys are used to packing and shipping frames and forks all over the world. With common parts, payment is usually due when the parts are ready to send. For oddball stuff there may be a deposit involved.

Full disclosure: I get a contribution to the keep-IPE-going fund for my work.

Now, back to the parts...

While the focus here is on 1920s Chief parts, more or less all the rest of the 101 chassis parts are also available from the garage - ask - but you will have to put it together yourself and deal with the paint, nickel plating and general finishing fun.

There is a certain logic to the names of the parts in the factory parts books, but this logic results in some pretty long names sometimes. 

Like "Spring Fork Main Leaf Stud Oil Hole Screw Washer" and such.

On this page I think the most confusing is when both frames and forks are discussed together.

To make a distinction between the complete fork with leaf spring and all the small parts, and just the main part of the fork, on this page the meaning of the words are:

Fork = complete leaf spring fork.

Main fork or fork main frame or FMF = the main part of the fork.

Scout 1920-31

Spring fork assembly, Scout, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923.

Spring fork assembly, Scout 1924, 1925, 1926.

Spring fork assembly, Scout 1927.

Spring fork assembly, Scout 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931.

Spring fork assembly, Chief 1922, 1923.

Spring fork assembly, Chief 1924, 1925, 1926 and early 1927 without front brake

Spring fork assembly, Chief late 1927 with front brake, 1928, 1929.

Complete forks include the fork main frame, bearings, leaf spring assy, connecting links, bell cranks, studs, bolts, nuts, pins etc.

Scout 1920-31

Spring fork main frame, Scout 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923.

Spring fork main frame, Scout 1924 and early 1925.

Spring fork main frame, Scout late 1925, 1926, 1927.

Spring fork main frame, Scout 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931.

Spring fork main frame, Chief 1922, 1923.

Spring fork main frame, Chief 1924, 1925, 1926, early 1927.

Spring fork main frame, Chief late 1927, 1928, 1929 - and 1930 unless someone knows otherwise?

Spring fork main frame, Chief, Standard Scout, Four 1932, 1933, 1934.

Spring fork main frame, Chief, Standard Scout (to 1937), Four 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939.

Spring fork main frame Chief 1940 CAV military model.

Scout 1920-30

Frame assembly, Scout 1920, 1921.

Frame assembly, Scout 1922, 1923.

Frame assembly, Scout 1924.

Frame assembly, Scout 1925, 1926.

Frame assembly, Scout 1927.

Frame assembly, Scout 1928, 1929, 1930.

Frame assembly, Chief 1922, 1923.

Frame assembly, Chief 1924, 1925.

Frame assembly, Chief 1926.

Frame assembly, Chief 1927.

Frame assembly, Chief 1928, 1929.

New 1925 Scout frames and forks.

I have more pix of most of them. 

If you want something not in the list, a sample (for measuring and making a drawing of, not cutting it up or anything) is needed.

<- 1922-23 (left) and 1924-26 Chief (right) center castings.

The 1932-39 forks were all quite similar, and it continued with the CAV.

There was a new wider center casting for the skirted-fender civilan 1940 fork. Skirted fenders don't fit in the CAV fork.

And 27B52 pins used from 1927-45 on all models, showing that many small parts are also available.

Maybe we can get back to the 1922-23 Chief frames, but here is a little 1924-29 detail info. 

At some point in 1924 the frames got a new steering head casting (24-D-12) with supporting ribs either side of the main rib ->

1922, 1923 and probably early 1924 had the single-rib 22-D-1 casting. No pic of that now.

Tank mounting brackets were steel plate for 4 tank bolts (8 in 1922-23 and again, with cast brackets, in 1930).

There was a new center casting at the bottom of the saddle tube, with larger reinforcement ribs. 

The casting under the seat lost the hole for the seat suspension, and the rear axle castings were changed to accommodate a new rear wheel center axle in 1926.

The only difference between 1927 and 1928 Chief frames seems to be new 5/16" chain tensioner screws. No changes from 1928 to 1929, but lots of them for 1930.

1922-23 Chief and Scout 1920-23 used the 20B159, Scout 1924-25 used 20B425, and later models from 1937-45 the 40956. Are we having fun yet? :-)

Various small handlebar parts, twist grips, cables and such are also available to order.