1939 Indian

Four Model 439

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1939 Indian

Four Model 439

Highlights

  • One of the finest 1939 Indian Four Model 439's in the world
  • Completely Restored and completed in 2000
  • Restoration Completed by the Antique Indian Expert, Steven Geiger
  • This motorcycle has not been on the open market since its completion
  • Numbers Matching Frame and Engine
  • Frame # 439411
  • Engine # DCI411B
  • Equipped with the correct Schebler DLX113 Carburetor
  • Finished in the superb Black/Silver World's Fair Paint Scheme
  • Considered to be one of the most attractive motorcycle engines ever produced
  • This one you don't want to miss, this 439 is outstanding!

Description

This absolutely spectacular 1939 Indian Model 439 is restored in World's Fair colors, and it's considered by many to be the best of all the Indian fours. While Indian had been building and improving its four-cylinder models since acquiring the Ace name, rights and tooling in 1927, it made considerable changes between 1936-38. Indian chose a radical redesign of the motor for 1936, which became known as the “upside-down fours” with exhaust-over-inlet cylinder heads. While these engines produced more power, they proved unpopular with riders as the exhaust ran close to the rider's leg, which became uncomfortable in hot climates. After two years of production, the engine was totally redesigned all over again in 1938, this time with the usual inlet-over-exhaust configuration, albeit with many improvements, including for the first time a full enclosure of the valve gear, full lubrication of the valves and the cylinders cast in pairs. The resulting engine of the Model 438 was a far more attractive and more integrated design, with horizontal finning from the top of the valve enclosure right down to the radial finning on the crankcase sump.

Some consider the 1938-1942 Indian four engines to be among the most attractive motorcycle engines ever built. When combined with the spectacular styling of the late 1930s Indian range with sweeping, elegant fenders, teardrop tanks and perfect paint schemes, you have one of the most spectacular and beautiful motorcycles ever built in the 1938-39 Indians. Some consider the 1939 Indian 439 in a World's Fair paint scheme—with its metallic silver or metallic blue—to be simply the finest expression of motorcycle art produced before World War II. These are the last of the rigid-frame Indian Fours, were 50 pounds lighter than the plunger-frame models that followed (the 439 weighed 480 pounds), and still came with sporting pretensions and an excellent new motor.

Specs

Basic

Year
1939
Make
Indian
Auto Model Name
Four Model 439
Miles
22,588
Vin
DCI411B
Stock
JB411B

Engine

Engine Size
1265cc
Engine Type
Gasoline
Transmission Type
Manual

Body

Body Or Basic Color
Silver/Black

Interior

Interior Or Basic Color
Black

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