“In July of 1926, Indian debuted its all new, Charles B. Franklin-designed, race motor at the Altoona, Pennsylvania board track,” Said Dan Statnekov the previous owner. “The machine lapped the 1 and 1/4-mile wooden track at a speed of 114 mph and was immediately labeled the ‘Altoona’ for the track where it first appeared.”
The controversy surrounding this model includes the dates as you will see below. In addition several versions of the same motor were produced by the Springfield, Massachusetts company, that included overhead and side-valve models for a variety of racing venues.
including four 45 and 61-inch dual-updraft carb, side valve configurations for board track racing with two oil pumps. Then they built a 45-inch overhead valve version for the pro-hillclimb class with single carbs and one oil pump. There were also 61 and 80-inch flatheads with single carbs and separate manifolds connecting them to the heads.
The single carb bikes were assembled with Schebler carbs, although many racers including Parriot used special racing Carter carburetors (on this bike). If that's not confusing enough the dual carb manifolds were also integrated into the 45 and 61-inch models.
For the year prior to the race in 1926 these were simply factory racing units. According to Dan, “The Indian 'Altoona' engine was a distinctive new design. Both camshafts, as well as the crankshaft, ran in self-aligning ball bearings, and the combustion chamber was patterned after the 'Ricardo' design.”
This particular classic flathead was restored by Brad Wilmarth in Petersburg, Virginia.
The following month, on the 1-1/4 mile Rockingham board track at Salem, New Hampshire, Fredericks set the record for the fastest speed (120.3 mph) that would ever be attained by a motorcycle on a board track. Both records were set on a 61-cubic-inch version of this motor.
Rumor has it, all the cases on this model were the same, but the flywheels and top ends changed from dual to single carb and with overhead valves. The 61-incher was a 100 mph bike.
On Sunday, April 6, 1936 this bike, owned by S. Parriott, ran 113.92 mph in an AMA sanctioned, electrically-timed 1-mile Muroc Speed Trial. Each bike was timed through 1/4 mile.
“It is interesting to note that the fastest competitive jobs of that era ('30s) were not present production models,” wrote a reporter at the time, “but were the old two cam or O.H. intake valve models from several years ago and which were admittedly fast machines in their day. It would appear, from the results, that these models are faster than, not only their current type side valve motors, but much faster than overhead valve bikes.”
They didn't want 10-year-old technology beating new bikes.” This bike is also a hot example of the elements that make a restored or non-restored vintage motorcycle even more sought after.
It has bonafide documented history. It's not just a jumble of parts pieced together to represent a rare model.
Sam Parriott broke a course record at L.A.M.C. Hillclimb in December 1925. According to the story by H.B. Rose of the Western Motorcyclist and Bicyclist publication, “It was the most thrilling performance ever seen on a hill in Southern California. So great was interest in this event that, although it was the last on the program, not a soul left the hill until Parriott made his startling ride. His new mark of 12 seconds for the hill beat the former time of 13.4 which was set last year by Elder.”
So it was a hot shoe in it's time and for a long time, but when you have a limited production run, of this nature, from a shattered company, devastated by closures and bankruptcy, the lineage is decimated. According to the Indian history book, the Iron Redskin, 25 Altoonas were built between 1926 and 1930. Then how could Parriot win a race in 1925 on a year old Altoona?
That production amount included all configurations. Hillclimb bikes in the era were cheap company advertising to demonstrate power and reliability. During the depression winners took cash over trophies. Many un-engraved trophies were shipped from one competitive event to the next rally. Many of these bikes were placed by the corporation in competitive amateur, serious racer hands for maximum exposure.
“The sprockets were the size of man-hole covers,” Explained Don. “There was only one gear compacted within the in-and-out tranny, and the kicker was located on the right.”
So back to the controversy. This 80-inch flathead is one of three known to exist today. Another fine example is housed in the AMA museum and there's one in Australia. “All twin cam bronze cam cover motors in this Keystone frame configuration were considered Altoonas,” according to Don Whalen, antique motorcycle expert.
As the years passed and bikes were scavenge and pieced out, the mystery expanded and often history was lost. Imagine the rapid transition from flatheads to overhead valves and ultimately two-stroke high revving dirt bike engines with high performance shock absorbers that catapulted bikes over hills and around motorcross tracks? Quickly the outdated ill-performing heavy flatheads were pushed aside for the hottest, lightest, new ticket on the block.
Many of these classics are gone forever or were transformed into water well pump systems. This bike belonged to Sam Parriott, a gentleman California rancher who resided in La Puente for years. He was the guy to beat at the dry lake and hill climb events all over Southern California.
“He shattered all the records,” Don said. His son sold it after Sam died and the engine was stolen. Years later the original motor return to its rightful home. This example houses the 80-cubic inch side-valve motor fielded for that class of hillclimb.
This particular machine is complete, correct and historic. The Altoona, as rare as hen's teeth, as beautiful as a wedding ring, as historical as a Mickey Mantle homerun ball is now housed in the Richard Bunch American Motorcycle Museum in San Jose, California after eight years in the Los Angeles Times magnate, Otis Chandler museum.
Otis blinked and the rare Altoona was sold out from under his vast grasp and an antique motorcycle controversy lives on. The serial number on the motor of this example is 80A-60. Look hard at this rare example of competitive motorcycle history, incredible.
