In 1970 Doug Cameron set out to build a bike that no other Harley or Indian could beat. He crafted the bike with all the speed equipment and ingenuity of the day. The cylinder was punched out to 86 cu in, the engine was balanced, and a larger main sprocket.
It started out as a hard-tail 1936 Indian frame, with a ‘48 Indian front. The thing people notice first is the shifter, an actual WWII bayonette. The spring connected to the scabbard is the brake pedal return spring.
The spark plugs on the bars next to the horn are connected to the mag, and are a “visual tachometer” sparking away as the engine runs. “You get to a hundred or so and it’s like a blue flame shooting out of there.”
This bike is actually the “model” for Steve’s “The Blob” bike (named after his first movie).
Steve rode around with Doug and his buddies and for five years, Steve hounded Doug to sell him the bike. Finally Doug said; “I won’t sell you my bike, but I will build you one like it.”
To almost every detail he built “The Blob” only a couple of differences such as the rear fender, sissybar and shifter. The bike that Doug built for Steve (left) is in the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, Iowa.
http://www.blacktopmagazine.com/3865/ol-white/
and is now up for auction
https://www.proxibid.com/asp/LotDetail.asp?ahid=10419&aid=101942&lid=26995272&title=1970-s-Era-McQueen-Cameron-Indian-Chopper
Around 1977 Steve bought himself this 1947 Indian Chief chopper. He added on some additional pieces, the strange chrome exhaust slip-ons, the sleeping bag, the mis-matched hand grips… all to make it look ratty and ridiculous. He was aware it was not a top condition bike, but towards the end of his life he grew out his hair, put on weight, grew an unkempt beard and rode for the privacy and solitude. http://www.nationalmcmuseum.org/steve-mcqueens-1947-indian-chief-chopper/
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