Between 1955 and 1960, Indians sold in the US were actually re-branded Royal Enfields. It was the idea of an English company called Brockhouse Engineering (you may remember that they created the adorable Corgi) who owned the Indian trademark at the time. They thought they could capitalize on the goodwill of the Indian brand by selling some Brit bikes, and in ’56 they had four models varying from 250c to 700cc. There were two 500cc models – the Tomahawk and the Woodsman (street and enduro, respectively).
The Woodsman featured the 499cc OHV single motor from a Royal Enfield bullet with an Indian badge over the timing cover. A high pipe, 2.4 gallon fuel tank, 21″ front tire, and knobby tires were all utilized for off-road conquests. For a full list of the Royal Enfield-Indian hybrids (as well as a whole bunch of photos), check out this site dedicated to the interesting combination.
This example (VIN: JS15048) has undergone a frame-off restoration. The seller acquired it in October 2012 from a dealership in Iowa, though it “arrived missing most of the engine and transmission internals and it was quickly determined a full frame off restoration was warranted.” The work was finished in 2014 – “all replacement parts were sourced from Hitchcock Motorcycles in the UK, the leading supplier of British manufactured Royal Enfield parts. All Hitchcock Motorcycles invoices, totaling more than $9,000 USD, will accompany the sale to document the sourcing of NOS and replacement parts along with original Repair and Overhaul Manual and Parts List, vintage advertisements and old and extra spare parts.”
Find this Woodsman for sale in Berlin, Massachusetts for $16,000 here on Craigslist.