Projects from THE COMPOUND

Your price on the T5s is about ½ of what they go for out here without mods.


“……My suggestion would be to hold out for a WC if you can…….”


Yeah, it would have been nice, but S10 T5s are not so easy to come here. The project was stalled because I needed a transmission to be able to set the motor and get the mounts built. I ended up with a NWC one from a 92, with the fine spline input shaft. The price was right (I traded a bare 350 block for it). As long as I don’t get exuberant with it, it should probably last behind the 283 in a light mini truck. I looked at extending the splines but in the long run ended up just ordering the adaptor plate to space the transmission back ……I still had to trim the end of the input shaft and bearing retainer plus buy the special clutch disc.


I had figured on retaining the original gauge cluster which was in pretty decent shape.






Unfortunately I didn’t have any luck locating an earlier cable drive tail housing and other parts I needed to run a cable speedometer. I’ve read mixed reviews on the Cable-X units so I ended up just going the electronic speedometer route. In the long run it worked out for the best as it gave me an excuse to add a couple more gauges (tach, oil pressure and volt gauge) the original dash didn’t have.





All told it turned out to be not such a bargain when all was said and done LOL. That being said, I’m keeping my eyes open for a spare transmission “just in case” and am still looking (which means the project would have still been in the wait mode).

Winner is the truck. Runners-up are the mosquitos. They and poison ivy are two reasons I don't miss Connecticut.

Hang in there...

Shame I brought a Indian just for the s&s motor and trans before. Stong, stong motor. The bike was a theft recovery and it was so far gone I didn't want the hassle of the enhanced inspection to have it back on the road plus with a rebuilt title it would never have any value. Right before Indian went under the last time the bottle cap motor looked like a kool item. I have riden a chop built with one using a 6 speed baker trans and wow. It would have been nice to see if that would have made any difference to the company staying around longer. While I like victory / Polaris and I also worked and was a certified tech for a dealer here in pa I really don't like the new looks of the power plant. But knowing how well built victory bikes are I would seriously considering buying the new bagger they have out. Even my wife thinks it has more room. Not sure about there but pa roads suck and long rides get uncomfortable without room and good shocks lol.

It was basically a kit bike. But so was big dog and so many others. They just had the ability to make a few parts and pay people to build them.

I still look for bikes from those days. Why? Because most guys never rode them and the were built using some really good parts. S&s motors did all of harleys rebuilds and most folks dont know that. Baker transmission is the best usa made trans ever made. You can buy a bike with under 10000 miles using these parts for 5000 and up to 9 around here. Just because the ad says 12 or best offer trust me the store brought bikers have moved on and now want rat rods. Which is good for guys like us.

I just passed up a shovel s&s built motor in a fxr frame because bike ocean city md bike week is in September and I need the cash for that. But the guy had the paper work and he said he would take 4grand cash today.

Maybe one day I will find that bottle cap motor. Even if I make a coffee table outta it I just think they were bad azz and I to believe Indian will now live one. Victory/Polaris imo are great American made motorcycles. Sad part not many people know...... more vic/pol parts are usa made then a harley. 85percent of victory parts are made here by Americans. How many hd parts are made here?