Xtra Pics: Hap Alzina & The Ill-Fated Indian Arrow

The late Hap Alzina was a make-it-happen kind of guy. He was a capable mechanic and a versatile racer, even beating the legendary Cannonball Baker "at least once," writes Contributing Editor Allan Girdler in Race Watch in the September issue. Alzina also had a keen eye for business, and he used those skills to sell a lot of motorcycles for first Indian and later BSA.But Alzina's claim to fame may be his home-brewed streamliner, the Indian Arrow. Described by Girdler as "a lima bean on edge," the bike was powered by a 61-cubic-inch Indian V-Twin and built for the express purpose of toppling the American speed record of 136.183 mph established in 1937 by Joe Petrali on a Harley-Davidson Model E. Once in place, two-piece shell bolted together, Alzina's rider, Fred Ludlow, had no way to extricate himself from the unventilated contraption without assistance—logical then, maybe, but completely nuts now.

You'll have to read the story to find out what happened next, but here are a few additional photos for which we didn't have space in the print story. Enjoy.