If your Indy was worth a flip when he used a stethoscope he would have stopped you where it was and given you options. But maybe I have higher standards as the guy I rely on is fantastic. I would find another Indy and get my options there. I get asking opinions on a forum after such an experience but answers are short minded. If it were me I would build the snot out of it but I have a second bike so my options are more open.

 

The basic options are simple:

• sell as is and replace the bike,
• replace the engine with a secondhand one,
• open your wallet, do a proper ground up engine rebuild, or replace with an S&S!

I have a 1990 Glide I bought new, with an S&S engine, DD6, etc. A higher output engine will also need a revamped clutch and primary, etc. Much as I would love a 124" my 107" is most satisfactory (succeeded by the current 111").

 

Hmmmm....I voted replace with an S&S.
Wonder why I voted for that?

OK, to be serious. I was in the same position last year. Engine went out and I loved the way I had the bike set up so I had 2 options: 1) Rebuild with what I have or 2) Put in a crate S&S 124. I chose #2, but it is really up to you. I will tell you if you are not doing the work yourself, rebuilding or getting the Crate S&S will come out very close in price.

I should have noted: Same price if totally rebuilding the stock engine (Crank work, Cylinders, Pistons, head work, bigger bore, etc...).

Now that I have 5K miles on the 124, I would never go back to something smaller.

 

That's what my math says too. The advantages I am seeing to the S&S are that it is a job I think I can tackle, I can have confidence that the parts are all designed to work together, it will be done sooner, and the engine will have a warranty for a couple of years.

The advantages of a custom build are that I can build exactly what I want (which really comes down to what the guys at the shop recommend because I don't know enough about engine components to believe that I will put together something better than what S&S is building) and the perceived value of having matching VINs.

Beyond those things it seems to come down to personal preference between a custom built motor and an S&S.

 

You could get a rebuild with cams, pushed to a 103, update to timing gears for around $1000. Your back riding with a better built motor.

 

​​​​​​​A thousand bux all in? I don't think so.

 

Plus he doesn't even know what all is wrong. If the crank is shot then he will spend more than that just on a new crank.

My opinion, which probably isn't worth much, tear it down, evaluate the damage, then make a decision based on what he finds.

 

​​​​​​​That's the only way that makes sense...right now OP doesn't know what he's got...

 

How long are you planing to keep your bike? This is the first question to ask yourself, because you need to build, or buy accordingly. If you answer "forever" then you need to build an engine that will last "forever." If you answer "just another year or two" rebuild it with Craigslist pull offs

 

I take it from this post the op is going to have the work done at a shop. Based on that. I would let them investigate the damage. Get an estimate for the actual build and then compare that to the s&s. If the build is close to the price of the s&s I would go s&s. warranty reasons and piece of mind. good luck. I don't think the matching #s make a lot of difference on a bike. now if it is a special edition 64 corvette with 454 from the factory...... I would rather have the s&s upgraded motor if I was buying your bike in the future.