Author Topic: 1914 2 3/4HP Handbook  (Read 12891 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Dirt Track

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Join Date: May 2004
  • Posts: 212
  • Location: Hobart,Tasmania
1914 2 3/4HP Handbook
« on: 11 Jul 2009 at 10:49 »
G'day all
I bought a 1914 2 3/4HP handbook this week in very good order.......correctly titled on the first page as...
"Douglas Motors, Working Instructions and Price List of Spare Parts for the 2 3/4HP." it covers 1912/1913/1914.
It has 47 pages with only a few illustrations, they being on page 11 an illustration of tank,filler-cap and oil pump, and sight-feed lubricator. On pages 36 & 37 illustrations of the Two-speed gear and stuck to page 38 a fold out diagram of the motor followed finally on page 47 with a photo of the motor.
It has several dealer stamps throughout "Milledge Bros. Ltd, George St Sydney, the book is covered by a black textured heavy card with a turned in flap to secure it closed.
Is this the standard handbook or could it be one produced especially for Milledge Bros?
I bought a mint 1909 "Hints & Tips for Motorcyclists" from the same chap.
I paid a good quid for them but hopefully that means he will come up with more!
Howard.

Offline Doug

  • Administrator
  • ****
  • Join Date: Mar 2004
  • Posts: 4640
  • Location: Glen Mills, PA, USA
Re: 1914 2 3/4HP Handbook
« Reply #1 on: 11 Jul 2009 at 17:36 »
Howard,

What a good find!

I can not specifically answer your question, but can throw out a few observations based on handbooks for other years. I have originals, reprints, and/or photocopies for 1909, 1911, 1912, and 1913 Working Instruction/catalog/spare booklets for the early 2-3/4hp. For 1914-17 all I could locate at the time were photocopies of leaflets, brochures, and magazine extracts of the various models; this when I was gathering information to update the Douglas Timeline and Model Identification charts on this Forum. (I need to do another update, so if anyone can fill in the gaps please get in touch.) The photocopies came from the VMCC archives in the UK, and the reprints from John Withers in Perth. (The later I see has a full 1916 handbook reprint available that I did not notice before, I'll have to get one.)

The full handbooks from 1911-13 are about seven inches high and five inches wide (they vary a little), and run 80, 112, and 126 pages respectively. 1913 is the first year to have the fold out diagram. The 1911 and 1912 are cardstock green-gray covers, and the 1913 is more gray-green. So your 1914 does not continue the trend at 47 pages and with a black cover unless they decided to slim down the publication. Since I do not have a 1915 handbook to bracket it with, it is hard to say for sure. 

-Doug

Offline Dirt Track

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Join Date: May 2004
  • Posts: 212
  • Location: Hobart,Tasmania
Re: 1914 2 3/4HP Handbook
« Reply #2 on: 12 Jul 2009 at 00:36 »
G'day doug and all.
Thanks for that info Doug, this book has been printed in the UK...Bristol in fact by Edward Everard.
I have seen a good few of this type of booklet (other makes) made especially for the local dealers and wondered if this is one such book.
I will conpile a list of what I have in the way of original Douglas literature and place on file......I suggest everyone else could think about doing the same.
Howard.

Offline Doug

  • Administrator
  • ****
  • Join Date: Mar 2004
  • Posts: 4640
  • Location: Glen Mills, PA, USA
Re: 1914 2 3/4HP Handbook
« Reply #3 on: 12 Jul 2009 at 01:04 »
The 1909 catalog was printed by Iliffe & Sons, Coventry
The 1911 handbook was printed by George Waterson & Sons, Edinburgh.
The 1912 and 1913 handbook was printed by Edward Everard, Bristol.

-Doug

Offline Dirt Track

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Join Date: May 2004
  • Posts: 212
  • Location: Hobart,Tasmania
Re: 1914 2 3/4HP Handbook
« Reply #4 on: 13 Jul 2009 at 10:49 »

G'day Doug and all
I have copied my list of original Douglas literature as listed below.
This is lifted from my master list of all my literature and gives....
Make/ year/ model/ %condition/ pages/ description/ type of item.
they are all originals not copies.
I would imagine a lot of members would have similar and a lot more than my little hoard......care to share!
Howard.






Douglas   1910   All   90%   40+   Fine Copy   Handbook
Douglas   1914   2 3/4HP Model   75%   47   Good Copy   Handbook Covered
Douglas   1922   3 1/2HP OHV S1 Model   75%   73   Good Copy   Handbook
Douglas   1923   Advertising Blocks   90%   16   Fine Copy   List of Douglas Blocks
Douglas   1924   All   70%   4   Good Copy   Insurance Proposal
Douglas   1925   2 3/4HP Model   90%   99   Mint Copy   Handbook
Douglas   1926   350cc models   75%   32   Good Copy   Care & Maintenance Book
Douglas   1926   All   80%   8   Good Copy   HP Proposal
Douglas   1931   All   60%   12   Fair Copy / Folded   Sales Poster
Douglas   1934   All   40%   4   Fair Copy / Folded   Press Supplement
Douglas   1934   Model Y   30%   6   Poor Copy   Sales Leaflet
Douglas   1936   Aero Model   20%   24   Poor Copy,Fragile   Price List
Douglas   1948   Mk V   60%   79   Fair Copy   Handbook
Douglas Con Rod   1931   Olympia Show No   70%   36   Good Copy   Company Magazine

Offline Hutch

  • Master Member
  • ****
  • Join Date: Nov 2012
  • Posts: 716
  • Location: Queensland, Australia
Re: 1914 2 3/4HP Handbook
« Reply #5 on: 20 Jan 2015 at 22:54 »
Hi Howard,

This is an old thread but I thought it would be interesting to see what has been found recently in the period 1914 to 1920 as the literature appears to be scarce for that period due to WW1.

A recent acquisition of an original 1916 2 3/4 manual/parts list had a supplement (8 pages) with it that was printed in 1919. the sticker on the front explaining the necessary price rise!. The same sticker was also attached to first page of the manual, just under where it has "1916" on it.

Does this mean that for the 2 3/4, there are no new manuals/ parts lists produced by Douglas between 1916 and 1919?

In my searches so far I have failed to find any 1915 manual. Does anyone know if anything from 1915 exists? (interestingly the engine shown in pictures of the breakdown of parts in the manual has "1915" on it!)


(BTW I believe copies of the 1916 manual & parts list are now avail. from the LDMCC via Dave Lawrence).

Cheers

Ian

Offline Doug

  • Administrator
  • ****
  • Join Date: Mar 2004
  • Posts: 4640
  • Location: Glen Mills, PA, USA
Re: 1914 2 3/4HP Handbook
« Reply #6 on: 20 Jan 2015 at 23:21 »
Ian,

I have a 1914 handbook and a photocopy of a 1916 handbook, but so far have not see one for 1915. The only thing I have seen for '15 is a "Preliminary List" leaflet and a small factory promotional piece called "Master Methods" (both photocopies).

Interestingly, the 1916 handbook has a similar paste in notice about price increases. However it is dated June 9th, 1919 and of a further increase of 10% making for an overall increase of 50%!

-Doug

Offline Hutch

  • Master Member
  • ****
  • Join Date: Nov 2012
  • Posts: 716
  • Location: Queensland, Australia
Re: 1914 2 3/4HP Handbook
« Reply #7 on: 21 Jan 2015 at 02:05 »
Thanks for the info Doug.
 
I have the 1914 handbook as described by Howard above - complete with greasy finger prints and an outline of a timing gear or cam gear on the page referring to timing the exhaust valve! so at least it had been used in anger at one time!

I will keep an eye out for the leaflet and promotional material you have described now i know they exist.

Your comment about price increases points to their being an earlier price increase before Feb. 1919, so that could have been at the end of 1918 when the war ended and Douglas were released from supplying the WD?....I wonder when the price increases stabilised?. The next parts list I have a copy for is for 1922 (along with 1924 and 1925).

On looking at the 1919 Errata I came across this piece of information on the fork spring box head clip. Is this the device in question on your post on resilient fork links or is it referring to something else??

https://www.douglasmotorcycles.net/index.php?topic=5415.msg19653#msg19653



Would be nice to have the matching factory pictures to find out !!

Cheers

Ian

Offline Doug

  • Administrator
  • ****
  • Join Date: Mar 2004
  • Posts: 4640
  • Location: Glen Mills, PA, USA
Re: 1914 2 3/4HP Handbook
« Reply #8 on: 21 Jan 2015 at 02:25 »
Ian,

It could be the same spring link, the parts descriptions sound right. I have not seen a factory illustration with that type link fitted, so hard to say for sure, but it does show Douglas was offering something like it in 1915-16. My copy of the 1916 handbook/parts list stops at #1452, does not have the errata sheet, so does not include the Fork Spring Box Head Clip group.

-Doug
« Last Edit: 21 Jan 2015 at 02:30 by Doug »

Offline Hutch

  • Master Member
  • ****
  • Join Date: Nov 2012
  • Posts: 716
  • Location: Queensland, Australia
Re: 1914 2 3/4HP Handbook
« Reply #9 on: 21 Jan 2015 at 04:03 »
Doug,
PM sent
Ian