1919 4hp

[Mike Tesser]

Hello all, new to the group and to Douglas bikes in general. Although I am a Velo fellow, I have always wanted an early veteran/vintage motorcycle and in particular a Dougie and have just purchased a 1919 4hp 593cc basket case. It appears to be fairly complete but in well weathered condition and missing small things like girder fork links, gatechange casting, acetyline lamp brackets so far. I have a correct spare parts book and owners manual. Are parts reasonably available and correct colors/painted/plated bits info for the year available? I gather that drive belts are available but from who? Engine and gearbox numbers seem correct (9066) for a 4hp model. I would love to have it ready for 2009 national Veterans rally being held here in West Oz late next year (I know, it is one year off a veteran, but I'm sure they'd let me enter as it basically the same as the Pre-1919 models anyway). All assistance greatly appreciated. Great website and forum.

Mick Tesser - West Oz

[Chris]

Hi Mike
      May I suggest that you join the London Douglas Motor Cycle Club. Advantages of membership include access to the spares scheme, technical advice, a bi monthly well produced and informative magazine, a copy of the machine register and listing of over 1200 other members worldwide who are owners and enthusiasts of Douglas motorcycles. The spares inventory currently includes most of the consumable items needed to keep machines running such as valves, guides, springs, big end nuts and bolts. There are also many cycle parts such as your missing cast headlamp brackets as well as rear stands, fork springs etc. etc.
For more information on the Club and details of membership visit www.douglasmcc.co.uk
Chris.

[graeme]

Hello Mick
Congratulations on your purchase of what will be a very fine motorcycle that will give you a lot of pleasure I'm sure. I will be bringing my 1914 3 1/2hp machine to the veteran rally in Albany next year, but I unfortunately have to tell you that there is absolutely no way that your machine would be accepted on the rally, which is for veteran machines only. However, I suggest you get in touch with the organisers and see if they need marshals etc, so you would have the opportunity to ride your machine during the event in any case.
As to the parts you are missing, take Chris' advice and join the LDMCC.
Fork links are very straightforward to make, you just need the profile to copy. I will have to check to see whether they are the same on the 4hp as on the earlier 3 1/2 model - if so I can make an outline of mine. If not, I have a friend who is restoring a 1918 4hp, so could get the pattern from him.
Belts are available from bearing suppliers. You can get Opti brand belt from SKF dealers - they come in 1'' increments, so should be no trouble getting an appropriate size, and they aren't expensive - around $50 from memory for a size that would be suitable for your machine.
Good luck!
Cheers, Graeme

[Chris]

Hi again Mike
        LDMCC Spares also has fork links for 3.1/2 and early 4hp. I think these will suit a 1919 model. They are laser cut from EN8 steel and only need polishing around the profile and the diameter of the holes finishing to suit the spindles.
Chris.

[Mike Tesser]

Thanks for your prompt replies Chris and Graeme, I have sent a request to join the Douglas OC and will eagerly await the joining package, and yes Graeme - I am now aware that the Veteran rally is ONLY for 1918 and earlier machines and that they are very strict about this, so will see what I can do to get along in some capacity as my friends are the organisers of it. It is a shame that I didn't get the bike earlier as I think the Aus Douglas Centenary rally is in Canberra next month is it not? Would have been great to take part -  we held the Centenary rally for the Velo's a couple of years ago and it was fantastic to be a part of it. I will be going back to search for any missing bits that may still be amongst the piles of various bikes in pieces in the shed of the person I bought it from, unfortunately the chap had stripped a heap of bikes and some of the stuff got jumbled up before he sadly passed away, so hopefully I may find them still now that I know what to look for (thanks to the user manual and spare parts book I have purchased). May I ask what is a good replacement finish for the parts that were nickle plated as I think that this process is no longer commonly available due to the dangerous nature in doing it, although I may be wrong in this as I thought that the nickleing is the first step in chrome plating anyway? Once again thanks for both your offers assistance and advice, I hope you won't mind me picking your brains in the future!

Mike Tesser

[Chris]

Hi Mike
   There is no problem with nickel plating in fact you can do it yourself. There are home nickel plating kits at a quite reasonable price and with careful preparation and attention to the prescribed process an excellent job can be achieved. Apart from the items too long to get into my plating tank, even one end at a time, such as handlebars and the vertical gear change rod, I have nickel plated all the plated parts on four complete pre 1926 machines. In fact this is now the only way to get an original dull nickel finish. The problem with professional nickel platers now is that they have enhanced nickel salts containing brighteners that give a sparkling finish more like chromium than nickel. It is rare to find one who can do your bits so that the machine does not look like a Christmas tree afterwards. Where I have had to resort to professionals for the long items I have tried to persuade them to plate my items when the brightener levels are getting low.
Chris.

[Ian]

Mike, a few of us use kits supplied by Janes Kits for nickel plating - works fine. Like Chris I have done most of my stuff at home - with varying results depending on how thorough I am with the cleaning ! They advertise in Just Bikes

If you get stuck with the veteran rally my plan at the moment is to take two bikes over so could probably give you a ride if you are used to that sort of machine !

[Mike Tesser]

Thanks Chris and Ian, had wondered about the "Jane" kits - so it looks like one will reside near the newly purchased sand/soda blasting cabinet in due course! Obviously preparation is of the upmost importance, but as a fair bit of the metalwork is heavily pitted, I will need to re-fabricate replicas or purchase new versions of said parts. I'm not anal about the finish anyway as I'd rather have a slightly pitted but original part fitted back where it belongs where possible. The copy of the original owners handbook is a delight to read, Douglas were obviously very proud of their innovations and their descriptions are some of the clearest I've come across. The parallels between the Douglas and Velocette family companies and the pride in their machines and the innovations that both produced, along with both having long and proud racing histories, are what draws me to these two marques, particularly as I am a historic racing competitor (usually with a fine view of all my fellow competitors bums, but at least I get to smell the fumes and hear the wonderful exhaust notes as they head off into the distance!).

Ian - thank you for your very kind offer of a ride, but I've just realised that we are holding the 2009 Velo Nat Rally the following week and as I am one of the organisers my time will probably be fully taken up with that, but I will be at the non-rally display and ride that your organisers are holding so will catch up with you and the other Eastern State Douglas owners, and perhaps take you up on that if you are still amenable after having met me! The owners handbook beautifully describes how to start and progress in a forward direction, and by then I will have had some more experience on riding veterans. I cannot tell you how much I am looking forward to getting the bike up and running, like sidecar racing - my veteran riding friends tell me that once you've ridden one you will wonder why you bothered with anything else...

Mike Tesser