Author Topic: Old photo  (Read 3588 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Ian

  • Master Member
  • ****
  • Join Date: Jul 2004
  • Posts: 1340
  • Location: The Oaks, NSW, Australia
Old photo
« on: 20 Dec 2010 at 22:35 »
I was on a car club run last Sunday - had my Empire Star with me - as usual when we parked motorcyclists came over to have a look. One guy told me he had a photo of his dad aged 4 on the family sidecar. He emailed it to me - any opinions as to what it is ? Info he had pointed to 1932 and I guess the paint on the tank verifies around that time. He had been told D32 or H32 - and I guess add in E32 or even F/G32 ?? Its hard to tell from the photo quality but any experts out there care to comment ?


Original




Enhanced shadow detail




Close Up

« Last Edit: 21 Dec 2010 at 09:03 by Dave »

Offline Doug

  • Administrator
  • ****
  • Join Date: Mar 2004
  • Posts: 4655
  • Location: Glen Mills, PA, USA
Re: Old photo
« Reply #1 on: 21 Dec 2010 at 03:52 »
Ian,

Well you can rule out an F/G31-32. The front brake drum is on the LH side, so it has to be one of the side-valve models. (You have to Photoshop the image to get the brake drum visible.) Just enough of the top of the timing chest is visible looking through the engine bay (it is white colored) to identify as a big twin. Not a 1933, as the dynamo over the front cylinder would have blocked the view.  I think it is an E/H31-32 model, as it looks like it has the old pattern forks. There is a suggestion of the extension springs behind the girder and bit of bright work for the upper perch nut. The D would have the central compression spring. But I have to admit it is a bit like reading tea leaves. 

A big twin certainly make sense as a chair is fitted, but they did make sidecars for the lightweights too. The shape of the sidecar body is appropriate for a Douglas Sports. The Touring had a different nose.  The only thing that looks wrong is the cut of the door seems a bit square. The catalog literature I have seen shows the door (when fitted) with a big swooping curve to the bottom edge. However the shape of the doors could have changed over the years.

The registration is CG2775 or CC2775.

-Doug