Looking for Veteran (1918 or earlier) Douglas

[Ian]

I am on the lookout for a 4 or 3.5 HP Douglas - restored or unrestored but must be complete. Must have been built before 31/12/1918. Preferably located in Australia.

[Ian]

Still looking with no success - anyone out there want to sell ?

[Ian]

Just to keep post visible !! still looking. Would also look at a smaller Douglas veteran as well. (in fact anything veteran)

[Chris]

Ian. In the UK at least, the term "veteran" usually applies to machines built no later than 31st December 1914. This is the criterion that determines whether a machine is accepted by the Sunbeam MCC dating Committee for the issue of a Pioneer Certificate qualifying it to take part in the Annual Pioneer Run to Brighton from Epsom every March. With the larger early Douglas Models only the 3.5hp (500cc) model falls in the veteran category. The earliest 4HP (600cc) running from 1915 to 1923 and normally termed vintage.

[Ian]

Chris, yes - it is odd that there are differences - here in Australia it is machines built to the end of 1918 !! The machines built 1914 and earlier are worth more due to the UK definition.

Unfortunately we have real problems with dating of machines here - particularly Australian made ones. There were so many companies who produced very few bikes each with not many records !! Nor do we have an equivalent of the Pioneer certificate here. The main rally that you really need to be sure about dates for is the National Veteran Rally which is a five day affair held every two years. I would love to find a Douglas to take on that. I already have one veteran - a 1912 Triumph.