1911 Douglas?

[Paul H]

Hi all,

My friend (owner of the 1911 Douglas) has requested this post be removed. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Paul.

[LENBOY]

Hi there, the engine fits into the production figures for 1911 but the frame started life from the 1910 specification but has been seriously changed, the rail under the tank has been added and should not be there the tank is deeper with a cut out for the magneto and hangs down on clips from the top tube, there should be another rail just above the bottom rail the engine is now fitted onto, the engine should bolt onto this rail making it sit higher in the frame. The rear stand is not original and the pedal crank is missing. I hope this helps.Len.

[cardan]

It's an interesting project Paul, but as Len points out something weird has happened to the frame.

It's worth having a look at the frames from the 1910-1911 models - luckily Michiel posted some very clear illustrations here: https://www.douglasmotorcycles.net/index.php?board=51.0

In 1911 there were a mix of the 1910-style frames that Len refers to, and the Model E with the frame rail under the tank and lower engine position. I agree with Len that the frame looks like one of the 1910-11 frames forced into submission to get the engine lower. Of course this could have been done in 1914, 1994, or 2014!

The date of conversion is important, I think. If the bike was originally, say, a 1911 Model D, modified a couple of years later to lower the engine, I'd be inclined to leave it as it is, bent saddle tube and all. But if the frame was cobbled up in recent years, I'd be inclined to modify it back to one of the original frame designs, either Model C or Model D.

The "pedal lug" doesn't look much like the ones used on the early model Douglases, but this needs to be investigated further.

I don't suppose there's a frame number anywhere?

Cheers

Leon