handle bar spacers/stand offs

[saluki42]

Hi I'm after some information regarding the handle bar mount extensions / stand offs used on the mid 1930's machines. I have one very poor sand cast example which is only half there. What I'm really after is the distance between the centers of the handle bar and the mounting position off of the top yoke, with this distance I can machine a matching pair myself.

Chris

[Doug]

Chris,

3-3/16 inch center distance. The distance piece body is slightly shorter at 3-1/8 inch and is 7/8 x 1-1/2. I have been meaning to do a drawing of this assembly, so hang tight.

Also, without looking up your other posts I forget if you are doing a 1934 or 1935 model, but 1935 was pretty much the year Douglas changed over from one inch to 7/8 inch handlebars. Which changed the distance piece and top clamp components accordingly.

-Doug

[fix typo. 10Jan22  -Doug]

[saluki42]

Thanks Doug that's all I really needed to know, a previous owner seems to have played around with home sand casting of a number of bits including these and none of them have really worked.

Oh and mines a 1934 with all of the existing pieces measure for 7/8" bars.

Chris

[Doug]

Fixed a typo in my post. Should have been "3-3/16" and not "3- /16" for the center distance.

My 1934 OW1 has one inch handlebars, and the 1935 OW1 has 7/8. Douglas issued drawing number 16875 on 14Jan35 for the "Handle Bar Top Clamp" - the clamp at the handlebar end - for "1935 All Models", machined for a 7/8 inch handlebar. Hence my reckoning 1935 was the year they transitioned. Of course being Douglas, they probably did not change over until they had used up the supply of old inventory!

-Doug

[saluki42]

My 34 machine is a Model Z which as far as I can make out was a bit of a mongrel, segmented cork clutch but with a petrol tank housing the oil tank, a mixture of old and new. The owners club refer to the early model Z as a prototype for the later Wessex model though I have no collaboration of that and if it is the case I suppose it's possible that the handle bars destined for the the 35 and onwards models were trialled on the Zs first I suppose.

Chris