Beschreibung
H&H Classic Auction @ National Motorcycle Museum | Solihull, West Midlands
29th Mar, 2023 12:00
1956 Douglas Dragonfly
Four cylinder special
Estimate
£8, 000 - £12, 000
Registration No: WFO 647
Frame No: 24186
Engine No: 2225/ 6
CC: 496
MOT: Exempt
A well-constructed Douglas Four
This was the late owner's passion
Attention to detail throughout
A unique machine
Douglas motorcycles were manufactured between 1907–1957 in Kingswood, Bristol and were especially known for their twin-cylinder engined bikes, initially fore and aft and eventually in an across-the-frame layout. The first of these models launched in 1945 was the T35 featuring a pivoted fork rear frame sprung with torsion bars and leading link "Radiadraulic" front forks with compression springs and hydraulic damping, radical front and rear suspension designs for the time. The last new motorcycle produced by the company, the 1955 Dragonfly, was built around an improved version of the existing engine but despite its riding comfort being described as "equal to a car's", only 1, 457 Dragonfly motorcycles were sold before the company was taken over and production ended in 1957. The company also built a range of cars between 1913 and 1922 and famously built Vespa scooters under license in the 1950s.
We are grateful to the vendor for the following description:
“This Douglas four is a one-off special that I built between 10 and 15 years ago. This is the Mk2 version of a Dragon Four, that it is believed, Don Brown built in the late 1990s. The Douglas Four is the result of taking on a challenge to improve upon his first attempt (which was very successful); Mr Brown wanted it to look as if it could have come from the Douglas factory but with more modern refinements, such as indicators, disc brakes and electric start. He decided to base it on the earlier engines as there had been some correspondence in the early 1950s between Eddie Withers and the Factory, suggesting they could produce a 4 cylinder unit from already available ‘350 Twin’ parts, for a very modest outlay. Stacking 2 Flat-Twin engines threw up some unexpected problems with carburetion and oiling (which he eventually solved). The bike was run reliably with an exhaust note, not unlike an Ariel Square Four. It comes complete with a current V5C and pictures of the build. Due to being stood for around 2 years recommissioning will be required.”
