Douglas 2 3/4hp - Front Fork Andre Damper Extension Kit

Product no.: 0841 DG234_025

In stock

£19.50
Recommended Retail Price, plus delivery


This listing is for a pair of shouldered extension bolts to fit early (pre-1919) Douglas fork spindles, and allow for the fitment of an Andre Fork Damper, as per the type in this photo. 

These are designed to fit to the original 'early fork' type Douglas fork spindles as fitted to 2 3/4hp models from approximately 1912 - 1919, and provides a shouldered shaft that will allow for the fitting of a reproduction Andre (friction disk) fork damper, of the type often fitted to Douglas racing and speedway bikes in the early 1920's.  

The background to these is that as part of my re-building a 1919-20 Douglas 2 3/4hp (but fitted with the early type forks) I wanted to loosely base it on a Sports/Racing version of this model, similar to those used at Brooklands both pre World War One (including by the factory team) and in the early 1920's.  I know it might be considered artistic licence to fit an early 1920's style Andre damper to the earlier type of forks . . . but it is a mod that could have been made retrospectively in the day . . . and I think it an interesting and useful mod - as well as definitely being a point of conversation!

I have made these two extension bolts to be of the correct length to be used with the Douglas fork spindles we also list - Item 0735, and as that kit also includes the castellated nuts, no other parts are required - other than the Andre Damper and washers, which need to be purchased seperately!  These extension bolts are just tightened to the fork spindles as the castellated nuts would have been, the Andre Damper is then pushed on to the shafts, then the original castellated nuts are screwed onto the end of the extension bolts - which are drilled to accept the split pins to lock the castellated nuts.

Although I do not offer the Andre Damper myself, I can tell you it came from Graham Brown at Vintage and Classic Shock Absorbers: 

http://www.vintageandclassicshockabsorbers.co.uk/

contact Graham at: grahamvcsa@hotmail.co.uk

The model you see fitted to my bike is described as - 'Hartford Motorbike Shock Absorber, 2&1 bladed, cast steel riveted on end eye, rubber end eye bush fitted'.

I can tell you that when the item arrived I was really impressed with its quality and think it really looks the business!, as well as feeling like it will genuinly help the damping abilitites of these forks.

As you can see in the last photograph - which I believe is of a young Bert Denly taken on a racing Douglas at Brooklands in 1923 - dampers of this type are not out of place on a flat tank Douglas with sporting pretensions! 

Note: email for further details on sales@racingvincent.co.uk if you have a later model Douglas and want to use these bolts - I can provide more details of dimensions

Browse this category: 1z. Douglas 2 3/4hp and 1912-25 Douglas/Edwardian Parts