Fewer than 10 miles since restoration
1929 Douglas 348cc EW
Registration no. MO 9333
Frame no. MF 14033
Engine no. YE 12534
Designed by Cyril Pullin and launched at the Olympia Show in 1925, the Douglas EW was intended to benefit from tax concessions available to lightweights and so weighed under 200lbs. In typical Douglas fashion the engine was a fore-and-aft flat twin: a fixed-head sidevalve with outside flywheel, hand and mechanical oil pumps, and BTH magneto ignition. A gearbox mounted behind rather than above the rear cylinder, all-chain drive and decent-sized drum brakes differentiated the EW from its predecessors, as did the handsome sloping fuel tank that replaced the 'flat' style used hitherto. An unusual feature was the gearchange gate located in the tank's centre.
First registered on 25th January 1929, this Douglas EW was purchased by the vendor's late father circa 1971 from Robert Jardine, who had owned it from 1961 (continuation logbook on file). The Douglas was in very good condition mechanically but cosmetically poor. 'MO 9333' was run only occasionally and dry stored until its owner's death in 2002 when it passed to his son, who had it restored by Robert Freeman. The machine was completely stripped and underneath the many layers of paint was found to have suffered very little mechanical wear. Engine and gearbox excepted, the Douglas was completely restored to a very high standard. The original fuel tank's base was perforated but fortunately it proved possible to braze in a new one and bring the tank back into service. It was then repainted, together with the frame and running gear. New leather pouches were made for the toolboxes, and the wheels rebuilt with new spokes, tyres and tubes. The machine has covered fewer than 100 miles since 1971 (and fewer than 10 since the restoration's completion in 2008) and is described as in generally excellent condition, save for a malfunctioning magneto, which requires attention.
'MO 9333' was last taxed to February 2009 and MoT'd to January 2009 (disc and certificate on file) and has been carefully dry stored since then. There is no SORN document as the DVLA has persistently rejected attempts to obtain an SORN 'due to the taxation class', which is recorded as 'Not licensed' on the V5 (present and in vendor's name). However the last tax disc lists the taxation class as 'Historic Vehicle'. The registration number is believed to be original.