Little two speed box

[murdo]

I was given this little two speed gearbox and a brass carb body. The bloke tried to tell me box was from a Douglas, but looks to me more like an ATCO mower and the carb too.
I gave them a bead blast to clean off the crud. The box has LG 49291 as the only markings on it. The brass carb has a 3/4" bore.
Hoping one of you clever blokes can identify what/from what.

[Rex]

Did Atco mowers have two-speed gearboxes and expensive brass carbs? Certainly the smaller types just had a clutch and a little Mazak carb.

[murdo]

Don't know Rex, maybe a Viton mower did.

[Mark M]

The carb seems to be a horizontal type (would have been paired with a suitably angled float chamber) which were popular in the 30s.

[R]

Douglas gearboxes generally only had 2 studs. ?
As did many a gearbox back then.

https://racingnorton.co.uk/WebRoot/Store15/Shops/4c675e64-813f-4c0a-8926-87a680c962a0/5AE4/5CA7/EB96/8B1F/C861/0A48/3535/ACE0/0697_2.jpg

The EW had 4 studs, but by then it was a 3 speed...

[cardan]

Yep, it's TS Douglas (350 twin with two speeds, no clutch). The LG prefix was used between 1921 and 1926, and 49xxx suggests the box is at the earlier end of the range, although gearbox numbers are not as well known as engine and frame numbers.

If you want to find a home for it, https://www.douglasmotorcycles.net/ has an enthusiastic following.

Carb looks to be AMAL, so is 1930s-on.

Cheers

Leon

[murdo]

Thanks R that certainly looks like it.
Thanks to all who replied. The box I plan to clean up and put aside until I see one of the local Douglas owners. The carb I could use on a Villiers engine if I could find the rest of it.

[murdo]

I have it all freed up and back together, any suggestions on what sort of lube to fill it with?

[Rex]

If it's going to sit unused does it matter?

[murdo]

Probably not, but would like to know what was used in it originally.

[cardan]

Penrite semi-fluid grease, or their Transoil 250 are popular choices. The biggest problem is oil leaking though the ball races, with only the shim to keep the oil in; any heavy gear oil works fine but will dirty the garage floor and need regular top ups. It's a really nice little gearbox.

Leon

[murdo]

Thank you Cardan. I was thinking similar fluid grease or maybe cotton picker or track grease. Would using a felt seal between the pulley and housing be any good?

[cardan]

Maybe, but I suspect leaking oil and a bit of maintenance were considered ok in the 1920s.

Leon

[murdo]

Any idea who would have made the box for Douglas?

[cardan]

It was their own design and build - they had a very extensive factory and building 25,000-ish bikes for WW1 established them as manufacturers. The 2-speed cross-over box didn't change much between about 1912 and 1926-7.

Leon