1951 Douglas 90 Plus

My final sketch from the rally was this lovely Douglas 90 Plus, which was dispatched to Blacknells of Nottingham on September 5, 1951. The 90 Plus was an attempt by Douglas to develop and homologate a racer to qualify for the Junior class of the Isle of Man Clubman’s TT. The 90 Plus cost £165, £5 more than the 80 Plus model, and was offered with a ‘race kit’ which provided a rev counter, racing magneto, racing seat, road racing tyres and lightweight mudguards, at no extra cost, so a ready-made Clubman’s racer, all ready to go from the dealer. The 90 Plus 350cc flat twin when bench tested delivering 25bhp at 6500rpm, with most examples able to push up to 100mph. This performance was made possible due to the high compression pistons, a stronger clutch and the use of needle roller bearings. To provide ample stopping power, a nine-inch brake was laced into the 21-inch front wheel. To compliment the stop and go power, the chassis used Douglas’s Radiadraulic leading-link forks with six-inches of travel. with the rear suspension using a box-section swinging arm, dampened by torsion bars rather than conventional shock absorbers. This chassis gave excellent handling and a comfortable ride and was used on the majority of Douglas' post Second World War models. Admittedly, the striking gold paintwork and performance made these machines attractive, though they still struggled to compete against the dominant BSA Gold Star of the time, and, as a result, only a small amount of 90 Plus models were produced.

The racing history of this example isn't known, but it is assumed it remained in the north of England, having ended up in Hull where it was bought in 2010 as a box of bits. Since its rebuild, a couple of changes have been made, with the racing carbs changed to Amal Concentrics and the open pipes capped with silencers. With the racing cams left in and the combination of the large valve overlap and softer carbs, the 90 Plus is easy to start, providing smooth acceleration and ample performance on today’s roads.