AV Motors

AV was a British cyclecar manufacturer associated with Ward and Avey, operating from Somerset Road in Teddington, Middlesex, between 1919 and 1924. The company produced lightweight, narrow-bodied cars during the period when cyclecars occupied a distinctive place in the British motor market. These vehicles were smaller and generally less expensive than conventional cars, combining motorcycle-derived mechanical components with compact automobile bodies. The AV design was acquired from Carden, and production took place in a factory previously used by that company. The marque became one of the more successful British cyclecar ventures of its period. At its peak, the business reportedly employed approximately 80 people, although the surviving reference material does not identify the full ownership or management structure. The first AV model was the Monocar, a very narrow single-seat vehicle measuring approximately 30 inches in width. Its bodywork was supplied by Thames Valley Pattern Works and could be made from wood, plywood, or compressed paper. With a complete weight of about 550 pounds, the Monocar emphasized minimal mass and compact dimensions. Its rear-mounted, air-cooled engine was offered in outputs ranging from approximately 5 to 8 horsepower. JAP engines were the most common, while Blackburne units were also available and MAG engines were used more rarely. Transmission choices included a two-speed epicyclic gearbox with foot-operated shifting or a three-speed Sturmey-Archer arrangement using chain drive to the rear axle. Early cars used an unusual wire-and-bobbin steering system, with the complete front axle pivoting on some examples. Contemporary commentary drew attention to the Monocar's highly unconventional shape, reflecting both the novelty and the compromises of early cyclecar design. AV expanded its range in 1920 with the Bi-car, a two-seat model in which the passenger sat behind the driver. The additional seating increased the body width to approximately 36 inches, but production was limited to about 50 examples. In 1921 the company introduced the Runabout, a more conventional side-by-side two-seater with a body around 42 inches wide and an overall length of approximately 126 inches. The Monocar and Bi-car were discontinued in 1922, while the Runabout remained in production until 1924 and was subsequently available for special-order manufacture. In 1923, the company changed its name to A.V. Motors Ltd. After automobile production ended, the business moved into dealership activities, later becoming associated with Jowett and then with the Rootes Group. AV therefore represents both a short-lived cyclecar manufacturing marque and an example of how small British vehicle firms adapted after the cyclecar market declined. No current production, independent ownership, public listing, or surviving official website is identified in the supplied reference material.

AV emerged in the United Kingdom during the post-First World War expansion of interest in cyclecars. These vehicles occupied a niche between motorcycles and full-sized automobiles. They were designed around low weight, small engines, narrow bodies, and relatively simple mechanical systems, making them suitable for buyers seeking personal transport with lower material and operating requirements than a conventional car. Ward and Avey manufactured the AV at premises on Somerset Road in Teddington, Middlesex. The company used a design acquired from Carden and operated in a factory that had previously been associated with that marque. This connection placed AV within the small but active network of British cyclecar manufacturers that experimented with compact layouts and motorcycle-derived power units. The business became comparatively successful within its category and reached a reported peak workforce of about 80 employees. The original product was the Monocar, a single-seat cyclecar only about 30 inches wide. Its bodywork came from Thames Valley Pattern Works and could use wood, plywood, or compressed paper. The complete vehicle weighed approximately 550 pounds. A rear-mounted, air-cooled engine supplied between roughly 5 and 8 horsepower. JAP engines were normally fitted, with Blackburne alternatives and occasional MAG installations. Buyers could select either a two-speed epicyclic transmission operated by foot or a three-speed Sturmey-Archer system with chain drive to the rear axle. Steering on early vehicles used a wire-and-bobbin mechanism, and some early examples had a pivoting complete front axle. The Monocar's extreme narrowness and unusual proportions made it distinctive but also limited its practicality. In 1920 AV responded by adding the Bi-car, a tandem two-seater with the passenger positioned behind the driver. The Bi-car was wider than the Monocar at around 36 inches, but only about 50 are reported to have been built. In 1921 AV introduced the Runabout, which adopted a side-by-side seating arrangement and a wider body of approximately 42 inches. The Runabout was around 126 inches long and represented a move toward a more familiar small-car format. The Monocar and Bi-car were discontinued in 1922. The Runabout continued as the main AV model through 1924, with later construction available by special order. During this period, the company changed its name to A.V. Motors Ltd in 1923. The available reference does not provide detailed production totals, financial results, or a complete account of the firm's directors and shareholders. It does indicate that several hundred Monocars were made and that the Bi-car was produced in a much smaller run. After vehicle production ended, the enterprise did not simply disappear from the automotive trade. It subsequently became a dealer for Jowett and later for the Rootes Group. This transition illustrates a common path for small British motor businesses whose manufacturing operations were unable to continue as the market moved toward larger-scale automobile production. AV's manufacturing history consequently ended in the mid-1920s, while its later dealership associations connected the former cyclecar business with other British automotive firms. The AV marque is now principally remembered for its compact Monocar, Bi-car, and Runabout models.

• 1924

  Regular car production ends

  [1]AV (cyclecar)en.wikipedia.org

  Runabout production reaches its stated endpoint, although later vehicles could be made to special order.

• 1923

  Corporate name changes to A.V. Motors Ltd

  [1]AV (cyclecar)en.wikipedia.org

  The company adopts the name A.V. Motors Ltd during its final years of vehicle production.

• 1922

  Monocar and Bi-car withdrawn

  [1]AV (cyclecar)en.wikipedia.org

  The original single-seat Monocar and tandem Bi-car are dropped, leaving the Runabout as the continuing model.

• 1921

  Runabout introduced

  [1]AV (cyclecar)en.wikipedia.org

  The company launches the wider, side-by-side Runabout, which later becomes its principal production model.

• 1920

  Bi-car joins the range

  [1]AV (cyclecar)en.wikipedia.org

  AV adds a tandem two-seat cyclecar, with the passenger seated behind the driver.

• 1919

  AV production begins in Teddington

  [1]AV (cyclecar)en.wikipedia.org

  Ward and Avey begin manufacturing the AV cyclecar in Somerset Road, Teddington, using a design acquired from Carden.

A lightweight British cyclecar maker focused on narrow, economical vehicles using compact bodies and motorcycle-derived engines and transmissions.

• Single-seat cyclecar · 1919

  AV Monocar

  The Monocar was AV's first model and its most characteristic design. It was a very narrow single-seat vehicle, approximately 30 inches wide, with a lightweight body supplied by Thames Valley Pattern Works. Construction could use wood, plywood, or compressed paper. The rear-mounted, air-cooled engine produced approximately 5 to 8 horsepower, with JAP units most commonly fitted. Transmission options included a two-speed foot-operated epicyclic gearbox and a three-speed Sturmey-Archer system with chain drive. Several hundred examples were reportedly built.

• Tandem two-seat cyclecar · 1920

  AV Bi-car

  Introduced in 1920, the Bi-car expanded AV's offering to two occupants while retaining a highly compact layout. The passenger sat behind the driver rather than beside the driver, and the body was approximately 36 inches wide. Its tandem arrangement allowed AV to add seating without adopting the full width of a conventional small car. Production was limited, with about 50 examples reported.

• Side-by-side two-seat cyclecar · 1921

  AV Runabout

  The Runabout, launched in 1921, was AV's move toward a more conventional two-seat automobile. It used side-by-side seating, a body approximately 42 inches wide, and an overall length of around 126 inches. After the Monocar and Bi-car were removed from the range in 1922, the Runabout continued as the main AV model until 1924 and was subsequently available for special-order construction.

• 1923

  Adopt the A.V. Motors Ltd nameStrategy

  Background

  The manufacturing business was operating in the final phase of its cyclecar production period.

  Action taken

  The company changed its name to A.V. Motors Ltd.

  Aftermath

  Automobile production ended soon afterward, and the business later became associated with Jowett and Rootes Group dealership operations.

  Source

• 1922

  Consolidate the range around the RunaboutStrategy

  Background

  AV had three cyclecar formats, but the original Monocar and the limited-production Bi-car were no longer retained in the range.

  Action taken

  The company ended regular production of the Monocar and Bi-car and concentrated its continuing automobile activity on the Runabout.

  Aftermath

  The Runabout continued until 1924 and was later available on a special-order basis.

  Source

• 1921

  Shift toward the conventional Runabout layoutProduct launch

  Background

  The tandem Bi-car retained an unusual seating arrangement that was less familiar than the layout of ordinary small cars.

  Action taken

  AV launched the Runabout with side-by-side seating, a wider body, and a more conventional compact-car profile.

  Aftermath

  The Runabout became the continuing model after the Monocar and Bi-car were discontinued in 1922 and remained available through 1924, including later special orders.

  Source

• 1920

  Add a tandem two-seat modelProduct launch

  Background

  AV's first product was a single-seat cyclecar, limiting its appeal to buyers who did not require passenger accommodation.

  Action taken

  The company introduced the Bi-car, placing the passenger behind the driver and increasing the vehicle's width to approximately 36 inches.

  Aftermath

  The model broadened the range but remained a small-volume product, with approximately 50 examples reported.

  Source

1. 1AV (cyclecar)en.wikipedia.org