AV (cyclecar)
Encyclopedia
The AV was a British cyclecar
manufactured by Ward and Avey in Somerset Road, Teddington
Middlesex between 1919 and 1924.
It was one of the more successful cyclecars and was based on a design bought from Carden
and built in the factory that they had previously used. At the peak they had 80 employees.
The first model was a single-seater, the Monocar, only 30 inches (762 mm) wide with bodies built by the Thames Valley Pattern Works out of wood, plywood or even compressed paper. The complete car only weighed about 550 pounds (249.5 kg). Engines were rear mounted, air-cooled and rated from 5 to 8hp
. There was a choice of JAP
(most commonly), Blackburne
or rarely MAG units. Gearboxes were either a two-speed epicyclic
unit with foot operated change or three-speed Sturmey-Archer
with chain drive to the rear axle. Steering was by a wire and bobbin system with the entire front axle being pivoted on early cars. Several hundred were made.
In 1920 a two seater, the Bi-car, was added with the passenger behind the driver. The width of the car increased to 36 inches. About 50 were made. A more conventional side by side model was added in 1921 called the Runabout with a 42 inches (1,066.8 mm) body 126 inches (3,200.4 mm) long. The original Monocar and Bi-car were dropped in 1922 but production of the Runabout continued until 1924 and later to special order.
The company changed its name in 1923 to A.V. Motors Ltd and after the end of car production became Jowett
and later Rootes Group dealers.
Cyclecar
Cyclecars were small, generally inexpensive cars manufactured mainly between 1910 and the late 1920s.-General description:Cyclecars were propelled by single cylinder, V-twin or more rarely four cylinder engines, often air cooled. Sometimes these had been originally used in motorcycles and other...
manufactured by Ward and Avey in Somerset Road, Teddington
Teddington
Teddington is a suburban area in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in south west London, on the north bank of the River Thames, between Hampton Wick and Twickenham. It stretches inland from the River Thames to Bushy Park...
Middlesex between 1919 and 1924.
It was one of the more successful cyclecars and was based on a design bought from Carden
Carden (cyclecar)
The Carden was a British 4 wheeled cyclecar made from 1914 by Carden Engineering originally based in Farnham, Surrey but moving in 1914 to Teddington, Middlesex and in 1919 to Ascot, Berkshire....
and built in the factory that they had previously used. At the peak they had 80 employees.
The first model was a single-seater, the Monocar, only 30 inches (762 mm) wide with bodies built by the Thames Valley Pattern Works out of wood, plywood or even compressed paper. The complete car only weighed about 550 pounds (249.5 kg). Engines were rear mounted, air-cooled and rated from 5 to 8hp
Tax horsepower
The tax horsepower or taxable horsepower was an early system by which taxation rates for automobiles were reckoned in some European countries, such as Britain, Belgium, Germany, France, and Italy; some US states like Illinois charged license plate purchase and renewal fees for passenger...
. There was a choice of JAP
JA Prestwich Industries Ltd
JA Prestwich Industries, was an English engineering company named after founder John Alfred Prestwich, which produced cinematographic equipment, internal combustion engines , and other examples of precision engineering.-History:J. A...
(most commonly), Blackburne
Blackburne (motorcycles)
Blackburne was a trade name of Burney and Blackburne Limited a British manufacturer of motorcycles from 1913 to 1922 at Tongham near Farnham, Surrey...
or rarely MAG units. Gearboxes were either a two-speed epicyclic
Epicyclic gearing
Epicyclic gearing or planetary gearing is a gear system consisting of one or more outer gears, or planet gears, revolving about a central, or sun gear. Typically, the planet gears are mounted on a movable arm or carrier which itself may rotate relative to the sun gear...
unit with foot operated change or three-speed Sturmey-Archer
Sturmey-Archer
Sturmey-Archer is a manufacturing company originally from Nottingham, England. It primarily produces bicycle hub gears but has also produced motorcycle hubs....
with chain drive to the rear axle. Steering was by a wire and bobbin system with the entire front axle being pivoted on early cars. Several hundred were made.
In 1920 a two seater, the Bi-car, was added with the passenger behind the driver. The width of the car increased to 36 inches. About 50 were made. A more conventional side by side model was added in 1921 called the Runabout with a 42 inches (1,066.8 mm) body 126 inches (3,200.4 mm) long. The original Monocar and Bi-car were dropped in 1922 but production of the Runabout continued until 1924 and later to special order.
The company changed its name in 1923 to A.V. Motors Ltd and after the end of car production became Jowett
Jowett
Jowett was a manufacturer of light cars and light commercial vehicles in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England from 1906 to 1954.-Early history:Jowett was founded in 1901 by brothers Benjamin and William Jowett with Arthur V Lamb. They started in the cycle business and went on to make V-twin engines...
and later Rootes Group dealers.
