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The first unit construction 122cc Villiers engine appeared in 1936 as the 8D. Over the next few years it was steadily improved and changed enough for it now to be designated the 9D. All pre-war Villiers engines had an identifying prefix of two or more letters. Villiers also considered the 8D improvements to be substantial enough to require additional identifying letters to be added to the original AA of the 8D.
Thus we have the original AA becoming AAA, then AAA****A, the last having an A suffix stamped after the engine number as further improvements were put in production.
Further to this, Villiers made a 98cc version to suit the legislative requirements of some countries. These can be identified by the prefixes, BBA, BBS and HL. The latter HL identifies a unit made under licence by the Huta Lutwikow works in Poland.
Finally, the 9D engine identifying prefix was was brought in to line with the new Villiers identification system introduced in 1946. This was a number system based on the contract raised between Villiers and the purchaser thus identical Villiers engines will have different identification numbers depending entirely on to whom Villiers sold the engine.
The changeover happened at a time of great social upheaval as the world slowly returned to peacetime normality. Consequently only limited information survives. Below is a table with the currently known 9D numbers and what make of bike they were found in. For many years it was far cheaper to buy a second hand Villiers engine than it was to recondition the original, so there is no guarantee that any specific engine is the original for that machine. It may be a second hand replacement.
Number
Engine
Make
Comment
351
9D
Acme
Australian
364
9D
Norman
436
9D
Norman, Roamer
Normans were sold as Roamer in some countries.
539
9D
James ML
580
9D
Excelsior Universal
597
9D
Francis Barnett
624
9D
DOT
3 wheeler truck
640
9D
Ready
Belgian
641
9D
Swallow
750
9D
Tandon
765
9D
Socovel
Belgian
Villiers introduced the entirely new 10D in 1949 and ceased production of the 9D.
If you have a query about Villiers, or wish to share information about these classic British machines, please contact us