by Bob McGrath
Motorcycles powered by Villiers 9D
Carlton 1937-40
Chell 1939
Cotton 1937-?
Coventry Eagle 1938-39
Excelsior 1936-48
Eysink 1936-40? Holland
Francis-Barnett 1938-48
Grosespur 1938-40
Hulsmann 19? Holland
James 1936-48
Montgomery 1936-40
Norman 1939-48
OEC 1939
Pride & Clarke 1939
Ready 193?-40 Belgium
Socovel 19? Belgium
Sparta 19? Holland
Swallow 1946-48
Tandon 1948
Wolf 1936-40
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
