Morgan Monotrace 1926 499 cc 1 cyl sv 3505

Morgan Monotrace 1926 “Torpédo biplace” 499 cc water cooled side valve single chassis # 246

The idea of designing and building a vehicle that would have the benefits of both a car and a motorcycle has been appealing to engineers and manufacturers from the beginning of the 20^th century. The simplicity, economy and manoeuvrability of a motorcycle and the comfort and protection of a car, could that be combined in one vehicle? One of the people who tried to achieve this goal was German engineer Gustav Winkler and his design was built and marketed by the Mauser arms factory as the “Mauser Einspurauto” . License rights were sold to Switzerland and France, where in 1923 the “Morgan Monotrace” saw the light of day; there seems to have been no connection with the British Morgan company.

The Monotrace sales brochure is clear about the advantages of this unusual “motorcycle with bodywork”. Compared with a regular motorcycle or combination the Monotrace offers maximum protection and comfort for driver and passenger and has a water-cooled engine. When compared to a cyclecar or voiturette the Monotrace is lighter, cheaper in insurance and tax and more economical in petrol consumption. Differential and reverse gear can be omitted and of course there are only two wheels that will regularly need new tyres and tubes…

The chassis is a robust construction of riveted elements. The 3-speed water-cooled side valve engine has bore x stroke dimensions of 84 x 90 mm, giving 499 cc. The radiator is positioned at the front. Both wheels are suspended and the remarkably wide steering wheel that is directly connected to the front fork gives good control to the driver. There’s a door on the left hand side, two comfortable seats in tandem, a dashboard with O.S. speedometer and clock and a car-like set of pedals. There are two brakes on the rear wheel, one internal expanding and one external contracting.

As the driver cannot put his feet on the ground, two side wheels with massive rubber tyres keep the vehicle steady when stationary. After pulling away, once it has found its balance (helped by the gyroscopic effect of the large flywheel), the driver can fold up the side wheels by means of a long lever on his right. When stopping the side wheels are lowered again. The wheels are swivelled upwards rather than being retracted into the body, so even if the driver forgets to lower the wheels when stopping the Monotrace will tilt but not fall over completely.

This curious vehicle was unusual and relatively expensive; only a modest number have been produced between 1924 and 1930 and very few have survived. The specimen we offer here has been part of a museum collection for quite some time and has been restored with care. She has taken part in numerous events, many of them at Montlhéry, including the Vintage Revival in 2024 to mark the centenary of this famous circuit.

Video:https://youtu.be/KJ87QD3NceA