Wall Auto-Wheel restoration guide

THE SPECIALIST

With online information somewhat haphazard, we are grateful to someone who has the benefit of many years of Auto-Wheel experience, and who is happy to share it with us. He prefers to remain anonymous, but thank you.

■ Sunbeam Motor Cycle Club: sunbeam-mcc. co.uk

■ National Autocycle and Cyclemotor Club Ltd: thebuzzingclub.net

■ The Vintage Motor Cycle Club: 01283 540557; www.vmcc.net

MODEL HISTORY

Early in the 20th century, Arthur Wall came up with various innovative designs, receiving patronage from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, among others. Some ideas appeared in Roc motorcycles, an operation that began in Guildford before moving to Tyseley, Birmingham.

In 1908, Wall patented his ‘Auto-Wheel’ and when a prototype was shown at the 1909 Stanley Show it caused a sensation. Any bicycle could now be converted to become a powered two-wheeler. The cycle-motor was born! Unfortunately, the original flat-twin two-stroke power unit could not be made to work reliably.

When production models arrived, they had four-stroke single cylinder engines. By now it was late 1912, but that initial enthusiasm had not waned, with claimed sales of 10,000 by 1914. There was a demand for the design, with FN producing Auto-Wheels for its Belgian home market and other manufacturers with their own adaptations, including BSA. After 1914, Wall engine units also powered trench pumps for the war effort.

The original Wall version was no longer listed after 1922, but in the USA A O Smith’s adapted ‘Moto-Wheel’ version was then sold on to Briggs & Stratton, where further modifications continued production into the 1920s.