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The Postman single seater (1956)

Among the many different variations on the Biscooter theme, Gabriel Voisin designed this single-seater version for use by the French postal service as an alternative to the rural postman's ubiquitous bicycle.

March 2013, the Postman monoposto is exhibited at Osenat's before the Roger Brioult collection sale
 
According to Voisin himself, it was in June 1956 that his local postman in the Ain region, having seen a Biscooter prototype driving around, that such a vehicle would be ideal for his daily round.

 
Realising the size of this potential market, Gabriel Voisin set to work designing a narrow single-seat version of his 'petit transport'.


Narrow? Did you say narrow?

Looking rather like a Biscooter cut in half lengthways, the result was powered by a 125cc two-stroke single fitted with a Voisin oil-cooled cylinder head.

 

Equipment was rudimentary: one spartan seat (which shelters the spare wheel), one gauge behind a single-spoke steering wheel, four switches (for the horn, the contact, the indicators and the headlights), a knob to open the fuel, and a lever to launch the engine.


A second seat is hiden at the rear
 
There was just enough room behind the driver to accommodate a folding seat, which once folded up free a space for a post bag or a box to hold collected mail.

'Angles vifs', aluminium body...typicaly Voisin!
 

Once the prototype was completed, it was submitted to the postal authorities for evaluation. Unfortunately, they didn't choose 'his' postman for the purpose, but a Parisian postman who so roundly criticised its shortcomings compared to the 2CV vans all around that the proposal was rejected out of hand.


The modified vehicle with its mail box, during the test ?
(Photo : L' Automobile #160 - 1959)
 

Exit postal single-seater, the sole example of which resides today in the Cité de l'Automobile de Mulhouse collection, after decades spent in Roger Brioult's collection.


Country posing for the postman Biscooter, supporting the six wheels commercial hood...
 
All my thanks to Francis Metzger who was lucky enough to see this machine a few years ago and allowed me to initialize this page.
As well as to Stéphane Pavot ( from Osenat auction house) who allowed me a shooting photo session in Mars 2013 before the sale of this surprising vehicle.


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