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. |
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March 2013, the Postman monoposto is exhibited at Osenat's before the
Roger Brioult collection sale
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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. |
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Realising the size of this potential market, Gabriel Voisin set to
work designing a narrow single-seat version of his 'petit transport'. |
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Narrow? Did you say narrow?
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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. |
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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
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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. |
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'Angles vifs', aluminium body...typicaly Voisin!
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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.
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The modified vehicle with its mail box, during the test ?
(Photo : L' Automobile #160 - 1959)
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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.
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Country posing for the postman Biscooter, supporting the six wheels commercial
hood...
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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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