Monet Goyon help?

[wa488]

I rescued this partial bike from France, The frame is cut and was mounted to make a water pump. Engine is Villiers only ID  I see is 291 on rear of casings, seperate gearbox and unknown if tank is the original. Any help as to identity, pictures etc most appreciated.

[VintageBike]

Here is the picture of wa488's bike.

http://www.vintagebike.co.uk/YaBBAttach/mon-goy.jpg

regards

nigel.

[33d6]

Monet Goyon were noted for using Villiers engines but I don't know whether they imported them from England or made them under licence as they did in Poland and Spain. If it is English Villiers it will definitely have a prefix to the engine number that will identify what model it is plus it will have further model details cast on the transfer port at the rear of the cylinder.
Details are bit difficult to see with the original crud still on the beastie, but do I detect an alloy head?
Cheers, Bob

[wa488]

well spotted, alloy head yes. I checked the around the area as you suggested and there are no plates or stamps other than 291 on each side of the crankcase just under the carb. Only only casting is PATT790 which suggests a patent no. Thankfully the crud has protected it over the years. It still turns over by hand. I might have to dismantle the remains of the frame further. Looking on this site http://www.villiers.info/ the nearest similar engine I could find was in Pre WW2 in the 2 section, but maybe the alloy head suggests otherwise?

[33d6]

Villiers started fitting alloy cylinder heads to their sporting engines from 1926. The 172cc Super Sport (1926-1932) with alloy piston and cylinder head was very popular and you would be surprised how many makers catalogued bikes with this engine. At the same time they made utility engines with cast iron heads and cast iron pistons but by1936 even their standard utility 125 had an alloy head and piston.
From your description I think your engine may have been made under licence. The VMCC Library has some Monet Goyon literature so I would suggest trying them. They have a website and you can search there for  relevant literature.
Tell us what you find out.  Your find is interesting.
Cheers, Bob,