More Monotrace history

Sir,

Now that the year has drawn to an end I present to you, my friend Jenks, and Motor Sport my best wishes for another 1977 motoring year (despite some dark shadows coming from Sheiks of Araby on French motoring).

Anyway, recent correspondence in the Vintage Postbag suggested that I take up my pen.

Your correspondent Mr. T. K. White said that the name of Monotrace came from a man so called. It’s an horrible mistake… in our language monotrace means only “single track”. On the same manner the De Dion-Boulton “Monocyclindie” means that the car has been made only by the habitual tandem of De Dion and Boulton and not with the help of a third people named Monsieur Monocylindie! The same for the well-known Italian racing coachbuilder Signor Monoposto!

But stop joking, Monotrace was only the commercial name of a product made under Malvern licence in a St. Etienne workshop (more than a factory) called Atelier du Rond Point.

It is not certain that Mr. Darmont had any connection with the Monotrace, for in that period he was in disgrace with Malvern. The reason being that he never paid any royalties to Morgan for building a car under licence. This explains why, starting-and selling and building Morgans, he promptly turned to Darmont-Morgan and then only Darmont.

On the motor-sport point of view You will be certainly interested to know that one Monotrace was entrant of one off the 20s Bol d’Or Race (24H-1Idriver) where it did very well, finishing the race!

Anyway I must close that Anglo-French “discussion” because I’ve to take my favourite snail pet for a walk!

Paris J. POTHERAT President du Sydicat Cyclecaristes

This sydicat cyclecariste is still very active