1951 LOHMANN 18cc DIESEL ENGINE (New-old-Stock, Unused)

The 18cc 2-stroke Lohmann engine was officially described as a ‘mixture compressing self-igniting two-cycle motor.’ It fixes under a bicycle’s pedal crank and operates the rear wheel by roller.

When it originally went on sale in Great Britain, the price was just under £25 10/- There’s neither carburettor nor ignition system. Instead the engine works on a variable compression ignition system, which is moderated by the twistgrips.

Inventor and designer Hermann Teegen (1899-1962) is the spiritual father of Lohmann engines. He designed several similar engines, 3 of which were patented.

From one of these prototypes, over a period of 3 years, the current 18cc Lohmann engine was developed. It first appeared in 1950, and 51,000 were built by August 1954.