Reliant were in Tamworth, Staffordshire and from cycles they moved to motorcyles and then three-wheelers.
http://www.chrishodgephotos.co.uk/pixcma/aao433.jpg
They used Austin 7 engines, then produced their own version which eventually grew from 700 cc to 850 cc I think. Anyhow, they were all-aluminium engines in the end, ohv, and you could drive a three-wheeler Reliant Regal (that's a new one in the terrible winter of 1962-3) on a motorcycle license because a three-wheeler was originally meant to include a motorcycle + sidecar or a tri-car, such as a Morgan with twin wheels at front and single at rear provided that it hd no reverse gear. The other renowned company that used Villiers engines was Bond who made the Minicar, a horrible alternative to the bubble car.
http://www.chrishodgephotos.co.uk/pixcma2/bond2.jpg
Bond were eventually taken over and merged with Reliant.
If the Reliant had its reverse gear blanked off then it was a tricycle, but once you had the ways and emans to graduate and pass the car test you simply unblocked the bolted plate and lo and behold it was a car! They were sprighlty but horrible to drive and no where for your feet to go with that front wheel in its housing. Full marks though for a niche market, and use of GRP early on for lightweight bodies and 60 mpg.
http://www.chrishodgephotos.co.uk/pi...croftantar.jpg