15 replies to this topic

[ntasca]

Hi all,

 

I've just recently acquired a 1933 Singer 9 Sports in Melbourne, Australia.

 

 

Dad has owned and raced a '34 Le Mans for about 40 years - so when this came up, I jumped at it!

 

A few things also grabbed my attention:
1. No doors! All Singer 9's, regardless of the type, had doors!

2. Steel body. Whilst this isn't hugely individual, it also has a steel frame instead of the regular wooden version that was ex-factory. 

3. I've tracked it so far back the mid-late 60's and there is no trace of registration - though it could have been before that. And I'm awaiting AOMC checks to see if they can find any trace of registration for the original, ex-factory motor (I don't think it's the one still with the car!)

 

I 'thought' it might have been an Aspinall built body, but a few of the Aspinall bodied MG owners/experts have suggested there isn't enough similarities to be on. So I have no idea where/why it wears its current body! (A post-war Square rigger? Maybe, but I think a Singer would have been well outclassed by then!) A steel tube, doorless body doesn't seem like a road car to me though?

 

It has some damage on the driver's side chassis rail (but has the original front axle still) so something weird has gone on. Someone has then patched and strengthened both sides of the chassis!

 

Does anyone have any ideas?
Does anyone know the car in the pre-war or post-war years? Probably in Victoria, but one owner suggested it might have a WA connection in the early days?

Bernie Jacobson is the earliest owner I can track back into the 60's. But he can't remember who it was acquired from. After him I have an unbroken history though!

 

I'm happy to chase any lead/tangent that anyone can come up with! Either PM, via email at ntasca@hotmail.com or even via the Facebook link below.
 
Can anyone help?
THANKS!
Nathan

You can keep track of my adventures here on https://www.facebook...esingerproject/ if you're keen!

[cooper997]

Nathan, these are purely leads on Singer drivers I currently have listed in some files. No doubt some can be easily dismissed, but  might ring a bell for someone out there.

 

Stephen

 

 

January 3, 1938 Lobethal Second SA Grand Prix (100 mile) – won by Noel Campbell Singer.

Lobethal booklet p10

 

 

Sun, April 20, 1947 LCCA Rob Roy #12 

Event 3 – Class 2 – Cars up to 1100cc Stock Standard

11 S G Johnstone (Singer)

 

January 26, 1948 Point Cook

1pm 1948 Australian Grand Prix 42 laps 100.8 miles

Handwritten in…

38 Sulman, T                Singer               17.30  

 

Mon, January 29, 1951 LCCA Rob Roy Motor Car Hillclimb #24

Sports Class – up to 1100cc

2 Woodward, R M Singer 1047cc

 

Tues, November 6, 1951 Rob Roy AHC championship #26

Event 2 851cc 1100cc Sports Cars (2 Climbs) p7

80 Hoinville G K Singer 1074cc – times written in

 

Mon, March 10, 1952 Rob Roy #27

851 -1100cc Sports Cars (2 Climbs) Event 1 p7

5 Hoinville, G K Singer 1074cc – crossed out

58 Balfour, A Singer 1074cc

 

Tues, November 4, 1952 LCCA Rob Roy #29 Australasian Hillclimb Championship

Sports Class 851 – 1100cc p7

2 Swanton, D – Singer 1074

4 Hughes, H – Singer 1074

 

Sat Oct 3 & Sun Oct 4, 1953 Fishermen’s Bend ‘Car & Motorcycle Race Meeting’

Sun, Event 3 The Production Car Race – built after Jan 45. at least 50 built (30 minutes) 11.45 to 12.15pm

9 G Richardson Singer 1497

10 J R Warner Singer 1497 – crossed out

 

March 26 & 27 1955 Albert Park Moomba Meeting.

Saturday – Event 2 The Moomba TT – 32 laps Le Mans start

Class 1101 – 1500cc

89 D B Young Singer Vic 1097

Event 3 The Argus Cup racing cars over 1500cc, 16 laps, with handicap based on 12 laps.p12

40 F Murphy Singer-Holden Vic 2240 6.12

Sunday  Event 1 Heat 1 The Argus Trophy 16 laps 1.30pm p13

40 F Murphy Singer-Holden Vic 2240

 

March 18 1956 Albert Park Moomba Meeting.

Event 3 The Argus Cup, 50 miles (16 laps) for open and closed sports cars. 2pm p13

Open class

85 P J L Gray Singer Holden 2150

 

Sun, June 17, 1956 Rob Roy #40

1501 – 3000cc Racing Cars

77 P J L Gray Singer Holden 2170

 

Sun, August 20, 1961 AMSC Rob Roy #2

Racing Cars 

Event 17 501-1100cc 

53 A Harper Singer 1075

[ntasca]

Awesome - thanks Stephen!

 

Judging by engine sizes, they are all using the later-model cars, if not at least their engines.

 

It gives me a great reference list to see if I can find some photos of the cars at the events listed though. I've seconded Dad's collection of Motor Sport News, so have been lazily flicking through them from the post-war years to see if I can spot anything, but nothing so far! The hunt continues!

 

I was at Sandown earlier today for the Historics and walked thru the Autopics stand. I should have asked there!

[cooper997]

Nathan, you might get lucky with Singer related Peter DÁbbs photos from autopics website. But it will be late 50s onwards and you might need to ask David Blanch because it may not be posted on the website.

 

Stephen

[ntasca]

Great - thanks Stephen, I'll shoot it off now!

[Ray Bell]

Obviously the 1948 AGP entry is well known...

The Sulman Singer, built in England and active over many decades.

[ntasca]

Never inactive is probably a better way of describing it!

 

I emailed Mal Reid asking about it a few weeks back, but heard no response from him unfortunately! 

I'll have to hunt him down at Winton next year between runs!

[Ray Bell]

Additionally...

As mentioned on the other thread, two Le Mans models entered in the AGP of 1938. I'm away from home at the moment, but I did mention that one was from Brisbane for John Pike.

I'm pretty sure the first one raced by Jim Bertram would have been a pre-war car as I believe he told me he bought it in 1948 when he was quite young.

[ntasca]

Evening Ray, 

I've seen some shots of the #35 car at the '38 GP, that was the Le Mans entered by Arthur Beasley. Owned these days by Trevor Leech. The #36 entered by Pike, I've never been able to locate a good photo of. There is one in the Blanden GP book of the scratch markers getting away that looks like it has them both there, but it's tough to make out. The 3rd Singer, #26 of Reg Saville is another mystery. Entered as a 1.5L though, I suspect it is actually the first time the larger capacity Le Mans models were listed! Hehe!

 

Finger's crossed Jim turns up something!

[cooper997]

Nathan, just mentioning this in case you're not aware, December 1962 Sports Car World has a feature on a 1934 Singer Le Mans. Owned by a Dermer Bennett of Cremorne. 

 

NSW rego 'CTA 046' that must have been a fresh issue at the time. BRG, cycle guards and 1074cc transplant.

 

I can try to scan if you would like it sent to you..

 

Stephen

[ntasca]

G'day Stephen, I'd be very interested in seeing it! My email is ntasca@hotmail.com 

[ntasca]

Just as an update for general interest:

 

I'm exceptionally confident that Robert Lea-Wright never ran a Le Mans at the '34AGP. It was most definitely RLW's own 9 Sports that was 'stripped' for racing. 

 

I've actually tracked down RLW's photo album of his racing days - and without stretching connections very far at all, I'm almost certain that the car I've acquired is the 1934AGP car. There is some interesting chassis mods and damage that matches up in photos from the period and my own car. Unfortunately I can't trace an unbroken record of ownership during the war/post-war years. There are also some interesting additions to the car that were most definitely not stock. I'll include photos when I get better quality versions. 

 

The Singer owners club in the UK have my car on record arriving in Australia in September 1933 as a rolling chassis/engine, but without tyres! Lea-Wright raced his first Singer less than 2 months later ;) (Though he had been racing an Austin 7 and a Bugatti prior to that)

 

RLW drove my car in competition at Phillip Island only twice. 1/1/1934 and the AGP in March. What became of it after that point I can't trace. RLW then upgraded to his 'new' Le Mans model in about June/July of 1934 which he ran at several events in 1934 (the Winter 100, 1/1/1935 and the 35AGP) and then he moved onto his Terraplane after selling/closing Lea-Wright motors. 

 

More info will be coming out in the next month or so.....I just need to tidy up some things with the Lea-Wright family before I can share it all!

[Rupertlt1]

The Age (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) Wed 13 Jun 1934, Page 7:

LIGHT-CAR CLUB

Entrants for Mountain Trial

The Light Car Club of Australia will stage

its annual mountain trial next Sunday over

a route that embraces Bayswater, Olinda,

Sassafras, Monbulk, Emerald, Cockatoo,

Healesville, Toolangi, Mt. Slide, Wattle Glen,

Diamond Creek to the clubrooms, Brunswick-

street, Eastern Hill. Mr. E. H. King, who

is director of the trial, is prepared to re-

ceive further entries for it.

Entries received are:-Mrs. Hoult (Chrys-

ler), J.A. Houston (Austin 7), J. Clements

(M.G.J.2), G.G. Keefen (M.G.J.2), Lea

Wright Motors (A. Beasley, Singer le Mans),

Lea Wright Motors (R.A. Lea Wright, Singer

9 Sports), C. Pickworth (Singer le Mans),

H. King (Austin 7), W.L. Abell (Riley),

L. Pounds (Crossley), A.R. Pascoe (Alvis),

G. Cohen (Brooklands Riley), G. Thompson

(Triumph), A.J. Clarke (Bugatti), W. Nod-

rum (Vauxhall), A.J. Terdich (Morris

Minor), J.W. Condon (Ford V8), W.L.

Bryan (Delage), L. Murphy (M.G.J.2), Mrs.

Russell (Wolseley Hornet).
END

 

RGDS RLT 

Edited by Rupertlt1, 22 December 2017 - 19:50.

[cooper997]

Nice find Rupert. Amongst the entrants are competitors that are part of early Australian GP history too..

 

Many of the roads will be better these days throughout the areas mentioned. But now, on any given Saturday or Sunday they are full of tourists scared of the corners.

 

Bayswater was a farming community 'out in the sticks' back then, now it's chock full of housing and a major industrial part of Melbourne.

 

Stephen

[Ray Bell]

Including Holinger gears, IIRC...

Lots of competition gearboxes have come out of there in the past fifty years.





.

Edited by Ray Bell, 23 December 2017 - 10:23.

[ntasca]

Hi All!

 

Just a quick update to keep you all in the loop!

Attached is a pic below of the Singer that Lea-Wright used at the 34AGP - but it's number 18, not 20 as used at the GP!

 

It's taken directly from the Lea-Wright album, and is dated 1/1/34; The Phillip Island 100. RLW blew up the motor and DNF'd!

 

 

 

My own car is slowly simmering in the build. Chassis is blasted and painted. Body is needing some attention still! Motor has been built up and is ready to fit to the chassis (after some painting etc). So we'll have a chassis and drivetrain back in it sometime in the next few months. Our race car has taken the front seat again at the moment as we gear up for Eddington and Winton in the next little while!

 

We've been chatting with Motorclassica too - so we'll see what comes from that! Stay tuned!

 

Edited by ntasca, 02 March 2018 - 00:41.