Like Haley’s Comet, this 1933 Singer ‘racing car', registration VD2659,’ has appeared for sale and then disappeared time and again.
The most recent appearance was on August 4th, when it turned up at an auction in
Whilst still n the UK, probably on its last legs as an old banger in the early 60’s, it had the back end cut off and a crude attempt made to turn it into a Le Mans two seater styled ‘special’.The car had been imported into the USA along with a Bentley and the Singer subsequently sold off.
The steering wheel is from a post-war Roadster and the gauges largely a mixture of SS Jaguar and Bentley bits. The seats, rear wings and hood frame are all home-made. The radiator shell, front wings, bonnet, scuttle, doors and windshield, along with the basic frame, axles and wheels, are all that remain of the original car. Even the radiator badge is from an earlier model Head lights and sidelights are also wrong and the front valance is missing. The spare wheel assembly and petrol tank are actually Singer Le Mans, but don’t fit this model chassis at all as can be seen.
The engine fitted is a BMC A-series unit running on twin SU carbs. Phillip was told that the engine had been changed for an MG unit after the
As can be imagined, the report Phillip gave was not well received and not a confirmation of the story, but the information was passed onto the rest of NASOC for future reference. A good thing too, as a number of Officers and members have been involved or approached and by then all knew what the car was.
So here we are back in August of 2007 and the very same owners are selling again, this time at auction along with most of the contents of the house. Chris was advised by the Auctioneer that a pre-auction bid that met the very high reserve had already been received on the viewing day. Chris will report back with the rest of the story very soon.
Stay tuned!
1 comment:
hi phil great story on the `Le Mans` so called,will be interested to hear what happens to it hopefully it will not be sold for an outrageous price to an unknowing punter.Restoring starting with just a petrol tank would really test the resolve!
Trevor
9LeMans OZ
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