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Singer Nine Sports

Singer Nine SportsSinger Nine SportsSinger Nine SportsSinger Nine SportsSinger Nine Sports
Singer Nine SportsSinger Nine SportsSinger Nine SportsSinger Nine Sports
Lot number 44
Hammer value £11,600
Description Singer Nine Sports
Registration HV 4118
Year 1934
Colour Red
Engine size 972 cc
Chassis No. 61741
Engine No. S55395

From the late 1920s to the mid ‘30s the Singer Car Company made a prolific range of machines and by 1928 had become the third largest manufacturer of cars in England. 

What really set Singer apart was their success in the trials and reliability events of the day. As with many sports cars in the early 1930s, Singers were thinly disguised competition vehicles that could be driven on the road as normal transport during the week, but with little more preparation than the removal of a spare wheel could be entered in a sporting competition at the weekend, with a reasonable chance of success.

Introduced in late 1932, the Nine Sports was typical of the breed and quickly established a formidable reputation on sporting events both at home and abroad. It was fitted with the same jewel-like 972cc overhead cam engine as the Nine and the Junior, but with various performance tweaks including twin SU carburettors that raised power to around 35bhp and gave it a top speed of some 70mph.

The close ratio gearbox (with optional ‘Perm-Mesh’ clutchless operation) made it especially suited to trials work where maximum speed was not as important as power and acceleration. Suspension was by half elliptic springs all round, controlled by large adjustable André Hartford friction shock absorbers, with Lockheed 10-inch hydraulic brakes front and rear.

From 1933 a four-seat version was available, styled by Eric Neale, which had a louvred bonnet and scuttle, cutaway doors, Rudge-Whitworth knock-off wire wheels, sprung steering wheel and Jaeger instruments.

First registered in London in July 1934, this particular four-seater Sports was acquired by the current owner in a dismantled state in 2005. He promptly set about a full restoration of the car which included fitting new wings front and rear, all new brakes and suspension, a new windscreen, new tyres and a full interior retrim in dark red hide.

The engine was completely rebuilt by noted Singer specialist Trevor Cornelius of Ashford, Kent, including new pistons, bearings, camshaft, balancing etc. The radiator was also reconditioned and a new core fitted.

Unfortunately, when the restoration was virtually completed after a couple of years’ work, serious illness intervened and the car has lain garaged and unused ever since. Although the car is in running order it now requires some minor finishing touches including tuning up the carburettors to get the engine running properly and fitting a speedo cable. A new hood and sidescreens will also need to be sourced and fitted, although the hood frame and sidescreen frames are present.

It comes with various bills charting the works carried out to date, an old green log book from 1967 when the car was in Reigate, plus a modern V5C (which erroneously records the engine capacity as 1056cc). These lovely little sportscars have risen in value considerably in recent years and this very smart example, with all but a few minor jobs done, looks good value at the guide price suggested. 
 

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