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Hello

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 10:29 am
by ColinB
Arrival 003 (1024x683).jpg
I've just discovered this site so Hello from Wisbech in Cambridgeshire! I am restoring a 1928 Singer Junior Tourer which I bought from a lovely man in Cornwall who had kept it unused in a shed since 1961. Little Bea as she is known is in really good shape generally although the bodywork has deteriorated and I need running boards and an entire hood at some point. I attach a few photos showing her arriving and the latest update where I have the engine running.

I look forward to reading all the posts.
Regards
Colin
7 new tyres and wheels painted (1280x853) (800x533).jpg
Temporary fuel tank (1280x853) (800x533).jpg

Re: Hello

Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2014 10:54 am
by mothy
Welcome.

Lovely to see another Singer will be returning to the road.

Roly

Re: Hello

Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2014 8:36 pm
by ColinB
Thanks Roly. Lots of things to learn! This weekend I played with the timing as she was blowing back through the carburettor. I retarded the magneto a notch on the splines and she is much better and will hold a decent tickover now. I may go back one further notch just to see what happens. Although I can see the TDC mark on the flywheel there is no mark to show the firing point which is 1 13/32" before that, so trial and error seems to be the only way to go!

After that its back to bodywork and the interminable rubbing down of filler in the effort to get a good finish for the paint.

Re: Hello

Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2014 5:28 am
by cdk84
Welcome Indeed, Collin,

Great to see the work you've already done on your Junior, and really great to see another Singer being saved.

Keep us posted on your project, would you?

A lot of people start a thread and then let it drop: it would be great to see your whole process develop on this website.

Very Best of Luck,

David

Re: Hello

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2014 1:13 am
by Phillip
As Pre-War Registrar of NASOC, a warm welcome to the world of the Pre-Warriors!

Looks like a great project and another Singer saved!

Cheers,
Phillip

Re: Hello

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2014 7:29 pm
by ColinB
Thanks for the welcome everyone. I will indeed keep the thread going as I often need the feedback. I've just completed the complete strip down and rebuild of a Series One Land Rover and found the LRSOC Forum indispensable so I'm hooked on the online contact.

I have had her head off as I was getting some steam out of the exhaust. To my surprise it was all in good condition including the gasket, and I think the issue was only that the head nuts hadn't been torqued up properly. I torqued them up to 25lb which seems to have sorted that out. The only point which may be of some interest is that I have a double timing chain which I understand is not common on these early engines or even on the later Nines. Any comments or information would be welcome.
head off 009 (1024x683).jpg
I also noted that under the red paint the engine appears to have been green in a previous life. So I'm planning to paint it green again as there is no sign of any other layer beneath the green. Manifold will be high temperature black as will the exhaust. I think the rocker cover should be black too but I am open to correction on that!

I have the front mudguards filled and painted with 4 coats of filler primer in grey and one coat of black primer. This weekend I will rub them down hoping the different layers will help me track down the remaining defects. I suspect this will need to be heavily lubricated as I'm not really looking forward to the process: my daughters christened my Land Rover 'Carlsberg' as it was made of aluminium and a lot of lager went into it! I probably need to find something more refined to carry me through Little Bea's restoration!

Regards
Colin

Re: Hello

Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2014 11:11 am
by ColinB
Just an update from Saturday morning: I knocked up a horse to support the bonnet so I can start the clean-up and prime. William had, I think, painted her in oil as a preservative (it didn't work too well) but it means I have a lot of de-greasing to do.

Pictures show pitted front mudguards before priming (I had to cut and re-position the driver's side components as it had obviously had a bump and had been re-welded in the wrong place) and the state of play this morning with the bonnet on its horse. We are off out for a pub lunch so no more work for a few hours!
Little Bea 27 September 005 (1024x683).jpg
Paint preparation 004 (1024x683).jpg

Re: Hello

Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2014 11:16 am
by mothy
Good to see progress.

Roly

Re: Hello

Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2014 9:04 am
by ColinB
Nice to have talented friends - Dick (great folk singer and very indifferent instrumentalist) has made me a new stainless steel fuel tank. He welded a mild steel collar to the stainless and then brazed the original filler to that, so externally nothing will have changed. Just primed and started rubbing down the bonnet. I'm not sure whether multiple coats of filler primer will do the job or whether I have to resort to isopon/bondo. Any experiences with dealing with mildly pitted surfaces would be welcome.

I will also remove the body for painting and also to facilitate painting the engine and fitting the running boards (Dick is also bending those up for me). I'm a bit worried about distortion of the body during the lift so any advice/experience/pictures would also be very welcome.
Tank 002 (1024x683).jpg
Tank  (1024x683).jpg

Re: Hello

Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2014 10:52 am
by mothy
Nice work!

Roly

Re: Hello

Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2014 8:01 pm
by froux
Very nice project !

Concerning the body removal, i faced similar doubts with my 9 sports and did not want to see it bend. I attached temporary wood reinforcements inside to move the tub with more confidence :

Image

Re: Hello

Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 7:11 pm
by ColinB
That looks like a good idea Froux. Thanks for the tip. I plan to lure some strong friends round with promises of beer before revealing that they are actually at a 'Take the Body off the Singer' party! :lol:

Re: Hello

Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2014 3:52 pm
by mikeyr
Feed them the beer AFTER they remove the body off the car...don't want them to drop the thing.

Re: Hello

Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2014 8:50 am
by ColinB
Good tip Mike, thanks! :)

Re: Hello

Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2014 11:40 am
by ColinB
In the end I went ahead alone with an engine hoist and the mooring ropes from our boat! In a small garage I have to think vertically so I lifted the body then fabricated a frame beneath from spare timber which was wide enough to roll the chassis out from underneath. It worked fine and I can now get access to everything around the engine and pedals for reburbishment.
body off 002 (1024x683).jpg
body off 004 (1024x683).jpg
body off 008 (1024x683).jpg