Le Mans tools and tool deck

For now, I lumped all the pre-war cars together, I would LOVE for there to be enough demand to split it into groups (hint...hint, post here about your pre-war Singer)
casadecabra
Posts: 88
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First Name: David
Location: Andalucia, Spain

Le Mans tools and tool deck

Post by casadecabra »

As part of the ongoing restoration of my 1934 Singer Le Mans 9 I’ve just completed and fitted the two trapezoid shaped aluminium covered panels that form, for want of a better description, the tool deck. When I bought my car (many, many years ago) the original front panel was there, albeit with no clips and numerous non-original holes, but the rear panel was missing completely. Some time ago I acquired a front panel in a fairly rough state but complete with clips and wooden support fittings. It was wider than my panel (maximum dimension 33.312in as opposed to 31.25in). Presumably it was from a 1935 model but careful examination showed that the screw hole spacings for the individual fittings were the same as my 1934 panel and the relative layout of the tools was similar. With this information together with the photos in the instruction book and an article by John Horne about the singer tool kit in The Singer Owner of Sept/Oct 1972 I constructed a new panel (see photo). I replaced all the wooden blocks except for the rather complex support for the grease gun which was fortunately in reasonable condition. All the small (narrow) spring clips were in restorable condition but most of the larger ones were corroded to the point of being more or less useless.

As for the rear panel, from the sources above I think that the jack, tyre pump handle and tool bag were located on this panel but I have no idea of the type and arrangement of the fittings used so for the moment I have left it blank.

I would be grateful if anyone could help me with the following:

1) Drawings, photos or a description of the fittings and their location on the rear panel. How were the tool bag and the jack attached?

2) John Horne’s list of tools included a Shelley double lift jack with a folding 15” handle but from the illustration in the instruction book the handle was not foldable. Can anyone please confirm the make and model of the jack?

3) Both my 1934 and 1935 front panels have two holes along the rear edge (the same diameter as the holes for the mounting screws). I can find no evidence of a cross member to align with these holes but was a joining strip used to connect the front and rear panels?

4) On the 1935 front panel there was a small wooden block about 7/8” square towards the left hand rear. There is a corresponding screw hole in the 1934 panel. Any ideas about the purpose of this block?

5) I would be most grateful if anyone knows where I can find some spring clips in useable condition, and the correct jack.

Living half way up a mountain in Almeria I feel rather cut-off from the Singer fraternity. However, I’m planning to go to the Beaulieu Autojumble in September and hopefully catch up with some of you at the Singer Club stand. For most of the past couple of months the temperature in my goat shed (i.e. workshop) has been in the 30s (+90 deg F in old money) slowing down progress somewhat.

Dave Bayliss
Attachments
Original 1934 panel
Original 1934 panel
Original 1935 panel
Original 1935 panel
New tool deck
New tool deck
DarcyG
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First Name: Darcy

Re: Le Mans tools and tool deck

Post by DarcyG »

I don't know if these help but they are photos I have collected over the years for exactly the same purpose in my rebuild. Note one of the photos seem to have new clips. First of two postings
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DarcyG
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Re: Le Mans tools and tool deck

Post by DarcyG »

Second group of photos:
Attachments
tools2[1].jpg
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Screen shot 2011-05-09 at 12.54.38 AM.png
Screen shot 2011-05-09 at 12.54.38 AM.png (765.21 KiB) Viewed 6721 times
DarcyG
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Re: Le Mans tools and tool deck

Post by DarcyG »

A question, i is not clear from your photos but what have you used to secure the pannels on the top and sides?
DANISHPASTRYBOY
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First Name: david

Re: Le Mans tools and tool deck

Post by DANISHPASTRYBOY »

I have a 1934 9 Sports (KV9795) with a complete tool roll and all the correct tools to the original design.
Happy to take a picture and forward it on if you email me at: d.m.swann@hud.ac.uk.
The 1933-1934 model had a 'prima' jack that necessitated a 'T' slot cut into the deck to
accommodate the web-casting around its base.
Mine also has a cube shape to prevent the lift part of the jack unwinding/ make its location
more secure ...

Hope that helps.

David
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mikeyr
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Re: Le Mans tools and tool deck

Post by mikeyr »

It would be best if the picture was posted here in order to help everyone. I can help post it if you have problems with the posting part.
Mike Rambour. Site Administrator
1953 Singer 4ADT (sold), 1934 Singer 9 Le Mans, 1934 Singer 1 1/2 4-Seater Sports (sold), 2009 BMW K1300GT
casadecabra
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First Name: David
Location: Andalucia, Spain

Re: Le Mans tools and tool deck

Post by casadecabra »

Hello Darcy

Thanks for your response. Unfortunately I think none of photos you attached show the original layout. I'm pretty sure my layout of the fittings of the front panel is pretty accurate - compare with the illustration in the work's manual (attached). It is the rear panel that I don't have a clue about.

I have screwed the panels to the frame using 8 x 1.5in raised head chrome woodscrews (with cup washers), 2 on each side and 2 at the front for the front panel, and 2 on each side for the rear panel. I think this was the original arrangement. The aluminium is secured to the edges of the plywood panels by 6 x 5/8in round head chrome woodscrews - definitely the original method.

Regards
Dave
Attachments
Photo from Singer Sports instruction manual
Photo from Singer Sports instruction manual
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mikeyr
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Re: Le Mans tools and tool deck

Post by mikeyr »

photos from David.
tools1.jpg
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tools4.jpg
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tools3.jpg
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tools2.jpg
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tools6.jpg
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Mike Rambour. Site Administrator
1953 Singer 4ADT (sold), 1934 Singer 9 Le Mans, 1934 Singer 1 1/2 4-Seater Sports (sold), 2009 BMW K1300GT
DANISHPASTRYBOY
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Re: Le Mans tools and tool deck

Post by DANISHPASTRYBOY »

Thanks for posting Mike. Seeing the pictures of the tools prompted me to remember that I had removed the box spanner!
I seem to remember that the 3 spanners should be stored together.

Hope the images help. I will post dimensions and named the brands of the tools in the tool roll.

Regards,

David
DANISHPASTRYBOY
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Tool details

Post by DANISHPASTRYBOY »

As promised here are some further details:

Tool roll (when flap folded over) measures 19'' wide x 10 3/4'' high
Made from oil cloth material.

Dunlop tyre lever: 9'' long
Box spanner rod: 8'' long
Pliers: 6'' long (can't see a brand name
2 Shelley screwdrivers: large- 9 1/2'' long; small 5 1/2'' long
Shelley adjustable wrench/spanner: 6'' long
3/4 lb ball pein hammer: 10'' long

3 Shelley spanners:
spanner no1: 3/16 & 1/4 whitworth- 4 1/2'' long
spanner no2: 5/16 & 1/4 whitworth- 5 1/4'' long
spanner no3: 7/16 & 3/4 whitworth- 7'' long

Box spanner info to follow...
cdk84
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First Name: David

Re: Le Mans tools and tool deck

Post by cdk84 »

This thread is fabulous. Thank you for starting and illustrating it!

Fantastic!

David
froux
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Location: Aix les Bains - Savoie

Re: Le Mans tools and tool deck

Post by froux »

Very interesting thread !
Does someone know where to source the spring clips attaching the tools to the panel ?
froux
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Re: Le Mans tools and tool deck

Post by froux »

Maybe just these :

Image

Some are available here : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/48-x-Assorted ... 1366482292
dargan37
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Joined: Sun Mar 26, 2017 8:32 pm
First Name: Bill

Re: Le Mans tools and tool deck

Post by dargan37 »

Hello,
My name is Bill Clarke and I live in Northern Ireland, I bought my 1st Singer (a 1934 Sports LM saloon in 1956) my last Singer was a 1929 2 seat & dickey Junior. Previously I owned KV9246 the ex works crab track 1-1/5 litre T'other of the Three Graces team, foolishly I sold it in 2003 and have regretted it ever since.
I have recently bought a 1936 LM coupe ex Bob Francis (the silver grey one) and would like to complete the restoration started by Bob. The major item missing is the tool kit, I have been able to source many of the tools thanks to this forum, however I do not know the lay out of the tool tray which has the battery included, all of the photos show a tool tray without the battery.
I only know of two other cars of this version and they are 1937 but I understand they are identical to my car, one is the later car of Tony Raynor in USA and one owned by the late Dave Hardwick. The 2 seat LM and the 4 seat sports of 1936/37 (with underslung chassis) are probably the same. The double drop chassis cars appear not to have the battery under the bonnet/

Can anyone please provide the following
Make and model number of the jack
Patterns of the various wooden retaining blocks
Photos or plan of the tool tray with positions of tools
All help will be most appreciated.
Best wishes
Bill Clarke
cdk84
Posts: 254
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First Name: David

Re: Le Mans tools and tool deck

Post by cdk84 »

To Dave Bayliss:

Thank you so much for starting this thread, and for contributing so many useful photographs as well.

A couple of questions, (and a potentially imposing request) please:

1) Judging from the photographs, the screws holding the wood braces to the scuttle appear to be wood screws. If that's true, is the aluminum scuttle sheet mounted to a sheet of plywood?

2) Your pictures show the top with very helpful outlines of the tools that were mounted on it. Would there be anything to be learned from showing a photo of the underside of this piece, too? (the underside may show nothing at all) This part on my car has been replaced, or at least re-mounted (judging, again, from the screws holding it in place: they are chrome plated Phillips head screws which don't match other Singer scuttles) so I can't add reliable information on this topic, and don't think this part of my car is correct.

3) It would take a bit of time, but would you be willing to measure the wood pieces on your scuttle top, as well as the size (length as well as diameter) of the clips that held the jack handle, starting handle, grease gun and other bits?

The photo of the scuttle top metal you provide is really helpful. To take this to the next level, just a little more information would make this a real reference for everyone who wants to restore this part of their prewar Nine.

Thanks so much in advance for pushing our knowledge on this topic forward. I hope you have time and feel it's worthwhile to give us the dimensions from your panel so we can refer to that information for our own cars.

Very Best,

David
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