Web Forum for Singer Cars

Inspired by ColinB's on going tale, I thought might share some of my progress, being a little more public may also keep me at the task.

I started with about 60% of an Australian delivered '33 Sports Roadster (black car) ie it came to Australia with all but a body, it had guards and a bonnet but the rest was Australian built.

The second car was, according to factory records delivered to Liverpool UK as a '34 coup, but somehow ended up in Australia in the same form as the '33. Both bodies (plus one other known example) appear to have been coach built by one shop whose identity remains a mystery.

Neither car was complete, only one gear box, one bonnet (with 2" cut from its length), one tail shaft, one unbent chassis Etc.

So far
. Motor has been rebuilt and is in the car as was starter and gen
. Fuel tank restored, lined and in the car
. Brakes all rebuilt and on the car
. Diff rebuilt but I have since acquired anew crown wheel and pinion that I will hold in reserve for now
. Handbrake chromed and in place
. Fuel and brake lines in place.
. Downdraft SUs that came on one car restored and on motor but not connected yet
. Gear box rebuilt and on car but need to take out and redo selectors as I missed a part.
. Radiator rebuilt but still on the shelf. New support cage Etc ready to go on
. Steering in, tie rods Etc awaiting installation in next week or so
. Timber work about 70% complete
. New shocks installed.
. Dash cut ready for final sand and polish
. New wiring diagram drawn ready to validate and then make. Initially I will use coloured wool to get the right length. I could buy out of UK, but with changes etc it seems better to start from scratch and source out of Victoria to period and specific specs
. Have centre period spot light, but still need to work on drive lights.
. I have 95% of other electrical bits and pieces, switches etc ready
. Dave Hardwick's SLC 2 case rebuilt to take an indicator switch from the steering wheel boss (I would love a better boss if any one has one to spare, I am currently using the DH caste but the lettering is very poor)
. I will use electronic ignition but not in place at this stage.

So progress has been slow but steady, but one has to make room for children, grandchildren, wife and the many other activities of life.

Today I will be building a new accelerator pedal. The original broke in several places as I tried to reposition for my big feet. Once in place I can then work how to connect SUs as there were no connections with that car.

Also attached are a couple of photos of my current stage of progress. Alas,their was no set of instructions so forums like this Singer Clubs are a great bonus. I have made many mistakes along the way, but we are getting closer to an end result.

PS I notice two photos are upside down in preview and I can't change but they are ok when opened.

well being down under...the pictures are correct when upside down

(I will take a peek and see if I can fix it, but I still say its correct for your part of the world)

Very good

I have the SUs that are going on the car seated, I have have made a new accelerator pedal to attach to the original bar that runs behind the motor on the fire wall, note RHD car.

My challenge is now to connect that bar to the SUs.

When you press the accelerator pedal, the silver rod in the attached picture rotates through an arc from Rear to front or from the top of the firewall to just touching the rear SU as in the photo. On the other hand the SU mechanism goes in a plan from left to right or up and down.

Does anyone have thoughts on how these to items can be connected?

Nice work Darcy! I don't know how the pedal is set up but logically the lever must push on a pivoted arm beyond the carbs so the forward movement in the arm at the top is translated into a rearward push at the bottom. My rough sketch shows the idea. Is there any evidence of such an arrangement on the vehicle?

Another thought - the arrangement I have sketched will allow you to alter the proportions of pedal travel to carb movement depending on where you put the pivot on the forward lever. With the pivot near the bottom you can have a slow response at the carb to the foot on the pedal.

Thanks Colin, not quiet that easy, but your drawing forced me to do the same, and I think I now now the error of my ways, back to the garage after lunch.

Resolved, after drawing the layout I realised I was working on the wrong side of the SU throttle shaft. So bloody obvious, but missed, once corrected it works like a charm, standing only at this point.

Now to link the other SU. Thanks again Colin.

Nice one Darcy!

I have reached the stage of connecting the back to the front. I have two tail shafts to select from. In each case the universals are stuffed with dirt and old grease. The photo I took from an earlier thread shows the universal broken down.

One set of joints seem slightly loose in the hand,but no grease. The other seems tight - this set have the bearings welded or braised in position and would, therefore, be hard to repair.

Has anyone seen instructions on restoration of these units or replaced with modern equivalent?

In the picture you will see a black seal, it is cork and was intended to hold the grease inside the cover. These have now deteriorated. I was considering replacing them with "O" ring material of a matching size. Has anyone had to replace theirs?

The small steel washer has three prongs stamped into it, but I am not sure which way these are meant to point, or even what purpose they are there for? You can see them if you enlarge the picture.

Thanks.

I visited the local Hardy Spicer shop today with high hopes of a solution. Not so. I was informed that all the parts I have are too worn to use (primarily the bearings). But at least I now know how to safely dismantle. And they don't have spares!

They indicated there could be bearings in the US???? Has anyone sourced any over there????

I have not yet, still a long ways from working on that part of the car. But I am willing to go to my neighborhood bearing shop and ask around if you get me the info on the bearings.

Partly solved. The two bearings held in place by wire are removed with a chisel! You need to hold the Uni in a vice and then slowly chisel each wire around the bearing about 3/8ths of an inch. They then pop up one end and with a twist come out. You can then easily knock out the old bearings.

Now to try and track down new bearings or an alternative short of a new shaft -AUD 500-600.

They always say that if something doesn't undo get a bigger hammer! At least you can see what you need now.

Hi - I found a reference from 2008 regarding a "Walker muffler part No. 21035" but I am not sure what car this was meant for. I am at the stage where I need to fit a new exhaust and thus find a suitable muffler, but I have no idea what type or even see. The exhaust outlet from the manifold is 2" id so I was thonking f running 2" stainless pipe.

Ideally I would like a nice note, or at least as nice as you can get from '34.

Santa also brought me a planishing hammer and small bench mounted english wheel, so next major step is the body work (after I learn how to use them), and these will hopefully help with the rear corners, compound curves