Washer stuck in timing chain

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)
ColinB
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Re: Washer stuck in timing chain

Post by ColinB »

As the link says, the Lincock is a very rare variant where part of the roof lifts when the door is opened to aid entry and exit. I think they had a very short production run.
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Re: Washer stuck in timing chain

Post by mikeC »

The Lincock was a 2+2 seater coupe available on both the Nine and 12/6 chassis. It was only produced in 1933 and 1934; the roof flaps were an optional extra, not all Lincocks have them.

This was my brother's Lincock Nine which he owned for well over forty years, before he too began to find the steering too heavy:

Image

Apologies for the thread drift!
1914 Saxon Model A; 1930 Morris Cowley; 1931 Austin Seven; 1953 Lancia Appia; 1967 Singer Chamois
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Re: Washer stuck in timing chain

Post by mikeyr »

what thread drift ? its old cars that kind of look like Singer cars, so its on topic.
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1953 Singer 4ADT (sold), 1934 Singer 9 Le Mans, 1934 Singer 1 1/2 4-Seater Sports (sold), 2009 BMW K1300GT
cdk84
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Re: Washer stuck in timing chain

Post by cdk84 »

Thanks for the posts that clarify this part of Riley's history. I missed the Lincock in my reading of their history.

And who finds pictures of a car as rare as that, at night no less? Very cool.

Thanks everyone for contributing to this part of the thread. I wouldn't call this a deviation from topic --a wee swerve, perhaps-- but an informative one, which outweighs 'swerving' in my book.

Actually, it's not a swerve at all. There's a very interesting overlap between Singer and Riley which I would never have noticed had Dave's friend's Lincock not shown in the photo of his engine-less Singer Senior in this thread. A Wiki search for the Lincock exposed that Riley 'came a cropper' (at more or less the same time) in part because Riley had too many models out at one time, quite like Singer. The models available between 1933 and 1935 were: the Mentone saloon, Kestrel saloon, Lincock fixed head coupé, Ascot drophead coupé with dickey seat, Lynx tourer, Falcon saloon, Gamecock tourer, March two seat tourer, MPH two seater trial/sports 2-seater and Trinity 3-position-Drophead-Coupé.

While auto makers going out of business during the mid 1930s was quite common, the reasons were numerous. It's interesting that Singer and Riley had similar reasons for being financially over-extended. Singer was often, if not always, 'kiting' their parts orders: building up a balance with one supplier and when the bills came due, switching to another supplier, leaving the first provider to chase Singer for the outstanding debt.

Singer somehow survived as a proprietary maker longer that Riley. Singer was the Rootes Group's last acquisition in 1955; Riley was 'rationalized' by Lord Nuffield in 1938, soon after he took over MG (1935), and acquired again by British Leyland in 1968. BL shut down Riley production permanently.

Cheers
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Re: Washer stuck in timing chain

Post by ColinB »

A fascinating diversion which taught me some new facts. I'll get back on a Singer message when I go over to put David's engine back in his Junior! He has re-painted the block but needs me to turn it so he can paint the sump before it can go back in. I will take my wife into North Norfolk for a pub lunch and drop by David's house on the way to do this quick task. I won't have to twist her arm very hard..... :lol:
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Re: Washer stuck in timing chain

Post by mikeC »

Continuing the Singer/Riley theme, yesterday I was able to make an interesting comparison between a 1933 Sports Nine and a Riley Lynx:

Image

I was surprised just how small the Singer was in comparison:

Image
1914 Saxon Model A; 1930 Morris Cowley; 1931 Austin Seven; 1953 Lancia Appia; 1967 Singer Chamois
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Re: Washer stuck in timing chain

Post by ColinB »

The Singer is much more attractive.
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Re: Washer stuck in timing chain

Post by mikeyr »

I agree the small Singer is much prettier. The 1.5 Singer Sports's are a duplicate of the Riley, nearly the same size and design, so are you calling my car ugly ? :D :D :D :D

Image

Ok, now we might be going off track of a Washer in a timing chain...but I am not stopping this :)
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1953 Singer 4ADT (sold), 1934 Singer 9 Le Mans, 1934 Singer 1 1/2 4-Seater Sports (sold), 2009 BMW K1300GT
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Re: Washer stuck in timing chain

Post by mikeC »

I think they are both attractive in their own way; a bit like comparing a pretty girl with a smart young lady :lol:
1914 Saxon Model A; 1930 Morris Cowley; 1931 Austin Seven; 1953 Lancia Appia; 1967 Singer Chamois
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Re: Washer stuck in timing chain

Post by cdk84 »

Thanks so much for posting the side-by-side photos of the Riley and Singer. They are instructive in themselves.

It's interesting how appearances can be confusing. I sat in a Riley Imp some years ago and it simply didn't accommodate my height. The steering wheel was very close to my chest and, with its large diameter, getting into the car --leg room or not-- was not really workable. Rileys are known for being built for those without my shortcoming in height.

From the photos it's clear that the Singer Nine Sports is quite a bit smaller, but I fit in my car, a 1936 Nine Sports nicely (as long as the hood is not up) Go Figure...

Does anyone know how to install a Gurney Bubble in a double duck hood?
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Re: Washer stuck in timing chain

Post by ColinB »

I went over to David's yesterday and after a bit of a struggle we got the engine back into his car. Having never done this before it took me a while to understand how it all came together as the oil filler would not pass the front chassis member so as a result the engine would not drop into place to engage on the gearbox properly. Eventually David remembered that last time he did it with Dick Preston from SOC the gearbox was free to move back an inch or two but since then he had installed the floors etc. which stopped it moving. So after we had freed up the gearbox by removing the front floor panels it moved just enough to get it all together. Phew! Overall it took about 3 hours of pretty heavy labour. I have put a couple of bolts in the bell housing and loosely fitted the head to keep everything in the right place and I'll go back in a couple of days to bolt it all up properly and torque up the head bolts hopefully to keep the water in the right place this time... The good news is that it all turns over on the handle so provided I have got the timing right there is no reason why it won't start up once it is all reassembled.

DSC_0004.JPG
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Re: Washer stuck in timing chain

Post by ColinB »

Just to round this off, I went over to David's house today and put my 6v tractor battery on his refurbished starter which I had refitted and she fired up! So valve timing is OK (which is a relief) although it needed full advance to get it running so the dizzy needs a bit of a tweak. David is however a happy man. I also nipped up the head nuts so he can fill up the cooling system with some confidence that he won't fill the cylinders up with coolant again! Picture is of a very pleased man enjoying the smell of exhaust. So after this triumph I'm back to my own seized engine.....
Happy Man.jpg
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Re: Washer stuck in timing chain

Post by cdk84 »

Well done on all fronts!

Can't say how lucky David is to have friends like you in the Singer world, Colin. Hope your engine is unseized by now and that you are both off for a pint at the local pub.

Cheers,

David
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Re: Washer stuck in timing chain

Post by ColinB »

Thanks David. Yes I'm getting on pretty well with my big six!
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Re: Washer stuck in timing chain

Post by ColinB »

Just to resurrect this post, since we had apparently got David's engine sorted out, and he even managed to drive it up the road and back again it is refusing to run properly. The core problem is that it won't run and pick up revs without the choke even when warm. It seems to be running on the starter jet but won't suck from the main jet and dies when the throttle is opened. I have made numerous trips to Kings Lynn chasing down air leaks, putting on my spare manifold with a new gasket and even putting a different carburettor body on but nothing changes. As it does run with the choke I presume the valve and ignition timing are OK and I don't think a small error in those would have such an impact, and plenty of fuel gets through from the tank . I haven't got alternative main jets to try but I'm beginning to think this may be the problem. Any thoughts?
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