The Saving of BMX 7...

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)
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Phillip
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The Saving of BMX 7...

Post by Phillip »

I was quite excited after coming into contact with Andy, a Jaguar and Jensen enthusiast in California who had involved himself with the sale of a very rare 1935 Singer Le Mans Coupe. Andy frequents Delongs Automotive Repair, a British specialty shop in Campbell, CA, near San Francisco and the Singer had also been serviced there for a number of years.

John Carey, the owner of the Singer, had an extensive car collection and lived out in Saratoga, near San Jose. All his cars were carefully maintained and he had a log book for each documenting the work done to them. Sadly, John passed away and the collection was being moved to Utah, where his son lives. The Singer was deemed surplus to requirements and was offered for sale.

BMX 7 is a Middlesex County Council registration dating from late 1934 and this car, #63371, is indeed a splendidly preserved version of a very rare model. The 1935 model year was the only year that the Coupes were referred to as a Le Mans, rather than Sports, and is fitted with the counterbalanced crank engine with two Solex carbs.

There were number of ‘nibbles’ on the car, but no firm deals and Andy became concerned that the only offers he was hearing were from hot-rodders who wanted to ‘rat rod’ this very rare car! We decided to execute a ‘foster & rescue’ plan together to avoid this happening. Time was short as the son was planning to ship the car if no deal was done. To be honest, if I hadn’t bought my Land Rover in the summer, this car would have been heading my way!
1935 Singer Le Mans Coupe_USA.jpg
1935 Singer Le Mans Coupe_USA.jpg (160.2 KiB) Viewed 3539 times
I am very happy to say that a good friend came forward just in the nick of time to save this very special Singer and to bring it into the NASOC fold. As Pre-War Registrar for the club it makes me especially proud.

I will not disclose the new owner and will allow him the time to conclude this tale and make the introductions.

What a great Christmas present!
Your Friendly Canadian Pre-War Singer Specialist, Collector & Historian,
Editor & Pre-War Registrar & Canadian Contact -NASOC
Singer Enthusiast for over 40 Years.
'28 Senior, '33 & '34 Sports, '36 Le Mans SS & Bantam
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Peter McKercher
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Re: The Saving of BMX 7...

Post by Peter McKercher »

For want of an extra space, it would have ended up in my garage as well. I can't stress how thrilled I am to see it remain on our soil and move so close to home. Just to close the loop, here is the original thread on this. viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1334
Peter McKercher
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Pre war Singer Specialist and Collector
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Phillip
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Re: The Saving of BMX 7...

Post by Phillip »

Thanks for the compliment! I was determined to see it survive.

It was well-worth all the shuttle diplomacy and a credit to Andy's tenacity. We were of like mind and he certainly spread the knowledge of the car to anyone he felt could help, including NASOC.

The car will no doubt appear at Stowe next year with a bit of luck.
Your Friendly Canadian Pre-War Singer Specialist, Collector & Historian,
Editor & Pre-War Registrar & Canadian Contact -NASOC
Singer Enthusiast for over 40 Years.
'28 Senior, '33 & '34 Sports, '36 Le Mans SS & Bantam
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Peter McKercher
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Re: The Saving of BMX 7...

Post by Peter McKercher »

It was definitely a global effort for all concerned.
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Phillip
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Re: The Saving of BMX 7...

Post by Phillip »

Another interesting factoid about BMX 7 is an appearance in the 1970's British TV series 'Bergerac".

Look for the full story of this Singer in an upcoming issue of NASOC NEWS!
Your Friendly Canadian Pre-War Singer Specialist, Collector & Historian,
Editor & Pre-War Registrar & Canadian Contact -NASOC
Singer Enthusiast for over 40 Years.
'28 Senior, '33 & '34 Sports, '36 Le Mans SS & Bantam
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Peter McKercher
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Re: The Saving of BMX 7...

Post by Peter McKercher »

Very much looking forward to your story on how the sale of this car continues to unfold.
Peter McKercher
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Author of "Racing Roadsters"

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Phillip
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Re: The Saving of BMX 7...

Post by Phillip »

More little factoids on BMX-7!

So...what could the connection be between DL-8675, my 1934 Nine Sports, and BMX-7, this 1935 Le Mans Coupe?

Well, as it happens both cars lived in Canada for a while. And David Jack, the previous owner of my '34, contacted Wayne Ayers, a previous owner of this LM Coupe when it lived in British Columbia, CANADA!

Seems that Wayne was advertising BMX for sale in 1991 though an ad in the August issue of The Dupont Registry:
BMX 7_ Dupont Registry Ad_BB.jpg
BMX 7_ Dupont Registry Ad_BB.jpg (293.16 KiB) Viewed 3394 times
I discovered all this going through the paperwork that David gave me with the '34 Sports. There was a photocopy of the ad and a draft of the letter that David sent to Wayne asking about the car and discussing at length why he felt it was a 1935 Coupe, not a 1934 as advertised.

As we know, in the UK, it is very possible the car was actually registered as a '34 If it was built and sold prior to January 1st ,1935, even though it is a '35 model year, and this is probably why Wayne advertised it as much. BMX-7 was probably issued to the car in late 1934 judging from the number range.

Another interesting point is the reference to the TV series "The Pathfinders', starring Michael Caine as a production the car appeared in, rather than Bergerac, the British TV series that the car had been connected to previously by another owner.

Details on The Pathfinders, which was a WWII drama produced in the early 1970's can be found here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathfinders_(TV_series)

This would make more sense than the Bergerac theory as Pathfinders is set in the 1930's where using the Singer would fit the storyline, especially when driven by a dashing young pilot, as I am sure many were. Sadly, no Mr Caine starring though.

BMX-7 is currently resting awaiting shipping to the east coast and I am working with her new custodian to get her back to original details and I am very much hoping she will take center stage at our Singer Sensation at Stowe this fall!

More news to come!
Your Friendly Canadian Pre-War Singer Specialist, Collector & Historian,
Editor & Pre-War Registrar & Canadian Contact -NASOC
Singer Enthusiast for over 40 Years.
'28 Senior, '33 & '34 Sports, '36 Le Mans SS & Bantam
mikeC
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Re: The Saving of BMX 7...

Post by mikeC »

Phillip wrote:
As we know, in the UK, it is very possible the car was actually registered as a '34 If it was built and sold prior to January 1st ,1935, even though it is a '35 model year, and this is probably why Wayne advertised it as much. BMX-7 was probably issued to the car in late 1934 judging from the number range.
I can confirm the registration number BMX 7 dates from December 1934.
1914 Saxon Model A; 1930 Morris Cowley; 1931 Austin Seven; 1953 Lancia Appia; 1967 Singer Chamois
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Phillip
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Re: The Saving of BMX 7...

Post by Phillip »

Great! Thanks for the update. I knew it was a Middlesex County Council number issued sometime in the last quarter of 1934 so in the UK it would be listed as a 1934 Singer. My Senior is a 1929 model but was sold and registered in 1928 and is registered as such. I state 'probably' for BMX as I haven't seem any official documentation.
I really enjoy it when pieces of a cars history turn up to help stitch together its story and when people join in to help connect the dots!
Your Friendly Canadian Pre-War Singer Specialist, Collector & Historian,
Editor & Pre-War Registrar & Canadian Contact -NASOC
Singer Enthusiast for over 40 Years.
'28 Senior, '33 & '34 Sports, '36 Le Mans SS & Bantam
cdk84
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First Name: David

Re: The Saving of BMX 7...

Post by cdk84 »

mikeC wrote:
Phillip wrote:
As we know, in the UK, it is very possible the car was actually registered as a '34 If it was built and sold prior to January 1st ,1935, even though it is a '35 model year, and this is probably why Wayne advertised it as much. BMX-7 was probably issued to the car in late 1934 judging from the number range.
I can confirm the registration number BMX 7 dates from December 1934.
Hi MikeC,

Writing to thank you for confirming BMX 7's registration date. That's tremendously helpful as I'm not at all familiar with the proceedings behind car registration in the UK. I have friends from there (my family is from there, but not recently enough to have had the DNA transfer...) like Phillip Avis and Barry & Marcia Phillips and rallyist Rick Kellet who take it all in stride, deciphering it as though it were second nature.

As no good deed goes unpunished, have you any insight into the registration CRL157? That's from another car I steward.

Thanks ever so much. Just as Phillip said, it's tremendous fun when the pieces come together in learning a car's history.
mikeC
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Re: The Saving of BMX 7...

Post by mikeC »

David,

The CRL sequence of numbers was issued by Cornwall County Council, the first number was issued in November 1936, and the final number (999) in February 1937, so CRL 157 will date from November 1936.

Basically, each issuing authority, usually a County Council, was allocated a single, or pair of letters, and these were issued in numerical order, from 1 to 9999. Once the two-letter sequences were used up, usually from about the beginning of 1933, a third letter was added as a prefix, with numbers going up to 999 (6 digits maximum on a plate). So Cornwall was allocated the RL series, which ran from November 1924 to May 1929; they also had the CV series, which ran from May 1929 to March 1934. They then issued the CV series with an A prefix, then returned to the RL series with the A prefix (ARL ran December 1934 to April 1935) then used the B prefix, then the C prefix, and so on ...
1914 Saxon Model A; 1930 Morris Cowley; 1931 Austin Seven; 1953 Lancia Appia; 1967 Singer Chamois
cdk84
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First Name: David

Re: The Saving of BMX 7...

Post by cdk84 »

Hello again, Mike,

Thank you so very much for explaining those details: it's very helpful.

CRL157 was ordered early in November by the owner of The Sloop Inn, a Bed & Breakfast just at the launching ramp of St Ives Harbour beach, that's been in continual service since 1312. Sobering to think what tyres were like back then... or how flat they would be now, after being 'put up' for long term storage in the 1350s.

At any rate, your explanation jives perfectly with Singer's build data and is a very nice piece of the puzzle to have fully in hand, and now comprehensible to an 'off-islander' [as those on Nantucket say].

Very Much Appreciated.

Best Wishes,

David
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