Web Forum for Singer Cars

I noted that Moss Motors have a sale on at present and checked wiper parts - (I don't have any). In looking at some historical photos the LM set seems to be different with the two wipers working on a cross arm that sits higher and has a "screw" / bearing attachment to the arm (see photo) as opposed to MG T series.

I am assuming the photo attached is correct - does anyone have a source? did they make their own? or have a spare second hand set? Holden Vintage, Moss and other "shops" all focus on MG style, which I assume will work, just not original.

The Singer design seems quite unique, but was in fact a Lucas catalogue item. It just doesn't appear very often on cars now.

I have the original set-up on my 1936 Singer Le Mans also and it is much the same as the photo here. Although I had seen period photos of Singer sports cars showing them with this system, I had never seen an original set in the metal until I bought my car.

If you'd like I can take some detail photos for you. Unfortunately, I have never seen these for sale anywhere.

My 1934 Le Mans came with what I am almost certain is the original wiper arm assembly on the driver’s side, plus half a coupling rod attached to a much later unoriginal arm on the wiper motor, and nothing on the passenger side. I too am looking for original parts to complete the set up, so far without success. Unfortunately they are not easy items to fabricate.

To help anyone looking for parts, I attach some photos of my original arm assembly.

I have copies of the relevant pages of the Lucas 1939 Lucas Equipment Catalogue. It lists myriads of different variations but does not cross reference them with the cars they fitted. The shorter coupling arms apparently came as a complete assembly comprising a coupling rod fitted with arms at each end for the two wipers and an arm in the centre to fit on the motor drive shaft but the catalogue does not show anything identical to mine – presumably they had been superseded. The longer arms are spring loaded and bolt onto the shorter arms. They appear to be part no. 727.522/S and should be fitted with 8 in wiper squeegees part no. 727.707.

Dave Bayliss

I have a Lucas parts catalogue that also shows these items as separate pieces that make up a set, as you mention. And nothing is listed by make.

My car is original and the wipers are in excellent condition, the car having spent its life in Southern California from new. It's one of three shipped from the factory to Revecomb Motors in Vancouver, Canada.

Here's a detail shot of one of my wiper arms showing that I have the flat blade type long arms, not the stamped type. There is an extra piece screwed to the end of it to take the wiper squeegee hook:
All these pieces are indeed listed in the Lucas book but I have never seen any for sale - even at Beaulieu!

I've puzzled over this overly-complicated arrangement and agree that it is fairly complicated to duplicate if you have nothing to start with!

Another curious piece of Singer 'unobtainium!'

Hi, I looked everywhere I could find without success as did others, in the end I bought MGTD setup, it is as close as I could find.

Yeah! And if you look at my windshield frame you can see the original style brass machined Lift-the-Dot fasteners that were used all the way to the end of Roadster production, but I've never seen those for sale either! You can buy new screw-on L-T-D fasteners, it's true, but they don't look like these with their very slight hex at the base and short threaded section specifically for the thin windshield frame!

Again my old TD had these and it took ages to get now ones, I will look around at my notes as to where they came from, they are very MG.

Thanks for your post Phillip. I would be grateful if you could post a photo or two of the central arm that fits on the motor shaft.

It is not only the Lift a Dot fasteners that have changed. The comercially available turnbuckles that are available now are very different from the originals. There must be some boxes of the original type around somewhere??

Hey Dave B,

Too true! The original turnbuckles I have are as you show on the left and the last batch I bought at Beaulieu look the same as the new one you show on the right. The square-shaped knob on top seems to be cast now, instead of pressed like the old rounder style.

Here are a few wiper shots gathered today between shoveling snow:
This is the center arm pivot on my car. The cross shaft is square in profile and solid.
This is a wiper arm pivot. In my case, I have the flat wiper arms, which have a pressed rib to add strength. These are made of steel
At the end of the flat wiper arm is the usual type of pressed end piece to take the wiper squeegee hook. In this case it is screwed to the bottom of the wiper arm as a separate piece.

All of the above components check out in the Lucas catalogue - more or less! I'm sure some of these parts had been superseded for more generic items that still did the job. I find this set-up over-complicated and fussy. What came later ( on the Roadster for example) was simpler and did the job just as well
The whole set-up is driven by the early original style motor, which has an alloy cover and a more complex shape than the post-war replacement usually seen on the cars today. This type is also painted gloss black, not crinkle black.

On the far left you can also just see one of the original wiring clips, which goes over the windscreen frame and is held in place by the lift-the-dot fastener on the front of the frame.

The wiring dates from the 1950's so is wrapped in electrical tape. I have yet to determine the original type wire, which may have been braided, but all my Roadsters that still had the original wire (the earliest car was a '46) used a twin strand flex with a dull gold plastic finish, somewhat like house lamp cord!

Santa Barbara Upholstery Supplies ( Ironically in Glendale, Arizona) seem to offer turnbuckles with a rounded knob:
The website is here:

http://www.sbfabrics.com/turnbuckles-w- ... -3-pc-set/

On the subject of original wiper arms - the following appeared on ebay recently. Unfortunately I was outbid. I hope the winner didn't just want the motor and threw the arm away. I am considering having a go at fabricating a set but cannot figure out how the spring that pushes the arm onto the screen is attached. Does anyone have a clearer picture?


Out of interest I believe that the following picture shows the original wipers that are fitted to a 1936 car. I have some similar parts that came from another 1936 car. They have some parts in common with the Moss MG parts - cross bar and pivots.

There is a coil spring within the boss at the end of the arm - see photos.

My Le Mans came with less than half of the wiper assembly. I've managed to copy or reproduce most of the parts without too much trouble but I'm still missing one wiper arm which is not an easy item to fabricate. Incidentally, there seems to have been an option of a black or chrome finish on the arm - mine (which I think is probably original) is black.

David B

Hi,
Semicircular turnbuckles can be obtain from :
https://www.martrim.co.uk/car-trimming- ... uttons.php
However, I suspect the side of the turning button is not all together flat - it might have a cavity on both sides.
Talk to them before ordering. They are helpful and dedicated people.

Probably look just like the photos (old stock from another source). Can alternatively get these for you @ 1.75 USD + p&p.
Regards,

Thanks for the fantastic pictures of the wiper arm, David. I am still left guessing what the spring cavity is like. Does it have a boss or does it rely on a washer to centralise the pivot - something like this, maybe? Either way it should be possible to make a pair - hacked from solid bar or fabricated from brass sheet. Perhaps a project for winter....
Brian

I haven't dismantled the assembly as it seems to be in good working order but I think there is some sort of bobbin inside to centralise the stirrup, spring and arm - the arm moves freely against the spring but with only a few thou lateral or axial movement. The outside diameter of the boss on the arm is 0.480" and the inside diameter ~0.375". The diameter of the spring wire is about 0.033" (~21 SWG).

Let me know if you need any more measurements. I attach a photo of the right hand side of the stirrup.

David B