Remember these.? All our yesterdays

[NewcastleFalcon]

My first car was slightly older. It was a 1937 Singer Bantam. Unlike other small saloons of that time, the engine had a chain-driven overhead camshaft. Again it had no water pump; just relying on a huge radiator.

Cars 003.jpg

Bit of associated trivia from me

From the oldclassiccar website the DUL registrations commenced February 1937 and moved on after 999 to EUL's in October 1937.

.and you may have rushed out and bought the November 1955 edition of Practical Motorist and Motorcyclist (with their lovely artistic covers) for the feature on overhauling the Singer Bantam

Should you wish to wallow in nostalgia you can buy it off e-bay for £3.00



Regards Neil

[white exec]

My first - a 1935 Rover 'Ten' Sports Saloon.
Given to my father when he was in his mid-40s, and thus he then learned to drive. Engine was shot, and so Dad bought another complete '38 'Ten' in Slough for a fiver. He and a neighbour-mechanic transplanted the engines, and so we had a runner. Not content with that, Dad rewired the whole car from scratch (he was an electrical design engineer), re-trimmed the interior, and fitted a heater. As a 16-year-old, I re-veneered the dashboard at school.

The same neighbour who presented us with the Ten later gave us his old 1947 Sports Sixteen, a ton-and-three-quarters of 6-cyl 2.4L.

The Ten passed to me in 1966, a year after I had learned to drive on it - crash 'box, double-declutching, and a touch of Rover Freewheel! Dad had been my teacher, and quietly accepted that I had got through the test first time, while it had taken him four attempts to do the same. During the year between school and college, I had the engine rebored, ground and re-metalled (white-metal ends!). The Ten went with me from Ealing to college in Warrington, and provided daily transport for another two years. When a 1960 Rover 3-litre was offered for just £45, I couldn't resist, and the Ten went back to Ealing, to be sold to an old school friend. We never knew what happened to it after that.

[JohnD]

.and you may have rushed out and bought the November 1955 edition of Practical Motorist and Motorcyclist (with their lovely artistic covers) for the feature on overhauling the Singer Bantam

Love the mechanics' white shirts and neatly pressed sports trousers..

[JohnD]

My second car was another Singer. This time a 1954 Singer Hunter.



I've still got the workshop manual for the car. It's unbelievable the amount of maintenance it required at just a 1000 miles.

[NewcastleFalcon]

DSCF3399pr.jpg
My first - a 1935 Rover 'Ten' Sports Saloon.

The number for that one Chris is still active on the DVLA database.....whether that means its still in existance in the metal I can't confirm

Regards Neil

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

would appear to still be on the same vehicle, a 1935 Rover 1.3, currently not Taxed but would appear to still exist. No records regarding its MOT History.

[white exec]

Good grief! I still have its original Owner's Handbook, which probably ought to be reunited with the car.
I feel a search via Rover Sports Register or w.h.y. on the horizon.
Thank you each for checking it out!

[NewcastleFalcon]

Good grief! I still have its original Owner's Handbook, which probably ought to be reunited with the car.
I feel a search via Rover Sports Register or w.h.y. on the horizon.
Thank you each for checking it out!

Chris, if you have come across the rusty wrecks thread, this Isetta bubble car in a bit of a sorry state made an appearance. Significant thing...it still appears on the DVLA records, pretty much like your "Ten".
March 1960 first registered, 300cc Isetta last tax due 1981..hasn't moved for 37 years, and it was originally blue.




Regards Neil

[myglaren]

No pics - not yet at lest - but a friend at work was telling me that he was in North Tyneside yesterday at a brewery and spotted a long blue 'car' over the road on an industrial estate.
Went to investigate and it is Donald Campbell's "Bluebird" (boat) and is being restored there.

[NewcastleFalcon]

Looks like it could be going for some trials on Loch Fad in August...."The Buteman" makes it FCF debut

Bluebird revs up for Loch Fad Trials

Not one of Scotland's better known Lochs

Here it is

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Loch+ ... d-5.064526

Regards Neil

[myglaren]

Wasn't Bute in the news recently?

My mate had asked about it and they wanted to run it on Coniston water but had been declined - too many small craft on there now.

[white exec]

An email went off to Adrian Mitchell (of Rover Sports Register) today re my old 'Ten'.
Will be interesting to see if it's still alive.

[NewcastleFalcon]

Remember these....

Bench seats

(Well, this is a slightly more sophisticated Bench Seat. A split bench seat to be precise from our friend the Austin Cambridge up for sale at ACA on Saturday)



Regards Neil

[JohnD]

Remember these......................Bench seats

I certainly do! In my bachelor days I used to drive a Singer Hunter with a full width bench seat. It also had the gear change under the steering wheel so it gave easy access across to the passenger side.. ... if you follow my drift...

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

My apologies to interrupt the Bench Seat thing, but just coz I've dealt with these photos elsewhere, thought I'd post up a sample and a public link to them; hopefully of enjoyment to others.

Proper little timewarp this place is, type you rarely see nowadays, I expect some that know the area will recognise it as John Pane's Recovery / Regal Garage at Upton Upon Severn. Short diversion from the M5.

The white Transit's for sale, at £1.2k on a 'P', ('96?), some rust but looks tidy for year with Chiller stated working. Seeing as the site yielded such good pics only fair to give 'em a plug. I was there recently.

'Proper' Cafe just a few yards to the left of this site too, with a Triton motorbike in the fireplace, with an amusing notice 'If you Value your Fingers like I value my Bike, Don't Touch'.

Further pix in my Dropbox for a few weeks, they're all at half original resolution so if anyone wants higher res copies, shout. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zx5exg8l1q2v ... g-rxa?dl=0