1934 Singer 1½-Litre Tourer
Registration no. VJ 2801
Chassis no. 2110

Its foundations as a major motor manufacturer having been established by a highly successful cyclecar, Singer went from strength to strength and by the end of the 1920s was Britain's third largest car producer behind Austin and Morris. Like rivals MG, Singer recognised the validity of the adage 'win on Sunday, sell on Monday' and pursued an active competitions programme during the 1930s, commencing with the Sports and Le Mans versions of the Nine that had been introduced in 1932. The Le Mans had resulted from a successful venture into endurance racing, when a Nine Sports took 13th place in the 1933 Le Mans 24-Hour Race. But it was in trials events that the sporting Nines proved particularly effective, successfully challenging the previously dominant MGs. Capitalising on the Nine's success, in May 1933 Singer had introduced a 1½-Litre Sports based on the existing six-cylinder 14hp model, and predictably followed that up with a Le Mans version in '34. The six-cylinder 1½-Litre's 7th and 8th place finishes at Le Mans in 1934 would prove to be the highlight of its endurance racing career, for the car was no match for the Aston Martins and Rileys. In trials, rallies and other competitions though, the 1½-litre Singer was a force to be reckoned with. One of only a relative handful surviving, this beautiful example of one of the 1930s' rarest and most desirable sports cars was delivered new in December 1934 to a Mr Douglas Vaughan Cross (possibly the Dorset-based water-colourist of that name). After WW2, in 1949, the Singer passed into the ownership of Mr Andrew Kempen, who after restoring it drove the car to Nice, France (see photographs on file). In 1952 Mr Kempen experienced problems with the engine and by chance found an original six-cylinder Le Mans engine, which remains in the car today. Between 1955 and 1988 the Singer was garage stored before being re-commissioned and put back on the road. After limited use it was again consigned to storage, remaining there until 2000 when it was sold to a Mr Corke. Fully restored by Mr Corke, the car has attended several classic car events since completion and is offered with Swansea V5 document.