Singer Owner March/April 2009

The Andrews Roadster

Bob Andrews

As a follow up to my first article of experiences with my 4AB Roadster, the problem with the poor running has been overcome. I blamed it wrongly on the electronicised distributor and had it returned to conventional only to discover that the compressions were all very low. Plainly I should have checked them first but I was sure in my own mind that the car was running fine before that change. I recall John Dowding quite rightly saying do nothing about tuning until you established the compressions are correct. How right he was. The head had not been off for over twenty-five years (when.I first bought the car) so it was reasonable that the compressions had fallen. No valves were burnt out and all appear to be the original. All are numbered. There was no measurable bore wear (37,000 miles). The car has never run so well and on a trip to Asco's annual rally it did 43 miles per gallon. I can nearly hear you saying "rubbish". Conditions were perfect with an easy journey and few hills. However it did include a three quarters of an hour delay with the five roundabouts in Chichester, crawling in first gear etc, The Singer did not quite boil, unlike several moderns. It was one of the few hot days of the summer, The miles per gallon is aided by a 4.4 differential from a 4ADT but normally this only makes a 2-4 mpg improvement. This comparatively high ratio is probably too high but does make driving interesting. It is necessary to keep very wide awake so as to allow for downhill slopes to help the uphill slopes and anticipate the road ahead.

Shortly after that Portsmouth trip I took the Roadster on holiday to Devon and Cornwall with virtually no trouble, covering 850 miles. The weather was really bad and included driving down to Chudleigh in South Devon in pouring rain and a very strong headwind. I had hoped I would have a strong tail wind on the return journey a fortnight later, but no such luck. It can make quite a difference with only 36bhp. This time the overall mpg was just 41.0. I generally cruise at 50mph and illegally make use of freewheeling when safe to do so.

The tiny bit of trouble I get occasionally is the engine suddenly cutting out. Everything goes dead. A quick tap of the petrol gauge and it immediately comes back to life! Yet to be sorted. Not too good when it occurred twice on the M25 in heavy traffic. The joys of old car motoring!

I had some re-chroming done and some items were disappointing. With the car standing out for two weeks in the rain several parts had red rust forming which I kept cleaning off but it returned. The firm I used (generally very good but expensive) were very apologetic and took them back to sort out. They also said they would do a few small items for nothing. I decided to have the sidescreen fittings done.

In the summer I had a little bit of spraywork done, so that again needs sorting as the man could not get the colour right. Being mid-winter the Roadster will remain unused until April when I look forward to driving it again. I always change the oil before the winter, whatever the mileage done (usually between 750 and 1250 miles) and perhaps as a result of this, oil consumption continues at one pint per 1000 miles. People often say this 9/10hp engine uses oil. This is not my experience. I cannot be absolutely sure of the original mileage of the car. It had 22,000 on the clock when I bought it in 1983. The car was bought in January 1951, so probably manufactured in the autumn of 1950 and owned by a doctor in Upton-upon-Severn. I bought the car from his daughter as he had died by then and the car had been unused for six years. The tyres were all flat and thankfully there was only a gallon of fuel in the tank which smelt of turpentine. I drained this off, pumped up the tyres, fitted a new battery, pumped new fuel through and amazingly it started first pull of the starter. I have always found Singers good starters, whatever their condition. It ran on three cylinders so I bought four new L-10s Champion plugs, put them in and luckily it was straight onto four cylinders. Next I checked the oil. It had no body to it so I drained it out - a mixture of lumps, water and the remnants of oil and re-filled with Castrol XL 30. After a few miles my excitement with the new toy dimmed somewhat by low oil pressure, 15-20psc at 30-35mph. As members will know, most Singer OHC engines should run at 30-35 lbs at 30-35mph. Being in July it happened to be very hot weather so that could marginally lower the pressure a pound or so. The journey was otherwise uneventful except for swerving to one side when braking. This was understandable with any car standing for six years unused. Today I often find wheel cylinders seizing during the winter and I try to remember to depress the brake pedal monthly to save possible seizing.

On getting the car back home some jobs were undertaken straight away. New wheel cylinders, a crank-grind to 10 thou, radiator overhaul, a little re-chroming and a strip and respray in the original Warwick Green. I have not seen another Roadster in this colour recently, although it was a standard colour. There was no filler in the bodywork which was pleasing to find.

Repairs have been minimal, new starter, silencer, radiator again (this time properly as it now runs at 170 F) and at various times wheel cylinder attention. Oh yes, a regulator/control box and new front floorboards.

I think I have mentioned it before but I have twice had superb and cheap work done to car instruments by John Ostick, telephone number 01535 608063. Half the price of competitors!