This is Nick Warren’s 1934 2-Litre Sports 4-Seater. Nick says he has hankered after a 1.5 or 2-Litre Sports for about 20 years. The problem was that Singer made only about 120, and only 13 of these are known to have survived. But his chance came in April 2014, when a friend rang him saying it was time to get his cheque book out, as Pierre-Michel Singer’s 2-Litre Sports was to be auctioned by Bonhams on 7 June in Oxford.
The car was originally a 1.5 Ltr, but when its engine became unrepairable in the 1980s and no 1.5 Ltr Singer engines were available, an Austin Healey 100 engine was fitted. In 1993 this was removed and a 2-Ltr overhead-valve engine from a Singer ‘Silent Six’ installed.
Michel, his wife and the car had retired to Monaco in 2002, but due to ill health he decided it was now time to part with his favourite car, which had been re-registered in Monaco as X934 from its original UK registration of AHU 515.
Nick and Trish went to see the car on the preview day, and it was everything he had lusted over. So the next day they retraced their route to Oxford, and by the time Lot 27 came up, Nick was sure his pounding heart could be heard miles away! The bidding between two parties was slow at first, but when one of them dropped out, Nick decided to bid. A new party bid him up about a couple of thousand, but then, suddenly, all quiet …bang!! The hammer came down and the car was his.
AHU 515 is now legally back on the road, and Nick & Trish are enjoying using her. Nick says ‘her’ as they always give their cars a name. He asked Michel what they called her – ‘The White Car’ came the response. But that was very confusing, as Betty, their LM Longtail, is white as well, so after much family discussion, AHU has been christened ‘Grace’, as she is a Princess from Monaco. And Pierre-Michel approves!