This is Roger Horsfield’s 1926 Singer 10/26 Deluxe.
My Trusty 1926 Singer 10/26 Deluxe
Reg No YM4026
First registered on 12/01/1926 it is believed to have a build date of July/August 1925 and originally came with a front axle with no front brakes. A later front axle with front wheel brakes was fitted at some time. I still have the original front axle as shown in the photograph below. YM was a London registration issued between November 1925 and March 1926 so is the original registration number. The cost brand new in 1926 with nickel plated radiator and fittings with a complete set of tools was £225 0s 0d.
There are a few peculiarities with the Singer 10/26 as it only has 3 doors, the driver has to enter via the front passenger door, it has a central accelerator and a right hand gear change. The 1308cc engine is quite advanced in that it has overhead valves rather than less efficient side valves, The 10/26 designation relates to the engine developing 10 Horse Power and 26 Brake Horse Power.
The Singer was discovered having been dumped in a farmyard at Epping since 1941. It was bought in dilapidated condition in 1943 for £6. 10s. 0d by Brian King from the Nunn brothers who owned the farm. The car was taxed in 1942 and had a war time log book in the name of Percy William Francis. The odometer reading on the speedo read 47928.
The car was red rust all over, on blocks, the five wheels in the back, the tyres full of water and corn and grass had taken root on the floor and behind the rear seat. The hood was perished and the radiator had a large hole in it. Another radiator was bought for 5 shillings which didn’t work so a new block in the old shell did the trick. The front seat and floorboards were rotten, which were replaced with second hand bucket seats and new floorboards. The air cushion in the rear seat was still inflated.
Brian King was a very enthusiastic owner who loved driving it and had a significant motoring tour every summer for which he produced detailed logs, which I have, showing the places visited, the mileage completed each day and the petrol purchased.
eg
1950: 850 mile Tour from Basingstoke to Lands End and back
1951: 1930 mile Tour to from Stamford to John o’Groats and Back
1953 2094 mile Tour London to John o’Groats to Lands End and home
Brian had a driving licence for 69 years which was clean for all that time. He became a member of the the AA in 1951 and remained a member for 61 years during which time he never had to call on their services. He owned the Singer 10/26 for 33 years and completed some 60,000 miles in it.
In 1976 Brian Saxby owned the car and actively used it with his family.
In 1989 I bought the Singer with ~148,000 miles recorded and had enjoyable motoring in it taking it to various Singer Annual Rallies and using it for two family weddings until I sold it to buy a 1947 MG TC.
In July 1997 the next owner was Rob Malcolm who in 1998 completed a 436 mile Tour to and around Isle of Man Tour and attended various Singer Rallies.
The engine was overhauled and 4000 trouble free miles then completed.
In November 2001 it was sold to Bob Andrews who is well known to the Singer Owners’ Club.
In December 2004 having located the Singer for sale on the internet I contacted Bob and viewed the Singer. My fiancé of only 25 years engagement was a trifle impetuous and mentioned that I could have the Singer back again if we got married. I liked the car so much that the next owner was me again although I do regard it as being the ‘most expensive car in the World’!!! The mileage was 152,460.
I attended the Singer Car Centenary at Coventry in 2005 and various Singer National days around the country winning the occasional cup.
I have subsequently driven the Singer on many trips in England, provided lifts to School Proms, completed two trips around Brittany and used it as a wedding car again. The present mileage is 160,837 and Covid regulations permitting I am looking forward to driving the Singer in France again this September and who knows where in subsequent years.
There are a number of folders containing a lot of early documentation relating to my Singer 10/26 including an Owners’ Handbook, sales brochures, technical information and the majority of the tax discs from 1947 to 2014