Description
For sale in our forthcoming auction during Le Mans Classic, on 30 June 2023:
Italian title
Chassis no. LM 12
Engine no. M/ 1 109
- Team Fox & Nicholl
- 2nd of the Rudge Withworth Cup at the 1934 24 Hours of Le Mans, 7th overall
- Significant competition history
- Excellent reconditioning
This brilliant little car was born of a partnership between Singer and Fox & Nicholl, which essentially led to the excellent achievement of a seventh place finish at the 1934 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Founded by George Singer in 1876, the namesake company stood out for its range of well-designed automobiles that ensured the firm's title as third largest British manufacturer by the end of the 1920s behind Austin and Morris. Without any real sporting ambition, Singer launched the little Nine 972 cc in the early 1930s, a direct competitor to the MG Midget, and the producer made the decision to enter one in the 1933 24 Hours of Le Mans. The commendable result prompted Singer to design a more ambitious model, with an excellent 1, 493 cc overhead camshaft 6-cylinder engine, the production of which was limited to about 50 vehicles.
This is where Fox & Nicholl comes in. Arthur Fox and Robert Nicholl had opened a garage on the outskirts of London and, as keen motorsports enthusiasts, approached Lagonda and then Talbot London to prepare their cars for competition. According to the agreement signed with Talbot, Fox & Nicholl was put in charge of the racing programme, leading to several entries at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Thus, from 1930 to 1932, the Talbot 90 and then 105 finished third in the general classification three times, all while gaining valuable experience at the now infamous race. When the Talbot adventure came to an end in 1933, Fox & Nicholl were available for a new project with Singer, who entrusted them with their latest model to prepare for competition, which is the car available here for sale, the chassis LM12. In total, Fox & Nicholl made three Singers, numbered N1, N2, and N3, this one being the N1, the only one entered at Le Mans 1934. The N2 disappeared and the N3 was a 2 litre, making the N1 the only surviving 1500 Fox & Nicholl.
After two events in early 1934, this Singer 6-cylinder 1500, with the original registration BPG 333, was fitted with a more streamlined body and entered at the 24 Hours of Le Mans as number 26, with Arthur Fox entrusting the wheel to two of his most loyal drivers, Brian Lewis and John Hindmarsh (who would later win the 1935 Le Mans race in a Fox Lagonda). A second Singer was entered under number 25 in the name of Stanley Barnes, the manufacturer's competition director. It had a classic body and proved slower. Our car, number 26 (reaching more than 165 km/ h, a great performance for a 1500!), finished in seventh place (second in the Rudge-Whitworth Cup) at an average speed of 109. 65 km/ h, despite a pit stop due to a suspected contaminant in a refuelling petrol can provided by the organisation. The second Singer came in eighth. Arthur Fox, who drove the car after the event, said it was in perfect condition, which certainly says a lot about its resistance.
Following this achievement at Le Mans, the Singer took part in three events in 1934, still with the aerodynamic bodywork but with a 2-litre engine also supplied by the manufacturer: the Mannin Beg race (withdrawn), the British Empire Trophy at Brooklands in June (class victory), and the Brooklands 500 Mile Race in September (withdrawn).
From 1935 onwards, this car was refitted with the 1500 engine and bodywork and took part in many British competitions and trials with Mrs Rose Wood at the wheel (one of the first female drivers) and achieving several notable victories. A folder full of photos confirms these participations.
Purchased in 1938 by James Tilling, a motoring journalist, the Singer was rebuilt by Fox & Nicholl in the aftermath of the war; Tilling took part in several events, mainly at Brighton and Goodwood, until his final relay race at Silverstone in 1951.
The car then changed hands and even made a trip to Kenya in the 1970s; there are some photos and press articles that attest to its involvement in local vintage car rallies. This Singer was purchased from an English diplomat based in Kenya by Mr. Valerio Cinque, who kept it for several years before selling it on to the current owner.
The latter embarked upon a full restoration project. He told us that the bodywork was very well preserved and that he even found a trace of the original dark red, which is a signature of Fox & Nicholl. This is the colour used to repaint the vehicle. It is equipped with a 1500 single overhead camshaft engine, which is still in its running-in phase and oozes a rare charm. The design offers perfect balance and corresponds to the archetypal small roadsters of the 1930s produced by MG and its competitors, with its scalloped doors and two fold-down Aero-Screens. The wooden dashboard features a plaque that Singer added to its models after the Le Mans result, commemorating the 2, 631 km clocked by the LM12 car.
This Singer 1500 boasts several plaques and medals, including a 1934 24 Hours of Le Mans brass plaque made by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest and engraved with the inscription 'M. A. W. Fox'. Another was awarded to Mr Fox on his class victory at the 1934 Empire Trophy. We invite interested buyers to consult the file including an original logbook, a certificate from the ASI (Automotoclub Storico Italiano), and vast array of documents and photos from its heyday.
This car has several features that make it stand out from the crowd: it's a rare and high-performance vehicle, the only one prepared for the 1934 Le Mans 24 Hours by Fox & Nicholl, with a seventh-place finish to be proud of and a rich racing history thereafter. In addition, it has its original chassis, engine, and bodywork.
Eligible for the Le Mans Classic and other international historic events, its character and history have an appeal that is certainly hard to resist.
Photos © Simone Caldirola
Auction estimate: €200 000 / €300 000
