Singer Bantam
Encyclopedia
The Singer Bantam is a car formerly made by the Singer Motor Company
. It was the first model produced by the company to have a Pressed Steel
body. It was offered as a new economy model at the 1935 Motor Show in London
.
, the Popular version had a fixed panel over the roof opening. In the ensuing years, many cars had the sliding roof removed but the presence of the drainage channels front and rear indicates the De-Luxe origins. Other features of the De-Luxe model were leather seats, chrome
bumpers and a rear luggage rack.
The Singer Bantam re-used many existing components from the production line. It used the Singer Le Mans' underslung chassis
and 972cc overhead cam engine, although with a lower compression ratio
and single Solex
carburettor. Power transmission was through a three-speed manual
gearbox with synchromesh on third gear. Early models were equipped with wire wheels, while the optional easyclene wheels became standard from 1937. A chromed mascot portraying a flying Bantam chicken was mounted on the radiator surround until this was outlawed by new legislation in 1937.
For 1937 a Tourer model was announced, although few were made and very few survive. The Saloon got an upgrade in 1937 for the 1938 model year. The chassis and suspension
were strengthened to take the larger 1074 cc I4
engine with a stated 30 hp of output, and the brakes were converted to a cable system. The bodyshell remained the same apart from an extra chrome trim strip across the doors and changes to the bonnet louvres.
Many surviving Singer Bantam cars are located in Australia
and New Zealand
. Singer exported these vehicles as rolling chassis with complete powertrain
. They were mainly bodied by the Flood company in Australia as Tourers and Roadsters, and this seems to have prompted the development of the Roadster model by Singer in 1939, based on the Bantam chassis and engine combination.
Australian crime writer Charles Shaw
took his nom de plume Bant Singer from the car.
Singer (car)
Singer was an automobile company founded in 1905 in Coventry, England. It was acquired by the Rootes Group of the United Kingdom in 1956, who continued the brand until 1970...
. It was the first model produced by the company to have a Pressed Steel
Pressed Steel Company
The Pressed Steel Company Limited was a British car body manufacturing company founded at Cowley near Oxford in 1926 as a joint venture between William Morris, the Budd Corporation and an American bank. Today at what was the company's Cowley plant, the BMW new MINI is assembled, this site is...
body. It was offered as a new economy model at the 1935 Motor Show in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
History
There were four models initially, the 2-door and 4-door Singer Bantam Popular as well as the 2-door and 4-door Singer Bantam De-Luxe. All four shared the same basic bodyshell but, whereas the De-Luxe models had a sliding sunroofSunroof
An automotive sunroof is a fixed or operable opening in an automobile roof which allows light and/or fresh air to enter the passenger compartment. Sunroofs may be manually operated or motor driven, and are available in many shapes, sizes and styles...
, the Popular version had a fixed panel over the roof opening. In the ensuing years, many cars had the sliding roof removed but the presence of the drainage channels front and rear indicates the De-Luxe origins. Other features of the De-Luxe model were leather seats, chrome
Chrome plating
Chrome plating, often referred to simply as chrome, is a technique of electroplating a thin layer of chromium onto a metal object. The chromed layer can be decorative, provide corrosion resistance, ease cleaning procedures, or increase surface hardness.-Process:A component to be chrome plated will...
bumpers and a rear luggage rack.
The Singer Bantam re-used many existing components from the production line. It used the Singer Le Mans' underslung chassis
Chassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
and 972cc overhead cam engine, although with a lower compression ratio
Compression ratio
The 'compression ratio' of an internal-combustion engine or external combustion engine is a value that represents the ratio of the volume of its combustion chamber from its largest capacity to its smallest capacity...
and single Solex
Solex
Solex was a French manufacturer of carburetors and the powered bicycle VéloSoleX.The Solex company was founded by Marcel Mennesson and Maurice Goudard to manufacture vehicle radiators...
carburettor. Power transmission was through a three-speed manual
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
gearbox with synchromesh on third gear. Early models were equipped with wire wheels, while the optional easyclene wheels became standard from 1937. A chromed mascot portraying a flying Bantam chicken was mounted on the radiator surround until this was outlawed by new legislation in 1937.
For 1937 a Tourer model was announced, although few were made and very few survive. The Saloon got an upgrade in 1937 for the 1938 model year. The chassis and suspension
Suspension (vehicle)
Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose — contributing to the car's roadholding/handling and braking for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicle occupants...
were strengthened to take the larger 1074 cc I4
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
engine with a stated 30 hp of output, and the brakes were converted to a cable system. The bodyshell remained the same apart from an extra chrome trim strip across the doors and changes to the bonnet louvres.
Many surviving Singer Bantam cars are located in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Singer exported these vehicles as rolling chassis with complete powertrain
Powertrain
In a motor vehicle, the term powertrain or powerplant refers to the group of components that generate power and deliver it to the road surface, water, or air. This includes the engine, transmission, drive shafts, differentials, and the final drive...
. They were mainly bodied by the Flood company in Australia as Tourers and Roadsters, and this seems to have prompted the development of the Roadster model by Singer in 1939, based on the Bantam chassis and engine combination.
Australian crime writer Charles Shaw
Charles Shaw (writer)
Charles Herbert Shaw was an Australian journalist and novelist.Shaw was born in South Melbourne, Victoria. During the Depression years he held a variety of jobs in the countryside and his interest in writing led him to work at a newspaper in Forbes, New South Wales...
took his nom de plume Bant Singer from the car.