1933 Singer Kaye Don Coupe de Luxe

Lot details
Registration No: AHK 311
Chassis No: E5199
Mot Expiry: Exempt

- One of a batch of cars that were specified by, and named after, the record breaker Kaye Don (who was a close friend of Singer's MD W.E. Bullock)

- Supplied new by Westwood Motors of Clacton-on-Sea (Westwood was a Singer Works Competition Driver)

- Current ownership since 1976 and treated to an extensive restoration during the 1990s

- Believed but not warranted to have covered 58,000 miles (16,000 since the completion of its refurbishment)

- The only known survivor

H&H are indebted to the vendor for the following descripton:

Kaye Don of land and water record-breaking fame was a close personal friend of W.E. Bullock, managing director of the Singer Company Ltd of Coventry. Thus, Kaye Don lent his name to a handful of slightly bulbous looking saloons that Beauvais bodied in 1931. For the limited batch of Kaye Don Coupes that followed during 1932-33, he took a personal interest in the styling modelling them on his own Rolls-Royce 20/25 which is now owned by P&A Wood. The first Kaye Don Coupe was gifted to Bullock's daughter as a wedding present. The second and third were supplied to main dealers Westwood and Spikins who were also Singer Works Competition Drivers.

`AHK 311' was sold through Westwood Motors in Clacton on Sea to a British Army Officer and had a series of owners in the late 1940s and 1950s. The car entered the current ownership as a barn find in 1976 and was dry stored until the 1990s when it was subjected to an extensive restoration including the fitting of Phoenix conrods in place of the original Duralamin components before being returned to the road during 2000. Since then it has covered 16,000 miles and the total mileage of 58,000 is believed but not warranted to be correct. `AHK 311' is the only known surviving Kaye Don Coupe. It has won numerous awards over the last few years at Singer Owners' Club International Days and at other major classic car events in the UK.

The straight-six engine designed by Louis Coatelen of Sunbeam fame, who was another close friend of Don, has a seven-main bearing crankshaft, twin-choke Solex carburettor and overhead valve gear. The cooling is by pump and fan with the former located in the cylinder head. A Clayton-Dewandre servo operates thirteen-inch drum brakes. The Luvax-Bijou one-shot lubrication system is controlled from the cockpit and covers all the major moving parts on the chassis including the kingpins. The radiator shutters are governed by a Smiths' thermostat mounted in the header tank.

The elegant coachbuilt aluminium body was manufactured by Singer and finished in Midnight Blue over Ivory with the original Blue hide upholstery. The dashboard and door cappings are in solid American walnut with 100% wool worsted headlining and a sunshine roof.

`AHK 311' cruises comfortably between 50mph and 60mph on main roads and is capable of a genuine top speed in excess of 70mph.