The Singer Gazelle is a rare beast here in the USA, and is a close relative to the Hillman Minx. That means it was originally powered by a 1.5L four cylinder shared with a number of other (now mostly obscure) British cars. This one, however, has been upgraded to Datsun B-210 power, which means something like 70 horsepower! Hey, that’s up from about 50, so it’s a decent percentage increase.
This example has some visible rust, but it’s not clear whether there’s rust-through and there are no shots of the undercarriage. We like the Datsun engine and trans idea, though we would normally expect an under-hood picture. Overall, this is a stylish and cool little oddball that we hope someone enjoys!
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Rockville, MD, USA
$1,875 with 19 bids, reserve not met and 6.5 days to go
We think this is a uniquely handsome design.
Profile looks modern for a 1950s car – rather clean and simple compared to anything American.
Rear is clean and tidy, but shows a hint of 50s era fin.
While we like the car’s design overall, this grille is about as “tacked on” as it gets!
Interior appears largely complete, but it looks like the door panels are missing their vinyl trim OR someone took 1970s household wall panels and fashioned these. Hopefully, and interior shop can sort this fairly easily.
The car does have a rear seat, but there’s not much to it. We’re not sure why it isn’t finished like the fronts. In fact, most of the units we see online have something closer to split bench seats; so we wonder if the seats were replaced.
The wood dash parts are present, but look tired. A little linseed oil might help.
Ad text:
Interested in a sporty British convertible but can’t afford a Sunbeam Tiger, consider buying my much more affordable 1958 Singer Gazelle convertible. It is a rare and unique British car manufactured under the Rootes Group banner (including Sunbeam, Hillman, Talbot & Singer) that is enjoyable and fun to drive. This Gazelle has been upgraded to a reliable 1978 Datsun B-210 engine and running gear with a manual 4-speed floor shifter. It has never been wrecked, has good tires and is smooth running with no leaks, overheating or smoke. The body is in good condition but does show some small rust spots. The convertible top has a small tear and should be repaired/replaced. The car is being sold as is.
For those prospective bidders interested in racing pedigree and still considering a Sunbeam Tiger instead, Betty Haig driving her Singer Le Mans was the winner of the 1936 Berlin Olympic Rally providing its owner with the gold medal in the only official Olympic motor race ever held!