I rescued abandoned 1929 Singer car I learned to drive 65 years ago after it was left to rot – now it's as good as new
'THAT'S MY CAR' I rescued abandoned 1929 Singer car I learned to drive 65 years ago after it was left to rot – now it's as good as new
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
A WOMAN, 81, has been reunited with the car she learnt to drive in six decades after he father saved it from a scrapheap.
Merriel Gallifant's father, Harry Booth, bought the 1929 Singer Junior from a scrapyard in 1961, and the teenager, then 16, used it to learn to drive.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
5
Merriel Gallifant grinning with her first love in 2025
Credit: SWNS
5
The 1929 Singer Junior kept popping up throughout her life
Credit: SWNS
Quickly becoming a grease monkey, she fondly remembers practising gearstick changes in front of her father's Old Cottage Paint shop in Stanway, Essex.
Sadly, just a year later, her Dad flogged her beloved wheels to David and Sylvia Rouse for a fiver.
Astonishingly, Merriel was reunited with her old flame at a classic car rally thirty years later.
The Rouse's were displaying the well-loved wheels at a car rally when Merriel spotted the old banger.
She exclaimed, 'That's my Car!' and showed the couple a snap of her teenage self sitting on the bonnet back in the day.
Mr Rouse was very attached to the Singer, using it daily, taking it for spins at vintage car club events, competing in hill climbs, driving tests and navigational rallies and tours.
The couple kept their bargain motor for 57 years before David died in 2017.
Mrs Rouse sold their vintage car collection but kept the Singer until Merriel approached her, buying the token from her childhood back in 2019.
Selflessly, Merriel waved goodbye to her four-wheeled first love once again, selling it at auction for £4.1k and donating every penny to St Helena Hospice.
Auctioneer, Lewis Rabett from auctioneers Reeman Dansie, said: 'It's a beautiful little car with a heart-warming story.
5
The classic car was sold for just a fiver in 1962
Credit: SWNS
5
It's pristine interior could have come out of a time machine- it is almost completely unchanged
Credit: SWNS
5
Merriel at 16 perched a top her first love
Credit: SWNS
'A proper full-circle moment. There's even a photo of Merriel with the car now and back when she was a teenager – not much has changed!'
He added: 'It's a niche buy, but for the right person, this car is an absolute gem. It's been loved and lived in – and it shows.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
8 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Porsche unveils road-legal hypercar 50 years after original won world titles – but there's a catch
The new motor features significant changes from the original race-winner CARN'T BELIEVE IT Porsche unveils road-legal hypercar 50 years after original won world titles – but there's a catch Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PORSCHE has shocked the motoring world by unveiling a new road legal hypercar. What's more is that it's spun off the a motor that's won multiple endurance racing world titles - but there's a catch. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Porsche has revealed a new road legal hypercar Credit: PA 2 It's based on a trailblazing motor that won multiple endurance racing titles Credit: PA The Porsche 963 RSP is unlike anything you can currently purchase - because only one has been made. It's a version of the manufacturers WEC and ISMA championship winning machine. And it's been built to mark 50 years since Count Rossi drove the trailblazing Porsche 917 from Zuffenhausen to Paris. Like that all-conquering motor, this one's been made road legal. Porsche's North American boss Timo Resch said: "How could we reimagine the 917's story in today's time? "The 917 from the story was every inch a race car – albeit one driven on the road – and we took the same approach with the 963 RSP. "It uses beautiful materials of the best quality available, but is still every bit a race car underneath." The 963 features significant changes over the car on which its based. In terms of the engine, the carmaker had to allow the 4.5-litre, twin-turbo V8 hybrid to run on regular unleaded rather than race fuel. While not an easy undertaking, the 918 Spyder-derived V8, e-motor and battery combo delivers a whopping 671bhp. Inside Taycan Turbo GT Porsche that can hit 200mph as SunSport's Isabelle Barker is taken for a spin by Formula E safety car driver The road height was also adjusted to make it suitable for general roads and the dampers softened. The control unit was reprogrammed too to allow for the headlights and taillights to operate closer to those of a motor on the road. But its the interior that departs most from the original race car. In the entirely bespoke cabin, you'll find soft tan leather with a single piece driver's seat clad with additional cushioning and a fixed headrest. You'll find a special panel next to the driver that stores the steering wheel as well as a helmet and car aficionados will spot the nods to the 917. The biggest tribute comes in the form of the exterior colour that's the same 'Martini Silver' as Count Rossi's 917. This one's been painted too, a unique challenge because of the carbon fibre and Kevlar bodywork. The bodywork also had to be modified to cover the wheel arches, headlights and tail lights added as well as closed-off banking plates on the rear wing and mounting points for the license plates. An enamel Porsche badge can be found on the nose and proper wet road tyres wrapped around 18 inch racing wheels. ONE-OF-A-KIND 'SPECIAL' MOTOR The 963 RSP gets its name from the involvement of American auto racing team owner Roger Searle Penske on the project. Resch explained he called on Penske for "support" in the car's construction, with the racing expert ensuring the classic race car's character was not changed for the new model. The Porsche boss said that as Penske's involvement increased, the company realised he would be the perfect, and only, customer for the car. So while it was never intended to be a fully road-legal 963, Porsche received an exemption from the EPA in the US as it understood "how special" the car is. Despite this, it is not a fully road-registered car - and it needed special dispensation to run in France at the Le Mans 24hr weekend. For now, the car is expected to remain one-of-a-kind, with a Porsche spokesperson telling Top Gear that wide-scale selling would "change the character" of the iconic motor.
Scottish Sun
13 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Two people dead after car leaves the road and plunges off cliff at world-famous coastal landmark
CLIFF HORROR Two people dead after car leaves the road and plunges off cliff at world-famous coastal landmark Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TWO people have died after a car plunged 300ft off a cliff close to one of Britain's most well-known coastal spots. The silver motor fell into the water at Alum Bay close to The Needles on the Isle of Wight on Friday evening. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Two people have died after a car plunged off a cliff into the water at Alum Bay Credit: Solent Police have today confirmed that two people died in the tragedy, reports the Isle of Wight County Press. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said it was called shortly after 7.20pm on Friday to reports a car had left the road. Cops explained: "A car, which was being driven along Alum Bay New Road, left the road, came off the cliff top and came to rest in the water below." Multiple emergency services rushed to the scene, including police, firefighters, Ventnor and Needles Coastguard Rescue Teams and lifeboat crews. More to follow... For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.
Scottish Sun
14 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Top 10 fastest-selling used cars last month with bargain hatchback topping the list… and a shock runner-up
The motor in the top spot took just 8.6 days before it was snapped up HOT CAKES Top 10 fastest-selling used cars last month with bargain hatchback topping the list… and a shock runner-up Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE top 10 fastest-selling motors last month have been revealed - and the car ranked in second place is somewhat surprising. Data from Motors shared this week showed that used examples of the evergreen Vauxhall Corsa were the quickest out of the door of dealerships across the country in May. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 The newest version of the Vauxhall Corsa was the best-selling used car of May Credit: PA 2 The Ford Explorer was, perhaps surprisingly, in second spot Credit: Rich Pearce On average, a Corsa that's roughly six months to a year old stood on a forecourt for just 8.6 days before it was snapped up. The much-loved hatchback, which, on average costs between £11,000 and £14,000 second-hand, was followed, perhaps surprisingly, by the Ford Explorer in second place. Nearly-new examples of the pure-electric family SUV sold after 11.6 days on average - which the experts at Motors believing the Explorer's popularity was down to its 'keen pricing'. Still, the Explorer's place on the list is by far the most eye-catching, compared to others. The full top-10 list can be found below. Fastest selling used cars in the UK in May 1 - Vauxhall Corsa Age: 6 Months to 1 Year Fuel Type: Petrol Mileage: Less than 5k Miles Average Days to Sell: 8.6 2 - Ford Explorer Age: Less than 6 Months Fuel Type: Electric Mileage: Less than 5k Miles Average Days to Sell: 11.6 3 - MG HS Age: 1 Year to 2 Years Fuel Type: Petrol Mileage: 10k Miles to 20k Miles Average Days to Sell: 11.7 4 - Seat Ateca Age: Less than 6 Months Fuel Type: Petrol Mileage: Less than 5k Miles Average Days to Sell: 13.1 5 - Peugeot 2008 Age: Less than 6 Months Fuel Type: Petrol Mileage: Less than 5k Miles Average Days to Sell: 13.2 6 - Toyota Yaris Age: 2 Years to 3 Years Fuel Type: Hybrid Mileage: 10k Miles to 20k Miles Average Days to Sell: 14.7 7 - MG HS Age: 1 Year to 2 Years Fuel Type: Petrol Mileage: 5k Miles to 10k Miles Average Days to Sell: 14.8 8 - Vauxhall Corsa Age: 3 Years to 4 Years Fuel Type: Petrol Mileage: 20k Miles to 30k Miles Average Days to Sell: 16.0 9 - Peugeot 208 Age: Less than 6 Months Fuel Type: Petrol Mileage: Less than 5k Miles Average Days to Sell: 16.2 10 - Nissan Qashqai Age: 3 Years to 4 Years Fuel Type: Petrol Mileage: 10k Miles to 20k Miles Average Days to Sell: 17.9 Motors also revealed that dealer inventories averaged 52 units during May with the average price of a used car on their platform at £17,197. Overall, dealers were forced to trim their prices to get stock off of their forecourts. Commenting on the data for May, Motors marketing director Lucy Tugby told Car Dealer Mag: 'Other nearly new cars in our Top 10 include the Seat Ateca, Peugeot 2008 and Peugeot 208, suggesting competitive pricing as dealers moved to clear their stocks to avoid competing with promotions on new cars. 'The fast sales were achieved despite our May Market View analysis tracking a monthly increase in days to sell from 29.3 to 30.3.' OUT WITH THE OLD We're almost at the halfway point of 2025 in what's been a whirlwind six months or so in the motoring world. Ford puma E The UK is in the midst of a transition to electric vehicles which comes with new regulations and economic pressures, while the industry continues to adapt to changing consumer behaviour. Elsewhere, the Ford Puma remains the nation's favourite motor while Tesla's favouritism begins to dip, and Nissan's problems are going from bad to worse. We've also had some exciting car releases, from the Alpine A290 hot hatchback and Dacia Bigster SUV, through to the outrageous Aston Martin Valhalla. We've also learned of the demise of some of our favourite models - ready to drive off into the sunset. Here are some of the biggest nameplates reaching the end of their production runs that have been announced this year.
