Riley owners/lovers thread

[benstephens]

A thread for those who own/love Riley motor cars. Please post. I know this is very specific, but they did make such wonderfully British sports cars in the golden era.

Kindest Regards

BEn

 

[benstephens]

My First Riley. Got me hooked. A 1934 Riley Monaco

BEn

 

[benstephens]

The current car

Kindest Regards

Ben

 

[benstephens]

and the dream. Only 14 made apparently.....

Ben

 

[Sapphire]

Jolly good show, Ben! I really like the pre-war Rileys, especially since I saw a 6-window Kestrel at the National Weekend of the Scottish Riley enthusiasts last year...

Nevertheless I can only offer a post-war Riley, posing in front of an aircraft just like your Monaco:

And with opposite traffic:

Riley RMA from 1947.

Besides the Rileys I am also into Armstrong Siddeleys, hence the user name. There must be some attraction for me in cars built in Coventry!

 

[ThesFlishThngs]

I'd allow any of you to chauffeur me around in one of those!

 

[Smithy]

Good job starting this thread Ben!

I think I might have mentioned it before to you here at the Lounge but I'm a great fan of the Riley Brooklands motorcars. Also got a bit of a soft spot for the Imp as well.

You're current Kestrel is an absolute beauty Ben. I remember you saying last year that she was having the odd trouble mechanically. Hope those are all ironed out now.

 

[Sapphire]

For those who are interested I got some photos from the 2008 National Weekend of the Scottish Riley Enthusiasts on my website:

http://www.padmagruen.de/galerie/ph...ery=./Treffen/Scottish_Riley_Enthusiasts_2008

Fine cars, wonderful scenery and a great bunch of people ensured an excellent weekend. Any Riley friend or owner should seriously consider a trip to Scotland in May/June of each year. Their website is http://www.sre.gb.com/

Kind regards,
Tom

 

[Warbaby]

Another Riley fan here. I had a '52 2.5 litre saloon many years ago and it's one of the cars I've always regretted letting go (there's a '53 Morgan and a '33 MG L-Type on that list, as well).

Not a very good photo, but it's the only one I can find:

This is the Riley of my dreams:

 

[PADDY]

Some Riley pics

Ben's beauty (well the four-wheeled one!)

And at the same event with the delightful Lola L'Amour (Joanne), as we are both totally overshadowed by the beauty of this little Riley tourer!! Just gorgeous quite frankly!!

 

[KilroyCD]

I just found a video tour of Ben's Kestrel on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2T9QpUY3v8

 

[Sapphire]

I just found a video tour of Ben's Kestrel on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2T9QpUY3v8

Nice.. and good to hear the car as well! There are so many automobile videos on youtube where the sounds of the car are drowned in a background of music...

Looks like a pleasure to drive. Does it have a preselect gearbox?

Cheers,
Tom

 

[NicknNora]

Great looking autos! What is the price range for buying one? Are they expensive to service?

 

[Sapphire]

@ Nora: The price range depends on the model and technical condition. As these cars all have a wooden frame under the metal body, a rotten frame would either require excellent wagon-maker skills or lots of money for a professional restorer- usually exceeding the market value by far. You can get an idea on websites such as www.hemmings.com in the USA or www.carandclassic.com in the UK.

Mechanically at least the post-war cars are relatively easy to maintain. An active club in the UK supplies most parts. Cannot speak for the pre-war models though.

Tom

 

[Warbaby]

For the brave and foolish Riley fanatic, there's an auction coming up in September at a junkyard in Switzerland that has five Riley RMs:

http://marktplatzoldtimergalerie.oldtimer-info.ch/showerg.afp?!_2QB16LLIS&tempid=&type=A&cat=P&sid=&xid=&scat=&marke=RIL&preis=&farbe=&modell=00&baujahr=&baujahr_ende=&baujahre=&zustand=&standort=&karosserie=&sortierung=&umkreis=&plz=&level=&tp=&sptp=&sp=1&fulltext=&search_type=&lotnr=

More information (mostly in German) at:

http://www.oldtimergalerie.ch/e/inhalt.htm

And:

http://www.autofriedhof.ch/

 

[benstephens]

Hi All,

Sorry about length of time replying, have been away. Sapphire, that is a lovely RM. I think, biased as I am, that they are a very elegant post war car, plus, the engines are one of the best (Healey also believed that!)

The little green car Paddy posted is a 1932 Riley Gamecock. It is actually a very original car which is nice.

As for price, the pre war ones are not to dear to maintain, the club have all the spares etc, a few bits are getting hard to get, but not many, price, well, pre war ones are a lot now, especially the more sort after models. The MPH I posted, going by a recent sale, will set you back over £200K.

Mine is indeed a pre-select, and Smithy, after a lot of investigative work, touch wood is running fine now!

Sapphire, I am planning to be at Goodwood this year, you must try and look out for me and say hello!

Kindest Regards

Ben

 

[benstephens]

http://www.prewarcar.com/show_prewar_car.asp?car_id=52944

A real one for sale!!!

 

[Sapphire]

Sapphire, I am planning to be at Goodwood this year, you must try and look out for me and say hello!

Ben, I will certainly look out for you and your Riley on the pre-66 parking. We will be there all three days, presumably with our black 1956 Armstrong-Siddeley Sapphire. There shouldn't be too many of these around with German number plate...

The owner of our garage also has a Riley, it is a 1938 TT Sprite Special that he is regularly using on the racetrack.

Cheers,
Thomas

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

Coventry

Besides the Rileys I am also into Armstrong Siddeleys, hence the user name. There must be some attraction for me in cars built in Coventry!

Shouldnt that be a Air Atlantique DC3 then

 

[Sapphire]

Shouldnt that be a Air Atlantique DC3 then

Good point. As far as I know they are down to ATP's and a few Electras though , so Martinair is probably a worthy replacement .

Cheers,
Thomas