British Saloon Project: 1951 Riley RMB

My challenge here at Barn Finds, with a mostly American and slightly past-the-age-of-restoration crowd, is to impress you with the remarkable Riley. It’s a tall order. Obviously, the photos are …. less than stellar. And perhaps for the Riley aficionado, this particular example might not be the best. But this listing offers the opportunity to explore the history of Riley and to understand how it fits into the sporting car realm. Riley was founded as a bicycle company in 1890; motorcars soon followed. The Riley RM was launched just after the war, in 1945. Rather than a model, the RM was a series: the RMA was a 1 1/2 liter saloon, the RMB was a 2 1/2 liter saloon, the RMCs were roadsters, and the RMD was a drophead. Production continued through 1957, and more than 28,000 were made. Here on eBay is a 1951 Riley RMB project car in a no-reserve auction. Bidding has reached $1234 (not a misprint); the car with its parts is located in Scottsville, Kentucky.

Either of the Riley four-cylinder engines was wondrous: constructed with twin overhead cams acting on short pushrods and breathing through twin SU carbs, the 2.5-liter “Big Four” made over 100 hp – a significant benchmark in the immediate post-war time frame. Even the 1 1/2 liter was good for 60 hp. Both engines rev freely, propelling their respective Rileys, if not quickly, at least in a sporting fashion. The gearbox is a four-speed manual; independent suspension aids handling. The seller notes that while his car rolls easily, he has not attempted to start the engine. The bonnet would have center hinges, with each side opening separately from a center panel section.

Riley provided its buyers with reasonably lush quarters, including a wood dash, individual pleated leather-covered seats in front, and a roomy bench seat in the rear. The roof was covered in padded leatherette, and the cars were delivered carpeted. The front doors opened suicide-fashion, hinged at the rear. This example is missing its split windscreen, though the seller says the car is “very complete”, with piles of parts in the trunk. Left-hand drive is a bonus – most of these cars were made to roam England.

As noted, these photos do not do the car justice. Despite its pre-war design, the car’s lines were viewed favorably. Viewed in profile, the long bonnet balances the neatly tapered tail; this photo shows a well-restored RMA. If your heart is set on a Riley, try for a drophead coupe or a roadster – though even rarer than the saloons, the top-down experience in this swanky, long-bonneted, sporty machine will make you feel like the Great Gatsby. Prices for the saloons range around $10k; the drophead will cost twice as much, but it’s worth it.