Description
1936 Riley MPH 15/ 6 Recreation - if ever there was a more sought after 1930s sports car!
1192 miles since completion - the largest 1726cc 15/ 6 engine fitted to this car just being run in
£124950 - cost to build was over 5 figures...
Wider track Riley chassis with additional 4" to the chassis for ease of driver and passenger access, specifically added to the doors
Stunning & Immaculate.
10 years to build. Completed 2018
Attention to detail astounding.
Complete set of Marchal headlamps and spot-lamps...
1) The challenge with the few original MPH Rileys made in period is that you need a much smaller pilot than pre war in order to access and drive one. This car offered today solves that problem.
2) The other problem is that an original MPH is also several hundred thousand pounds more expensive than this car offered today... offered at approximately 1/ 6th of the most expensive original MPH sold recently.
Like other manufacturers, following the motor business’s age-old tradition of success at motor sport in order to gain sales of road cars, Riley produced some of the most attractive cars available by the 1930s.
The view down the long bonnet with such elegant flowing wings and running boards must be one of the most desirable sights of any car of the 1930s. Just look at these photographs !
All very well for the shorter pilot, but this severely affects sales of the genuine article to the buyer today, being a good deal taller than those customers before the war. Not least, just 16 original Riley MPH cars were built, so so rare to have any hope of acquiring such an original car
THIS CAR OFFERED TODAY
This fabulous car offered for sale today with 4” extra cockpit room was originally conceived to cater for one man’s long time dream to have an MPH-inspired recreation but with the more space in the cockpit to be comfortable for both driver and passenger.
Indeed this large and expensive project took 10 years to fruition, with enormous help from our vendor’s friend and very well known professional Riley expert, Ian Gladstone and his talented team based in Somerset, resulting in just 1192 miles driven since the cars’ completion in 2018.
Planned continental use of this car was however curtailed over the Covid 19 lockdown period up to 2022/ 3. However, since that time life has taken over and although our vendor remains wedded to his very original W O Bentley 3-litre – the Bentley has greater cockpit capacity for him these days with much easier pilot access to the controls.
DETAILS OF THIS STUNNING MPH RECREATION TO INCREASED ACCOMMODATION IS AS FOLLOWS
The 4” extra length in the doors has been possible from a wide track Kestrel-type chassis, duly adapted to the new MPH bodywork.
The ash frame was made locally by Bruce Bellamy, before the new panelling was constructed by well known Riley expert Brian Martin, using sheet aluminium to exacting standards.
All the top quality instruments are by Jaeger – clock, oil temperature, oil pressure, including the chronometric speedo and rev counter, with Lucas ammeter, were sourced and then restored by Chris Clarke of Derby, with the dashboard cut out & fitted to original design by the owner.
The electrical wiring and bespoke wiring loom was designed by Glen Crawford, an auto electrician used by Ian Gladstone and manufactured by AutoSparks using the correct fabric covering – and then fitted by the owner.
A bespoke windscreen with fly screens were made by the experts at Wessex Windscreens, all newly chromed, collected and fitted by the owner.
New cast aluminium Alfin drums were fitted all round from the specialists Typecast of Leicester at a cost of £1830 and then new vented air scoops were fabricated and fitted to the front axle back plates.
Once completed, the car was then trimmed on site by magician ex Rolls-Royce coach trimmer Mike Greenbank.
4-speed Wilson pre-select gearbox – rebuilt with all new gears fitted.
1726cc 15/ 6 six cylinder engine fitted - just admire that exhaust manifold! The engine was completely stripped and rebuilt. The crankshaft was crack tested and had minimal wear so was ground/ balanced, with new Arrow con-rods and new pistons. All machining white metal etc was carried out by Hamlyn Engineering - well respected in Bridgwater. New high lift camshafts were made by Keith Pointing, well known at his Southend workshop. Ian Gladstone was very old school and did not see the necessity to have the engine Dyno tested and nor did our vendor, as he was never going to use the car for anything other than touring and fun.
An intricate and clever fold away hood frame is located under the rear tonneau together with the hood which attaches to the studs located across the front edge of the windscreen. Included are wind deflectors to both sides of the windscreen as well as location points in both door tops for side screens if a purchaser should so wish to fabricate them
For provision of a luggage rack :- Included are some fabricated brackets made to fit between the body and rear wings to support a luggage rack, painted but not fitted. These will support a custom made luggage rack which could be made to suit a purchaser's requirements if participating on a rally or trip away for instance.
Fitted with the correct 4. 50 / 5. 00 x 18” Blockley Tyres
Careful running in, all oils changed, head tightened to specification at 550 miles again in house.
A photographic record of the whole 10 year project is available to inspect and copy.
If the purchaser would like to retain the existing registration number, the owner is willing to discuss this by separate negotiation. Otherwise, the car is expected to retain the number originally allocated to this car
Do please listen to the engine on this YOU TUBE link :-
- details above
Reason for selling? Six years on from completion, our vendor has decided that his W O Bentley is more accessible and so sadly has decided to sell his Riley. He had hoped to use this car in the 2019-2023 period but dur to Covid lockdown this was not possible - and now the moment has passed...
£124, 950
_____________________
BACKGROUND TO THE RILEY MPH
Riley was a company that had the rightful claim to being “As old as the industry, as modern as the hour” - with origins back to 1896 before they were acquired by the Nuffield Organisation some forty years later.
With the introduction of the Riley 9 in 1926, this car had an engine of classic design with two high camshafts and hemispherical combustion chambers, features of which were to characterise Riley engines for the next 30 years. These power units were to contribute much to the success of the ERA. voiturette racing engines – and therefore to British prestige.
By 1929 Riley had enlarged the 4-cylinder 1087cc engine to 6-cylinders by simply adding two cylinders to the same 1100cc 60. 3mm bore and 95. 2mm stroke dimensions, immediately resulting in the 1633cc 14/ 6 engine. For 1934/ 5 the short lived 1458cc six of reduced 57mm bore and same 95. 2mm stroke was the smallest MPH offering, joining the aforementioned 1633cc engine also for 1934/ 5, with the final largest MPH engine for 1934/ 5 of 1726cc having an increased bore of 62mm, retaining the same 95. 2mm stroke which dominated all the way from the Riley 9 of 1926.
The MPH had half-elliptic springs and solid axles front and rear and based on the Works-prepared car for the 1933 TT races. With an underslung chassis at the rear and a wheelbase of 8’ 1 1/ 2”, the car is as seen in the very well known period mono photo shown here to compare with our car. Impressively large 15” brake drums were fitted.
____________________
Although we attempt to ensure accuracy of any statement or detail, the customer must make his or her own judgement in purchasing this car. The purchaser of the above car understands that he or she is purchasing a historic motor car with components that are up to 88 years old and sold as a collector item. There is no warranty given or implied due to the age of the car.
