Description
1930 Riley 9 for sale
“As old as the industry, as modern as the hour!” – Riley Motor
Riley’s masterpiece arrived in 1926 when the new Nine was announced. The chassis, suspension and bodywork were the work of Stanley Riley, while the hugely talented Percy Riley designed the brilliant little 9hp engine.
When first produced they were only available as a fabric bodied saloon, but all steel bodies were soon to follow. For the 1930/ 31 Model Year, the fuel tank was moved to the rear of the car and a new range called the Plus Series was introduced. Incorporating a number of upgrades, including the more robust ‘Merlin' crankshaft, the new models were a much-needed boost right in the middle of the great depression. Never cheap cars, the Riley Nine Plus Tourer cost £298 in 1930, nearly three times the price of a basic Austin 7.
Built around the turn of 1930/ 31 the exact build date of this example is uncertain as most of the Riley company build records were lost in the Coventry Blitz. The car has however been accepted by the VSCC as vintage and has a current VSCC Buff Form citing the date as 1930 and categorising the car as 'standard'. It is therefore eligible for vintage events and also for the excellent Light Car section of the VSCC provided only a single carburettor is fitted, and in this form the previous owner had used the car in Light Car section events. The previous owner had been told by Riley experts that around 50 of these all-steel bodies were left over when the Plus model was introduced, these being used up on the new car. The tourer body shares similarities with the outgoing Mark 4, including the horizontally divided windscreen and early type door handles. In any event, a steel bodied Plus tourer is a rare car indeed.
The peppy 1087cc four-cylinder engine thrives on high revs, its twin-camshafts mounted high in the block, making for short and light pushrods. These operate valves set at 45 degrees to the head which gave a very efficient crossflow layout, allowing prodigious power outputs to be extracted from this willing unit. Well maintained in previous years and benefitting from a recent service from Ted Riley Classics, who have looked after this car for the last 6 years. It runs extremely well with good oil pressure. The last major repair on the engine was the replacement of the thrust bearing which TRC manufactured from Phosphor Bronze in-house and fitted. At the same time TRC rectified an issue with the oil pressure relief valve. The car has performed very well ever since, only requiring light servicing in the meantime. The “silent third” manual gearbox with centre positioned gear lever makes for an engaging and rewarding drive. The gearbox selects well and has no signs of heavy wear. The rear axle has little free movement and does not leak and the prop shafts and running gear all look to be in good condition, albeit the underside components would benefit from a re-paint. A stainless-steel exhaust is also fitted. During 2015 a full top and bottom end engine overhaul took place, this being performed by Paul Connor, an engineer and Riley specialist well known to Riley owners in England. A bill for £2, 700 is in the history file showing that the engine was stripped, the block pressure tested, the bottom end re-metalled and the engine bored and fitted with new +20 Omega pistons. The unit was then properly balanced. Further work included a head overhaul, new head studs and an oil pump rebuild.
The electrics and wiring have been gone through by TRC in the form of a total re-wire front to back. All lights work as they should, including the additional indicators which were added during the earlier restoration, which also act as hazard lights.
The bodywork has fared well over the years however, it is now showing its age and although it presents well with a nice patina, it does have age related marks around the body. You will also notice that the underside of the wings could do with a re-fresh but should not require major surgery, the front wings have small blisters in the paintwork and so again would benefit from a re-fresh. The chassis is in good order, no signs of significant rust or deterioration of the metal.
The seats and interior in general are in very good condition, the seats were re-trimmed in the early 2000’s and as such have a nice age about them. The hood is in good condition, having had a brand-new hood made for the car in recent years in double duck fabric. A hood cover and a full set of side screens come with the car. The car drives very well with good road manners, more than capable of keeping up with modern traffic, cruising comfortably at speeds around 45-50mph. The brakes are reassuringly good for a pre-war car, having had new shoes all round at the start of summer 2024. Also of interest was the clever use of a continuous brake cable that not only allowed adjustment from the driving seat, but also gave an equal pull at each wheel, ensuring the brakes are always in balance.
In terms of recent work, Ted Riley Classics have carried out a full service, changing the engine oil, re-lined all brake shoes, greased all lubrication points. Lastly TRC had the wheels re-furbished, reusing the original hubs which were in good condition, new rims were manufactured, and new spokes were fitted all round, the wheels were then powder coated black and finished off with brand new Longstone Tyres. Since then, it has covered less than 500 miles and has never missed a beat.
An excellent addition to anyone’s collection or for someone looking to enter the pre-war car scene. This lovely little car is only for sale as the owner unfortunately passed away last year and so it is for sale on behalf of their estate. They had used the car regularly in their ownership and covered many thousands of miles, it proved to be extremely reliable and of course undeniable fun!
Viewing is recommended, the car is located near Huntly, Aberdeenshire. Please contact me directly to arrange a viewing, my email address is using the button below or Tel-the details below.
The asking price is £17, 000. 00, open to offers/ negotiation upon viewing. A deposit will secure the sale, and nation-wide delivery can be arranged at the buyer’s expense.
