Discussion
I had a 1954 RME - a one and a half litre saloon. It's a 1940's design (the engine is essentially a Riley 12/4 as found in several pre-war models) so you have pre-war levels of performance and economy. The RMA/RME are the better handling, the RMB/RMF have more power being two and a half litre though at the cost of handling as their engines are that much heavier. Prices have risen sharply in recent years. Restoration costs can be high; they're wood framed and replacing those parts can be as expensive as in much more valuable pre-war cars however the end result is worth it, they're very stylish cars. Spares supply is probably the best of any '50s car thanks largely to owners' clubs.
They are really attractive looking cars.
I had one in the 1990s and I can't tell you how many positive comments it used to attract. The number of people who asked if it was available for weddings I reckon I could have earned a small fortune.
Checking the ash frame is critical as buying a poor RM to restore is not financially viable (but I suppose few classic cars are, we do it because we love them don't we?). Mine was a 1947 RMA with the round dials, and carriage key to open the external bonnet locks.
Often wondered what happened to it.
I had one in the 1990s and I can't tell you how many positive comments it used to attract. The number of people who asked if it was available for weddings I reckon I could have earned a small fortune.
Checking the ash frame is critical as buying a poor RM to restore is not financially viable (but I suppose few classic cars are, we do it because we love them don't we?). Mine was a 1947 RMA with the round dials, and carriage key to open the external bonnet locks.
Often wondered what happened to it.
mph said:
Another car I've always liked but never even driven. Was going to follow-up on one last week but it sold before I got the chance.
Anyone on here have any experience of them, good or bad ?
I've driven one example each of the RME (1.5-litre) and RMF (2.5-litre). Both are a strange mix of 1940s styling/design with 1950s engineering. The RME was noticeably more agile and had more positive steering than the RMF, but was very slow (0-60 in about 30 seconds and a top speed of about 70mph, so roughly the same performance as my 2CV Dolly!). The 'Big Riley' was much quicker and felt much more 'relaxed' to drive, easily able to mix it with modern traffic and cruise at modern road speeds without feeling like it was being stressed. Anyone on here have any experience of them, good or bad ?
Both have ride and handling far better than their age and looks would suggest, with very supple but well-controlled springing and lovely (if rather heavy, especially in the RMF) rack and pinion centre-point steering. The RME/F have all-hydraulic brakes which felt perfectly adequate - I have no experience of the hydro-mechanical system of the RMA/RMB. The DOHV engine is very smooth and peppy for its time, which is just as well as it does have to be worked quite hard, especially in the 1.5-litre cars.
I've always liked the look of them too. I haven't driven one but I've spoken to owners at shows - they all seem to like them, and as a previous poster said, the spares situation is good via owners clubs. The driving position felt fine to me too. The engine is a neat design too, by Edward Turner, featuring twin cams mounted low and using short pushrods - a Turner trademark in all sorts of things including Triumph motorcycle engines.
Perseverant said:
I've always liked the look of them too. I haven't driven one but I've spoken to owners at shows - they all seem to like them, and as a previous poster said, the spares situation is good via owners clubs. The driving position felt fine to me too. The engine is a neat design too, by Edward Turner, featuring twin cams mounted low and using short pushrods - a Turner trademark in all sorts of things including Triumph motorcycle engines.
Edward Turner didn't design the Riley engine, it was designed in-house. Turner did use some of the design elements in his own engines.mph said:
Perseverant said:
I've always liked the look of them too. I haven't driven one but I've spoken to owners at shows - they all seem to like them, and as a previous poster said, the spares situation is good via owners clubs. The driving position felt fine to me too. The engine is a neat design too, by Edward Turner, featuring twin cams mounted low and using short pushrods - a Turner trademark in all sorts of things including Triumph motorcycle engines.
Edward Turner didn't design the Riley engine, it was designed in-house. Turner did use some of the design elements in his own engines.There is a massive difference between the two. The designs only really share front engine rear wheel drive layout and torquey engines.
The Daimler is streets ahead in power, torque and economy and of course speed, in fact, everything but ride and internal space
The Riley is a big old bus, with lots of charm, not much in the way of brakes though; drums all round with rods at the rear
The Daimler has 4 discs front and back, not bad for 1958
I just haven't had the spare time to get to grips with the Riley so it's going soon.
Having two cars has been very frustrating.
mph said:
Edward Turner didn't design the Riley engine, it was designed in-house. Turner did use some of the design elements in his own engines.
The 1½ litre Riley is a developed version of the pre-war Riley 12/4 which was designed by R.H. Rose using the valve train layout inherited from Riley's Nine h.p. Rose, with some others from the Riley, moved on in 1937 to re-invent Lea-Francis for whom he designed an engine similar to the 12/4 but with a number of significant changes. Post-war he designed a 2½ litre "big four" for Lea-Francis which did not have the close relationship to the Riley 2½ litre that the 1½ litre engines had.The design elements that are similar when comparing Turner's Triumph Speed Twin/Daimler SP250 and Rose's Riley/Lea-Francis designs are hemispherical combustion chambers with inclined o.h.v. operated by push-rods and "round the corner" rockers.
Edited by Allan L on Monday 19th March 17:18
I've always liked the look of these but I don't think I've ever seen one in the flesh (in the wood/metal?) let alone driven one.. As I've bought two classics this year, there isn't really scope for another for a few years but when that time comes I'll certainly be looking at a Riley- preferably an RMF.
Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff