Riley 1.5

[Penny Whistle]

Riley Blue said:

I'll make further enquiries tomorrow.

Can you check whether 357NHW is still around ? The first car I had that I really liked ... back around 1970.

To the OP - I really think that the Riley is a lot more attractive than the Wolseley, both in terms of the front end styling and the dashboard. And of course it has those twin SUs. Wow.

[ClaphamGT3]

Riley Blue said:

ClaphamGT3 said:

Riley Blue said:

ClaphamGT3 said:

Out of interest, does anyone know if MCF25 is still floating about?

Grey One-Point-Five first registered 13 June 1958. It doesn't show on AskMid nor is it in the One-Point-Five Register.

Strange. It belonged to a school friend of my brothers. He restored it as a teenager in the early 80s (parents owned a BLMC dealership and his father restored Jaguars as a hobby).

He used it for twenty years before I lost touch with him. Couldn't see him either parting with it or letting it go to seed

I'll make further enquiries tomorrow.

Thanks. If helpful, I can DM you some more details

[crankedup5]

Penny Whistle said:

Riley Blue said:

I'll make further enquiries tomorrow.

Can you check whether 357NHW is still around ? The first car I had that I really liked ... back around 1970.

To the OP - I really think that the Riley is a lot more attractive than the Wolseley, both in terms of the front end styling and the dashboard. And of course it has those twin SUs. Wow.

Yes I agree, the Riley is certainly a better prospect, I need to be patient for the right car to pop up.

[Riley Blue]

crankedup5 said:

jeremyc said:

crankedup5 said:

Still looking for a nice Riley one point five or a Wolesley 1500, didn’t think it would be such a difficult car to track down!

There are six Wolesley 1500s and two Riley 1.5s listed on Car & Classic at the moment.

Thanks, yes I have seen them but not quite what I’m after for various reasons. Shouldn’t be so fussy really considering the budget.

The beige/ivory car could be worth a close look. First registered 11/02/63, fully restored 2006-7 by a well known Riley enthusiast. Has changed hands at least four times since though sensibly updated from what I can see in the photos.

[crankedup5]

Riley Blue said:

crankedup5 said:

jeremyc said:

crankedup5 said:

Still looking for a nice Riley one point five or a Wolesley 1500, didn’t think it would be such a difficult car to track down!

There are six Wolesley 1500s and two Riley 1.5s listed on Car & Classic at the moment.

Thanks, yes I have seen them but not quite what I’m after for various reasons. Shouldn’t be so fussy really considering the budget.

The beige/ivory car could be worth a close look. First registered 11/02/63, fully restored 2006-7 by a well known Riley enthusiast. Has changed hands at least four times since though sensibly updated from what I can see in the photos.

The car at Manor auctions I assume.
Very smart looking car with a eye popping spec’, extremely tempting but I wonder if it’s a little to full on. Although 100bhp doesn’t seem to be over egged? Seriously tempting.

[Riley Blue]

crankedup5 said:

Riley Blue said:

crankedup5 said:

jeremyc said:

crankedup5 said:

Still looking for a nice Riley one point five or a Wolesley 1500, didn’t think it would be such a difficult car to track down!

There are six Wolesley 1500s and two Riley 1.5s listed on Car & Classic at the moment.

Thanks, yes I have seen them but not quite what I’m after for various reasons. Shouldn’t be so fussy really considering the budget.

The beige/ivory car could be worth a close look. First registered 11/02/63, fully restored 2006-7 by a well known Riley enthusiast. Has changed hands at least four times since though sensibly updated from what I can see in the photos.

The car at Manor auctions I assume.
Very smart looking car with a eye popping spec’, extremely tempting but I wonder if it’s a little to full on. Although 100bhp doesn’t seem to be over egged? Seriously tempting.

That's the one. There's nothing on it that I wouldn't have on mine apart from the rust bubbles.

[tr7v8]

During my peak hill climb watching in the UK a guy used to hill climb a Riley 1500 with a Rover V8 in it. Always looked great.

[crankedup5]

Riley Blue said:

crankedup5 said:

Riley Blue said:

crankedup5 said:

jeremyc said:

crankedup5 said:

Still looking for a nice Riley one point five or a Wolesley 1500, didn’t think it would be such a difficult car to track down!

There are six Wolesley 1500s and two Riley 1.5s listed on Car & Classic at the moment.

Thanks, yes I have seen them but not quite what I’m after for various reasons. Shouldn’t be so fussy really considering the budget.

The beige/ivory car could be worth a close look. First registered 11/02/63, fully restored 2006-7 by a well known Riley enthusiast. Has changed hands at least four times since though sensibly updated from what I can see in the photos.

The car at Manor auctions I assume.
Very smart looking car with a eye popping spec’, extremely tempting but I wonder if it’s a little to full on. Although 100bhp doesn’t seem to be over egged? Seriously tempting.

That's the one. There's nothing on it that I wouldn't have on mine apart from the rust bubbles.

I don’t think the modifications would affect reliability to a great extent? The rust, well yes that needs sorting as a matter of urgency, but if it’s restricted to a couple of panel areas perhaps not to expensive to have fixed. I may well have a bid on it.

[Riley Blue]

crankedup5 said:

I don’t think the modifications would affect reliability to a great extent? The rust, well yes that needs sorting as a matter of urgency, but if it’s restricted to a couple of panel areas perhaps not to expensive to have fixed. I may well have a bid on it.

The modifications shouldn't affect reliability at all, like any older car it just needs regular maintenance and should go on and on. There have been reports of half shafts snapping but I've never met anyone who has actually had it happen on their car. The rust doesn't look bad but there may be more hidden away (same area on mine below).

[crankedup5]

Thanks david, your comments are helpful and appreciated.
We do have a very good car bodywork repairer in my Town, but of course as you mention rust can be well hidden. Some pals of mine dropped in their rather lovely Volvo Amazon to their repairers for a little ‘titivation’ in ended up a full structural rebuild stripped down to the last nut and bolt
But the Riley does look a strong car, a trip up North beckons I reckon.

[Riley Blue]

crankedup5 said:

Thanks david, your comments are helpful and appreciated.
We do have a very good car bodywork repairer in my Town, but of course as you mention rust can be well hidden. Some pals of mine dropped in their rather lovely Volvo Amazon to their repairers for a little ‘titivation’ in ended up a full structural rebuild stripped down to the last nut and bolt
But the Riley does look a strong car, a trip up North beckons I reckon.

My Riley passed its MOT year after year with no mention of rust. Then the MOT tester retired and his son took over and the horror was revealed. The car needed extensive work over a couple of years with numerous new panels (make sure whatever you buy doesn't need any, they're very scare and very expensive).

Always happy to help - hope this (below) doesn't scare you off!

[crankedup5]

^^^^
Blimey that’s scary, I will have a good poke around but as you say hidden rust is usually lurking. Sixty years old I expect most have some rust.
Back in the day our ‘courting car’ was a Wolesley 1500, that was fifty five years ago! my wife was diagnosed with dementia last year, going back will be very beneficial for her. (and me).

[david.h]

In the early 60's I served in Germany and the 1.5 Riley was one of the few (non overdrive) British cars that was happy on the autobahn. As I recall it has a 1.9 (2.9?)ratio axle giving a decent mph/1000revs. About 24 I think. I had an 850 cc mini and then an MG 1100 that both revved their hearts out (MG cruised happily at 80/85,but didn't have a rev counter so I was blissfully unaware of the rpm...about 6000 I reckon.
It ran it's main bearings. An oil cooler fixed it,but a bit late!

[tr7v8]

david.h said:

In the early 60's I served in Germany and the 1.5 Riley was one of the few (non overdrive) British cars that was happy on the autobahn. As I recall it has a 1.9 (2.9?)ratio axle giving a decent mph/1000revs. About 24 I think. I had an 850 cc mini and then an MG 1100 that both revved their hearts out (MG cruised happily at 80/85,but didn't have a rev counter so I was blissfully unaware of the rpm...about 6000 I reckon).Innocence of youth!
It ran it's main bearings. An oil cooler fixed it,but a bit late!

Pretty sure the riley was the only BMC axle with a 3.77 diff in it. The B series is pretty torquey so could pull that.

[david.h]

I stand corrected! Of course the axle is a Minor etc origin not the MGA unit.
I think the speed in the gears if you really nailed it, was almost 80 in third, 50 in second and 30 in bottom!

[crankedup5]

Getting my ducks in line waiting for the auction day, I will post success or fail on my bid.

[Lester H]

Given that the Riley and Wolseley are so similar but there were lots more Wolseley sold, would it not make economic sense to look for one of these. Apart from the addition of a rev counter, the Wolseley is equally plush with leather seats, many two tone, and the veneered dash with wood fillets on the A pillars and internal window sills, chrome gearstick at al. The Riley front appearance is more sporting, but it would be fairly easy to install the twin SU carbs onto a Wolseley. As these appear more staid, as befits the original badge engineering marketing of a ‘posh Minor’ , I wonder if more Wolseley will have survived in redeemable order. All a hell of a long time ago ,though!

[Turbobanana]

Lester H said:

Given that the Riley and Wolseley are so similar but there were lots more Wolseley sold, would it not make economic sense to look for one of these. Apart from the addition of a rev counter, the Wolseley is equally plush with leather seats, many two tone, and the veneered dash with wood fillets on the A pillars and internal window sills, chrome gearstick at al. The Riley front appearance is more sporting, but it would be fairly easy to install the twin SU carbs onto a Wolseley. As these appear more staid, as befits the original badge engineering marketing of a ‘posh Minor’ , I wonder if more Wolseley will have survived in redeemable order. All a hell of a long time ago ,though!

Plus... Ghost Light! I assume they have them?

[Riley Blue]

Lester H said:

Given that the Riley and Wolseley are so similar but there were lots more Wolseley sold, would it not make economic sense to look for one of these. Apart from the addition of a rev counter, the Wolseley is equally plush with leather seats, many two tone, and the veneered dash with wood fillets on the A pillars and internal window sills, chrome gearstick at al. The Riley front appearance is more sporting, but it would be fairly easy to install the twin SU carbs onto a Wolseley. As these appear more staid, as befits the original badge engineering marketing of a ‘posh Minor’ , I wonder if more Wolseley will have survived in redeemable order. All a hell of a long time ago ,though!

OK, let's see what I remember off the top of my head...

The mechanical differences are more than just twin carbs e.g. the Riley has a different cam and bigger brakes so you'd need to do more than fit twin carbs. I've an idea there are other difference but can't remember them at the moment, essentially the Riley engine is the same as an early MGA.

Later Rileys didn't have wood fillets on the A pillars and they also had a parcel shelf. Later models also had a lower ride height - I'm not sure whether these also apply to Wolseley badged cars. Not all Wolseley cars have leather seats; there was a 'fleet' model that didn't.

[Penny Whistle]

Turbobanana said:

Plus... Ghost Light! I assume they have them?

Oh yes.