Now that really is a classic I never drive one as a mechanic back in the day, I remember finding one in the scrapyard & thinking that it shouldn't be crushed but I was unable to save it.
Thank You "very" much for showing this beautiful Car, I like everything about it. I think that in the 1930s we reached a pinacol in building proper quality automobiles. That preselect gearbox is lovely, so smooth! Thanks again. 😳WoW.
Lovely looking car, but it is not a twin overhead camshaft engine as you keep saying with the greatest respects (even if it looks like one which it isn’t). It’s one of those fallacies’s which keeps repeating itself around this magnificent engine. The engine has hemispherical combustion chambers and inclined overhead valves. It has been called the most significant engine development in the 1920s (subsequently used by Riley into the 1950s with the Riley Pathfinder being the last to use it in 2.5L form). With twin camshafts set high in the cylinder block and valves operated by short pushrods below, it provides power and efficiency without the servicing complexity of an OHC (overhead camshaft) layout. I hope the Riley finds a good home!
Hi wey back in the mid 60s my Dad bought me a Riley Elf 1500cc twin carbs the main headlights were on the wings they used to wobble on bumpy surfaces, the interior was very much like the 36 Kestrel real leather seats gorgeous dash it's manufactured in the early 50s I only wish I had a photo for you many thanks for the memories you have given me 😮 xx.
Howler! It does not have a fluid flywheel.. That was the Daimler system; Riley bought theirs from Armstron Siddely which had a mechanical centrifugal clutch. Same result - different system. Also the cams were " high" on the side of the block with short pushrods and not overhead cam.
The Pytchly roof had bent plate retainers on the roof slides which rotted. The 15/6 had a lovely engine but it had a water cooled centre bearing on the crankshaft and they were not always provided with adequate anti-freeze in winter hence they are a rare engine to find now. If you set the hand throttle to mild tick over in first gear with hand brake off you can close the door, walk some distance, turn and whistle and it will come slowly to you. Great fun for a young man showing off!
This is the 1st time I have seen one of these. I have driven a few preselects and they are an amazing way to shift gears. I doubt if they made it to Oz.
did NOT have, " twin overhead camshafts " ; did NOT have," fluid flywheel " . Riley did a lot of " bold pioneering " - perhaps too much. The last " real " Rileys were the 1938 models . Starting in 1939,except for the engines,Rileys were just cobbled together from out of the Nuffield Parts Bin - mainly Wolseley parts. By the late 1950's,Rileys were nothing but pieces of BMC " badge engineering " . But,up to the end of the 1938 - Model Year, Rileys really were - " something special " , and a credit to British Engineering and British Enterprise.
The gearbox sounds as though it hasn't had many miles on it since a rebuild; they usually wail and squeal much more than this. Might be a good idea to show the engine from both sides though.
The speaker termed it a twin cam. He was correct, but then at 3:53 he said it was twin overhead cam.... There are two cams, just above the crankshaft, operating the overhead valves via very long pushrods and rockers. This is exactly the layout copied on Triumph twin cylinder motorcycles from 1936. Designer Edward Turner owned a Riley car. He also made the mistake of referring to the left pedal as a clutch. It isn't a clutch pedal. This car has a pre-selector gearbox, with a fluid flywheel. That left pedal is what initiates a gearchange (already selected on that elegant lever below the steering wheel), but simply is not a clutch pedal. I was interested to note that it has a four speed gearbox, I thought they were mostly 3-speeders.
@@mikeadams7829 ENV made pre-selector gearboxes, to Wilson patents... the 3 speed was certainly used on many British cars. Most MGs with preselector were 3, but the K3 Magnette got a 4 speed. Someone I met in classic motorbike circles (I have a Norton and am restoring a Vincent) told me that his uncle used to repair Rileys, and bought a number of six cylinder cars with broken cranks. He discovered a Ford 6 crank for a rare model that would go into Rileys almost unmodified. Sadly he had no idea what model Ford this was. It would be great to pin this story down.
Many of these cars were laid up during WWII. The song is evocative of the early post-war era of optimism when these cars were back on the road, still in regular use.
Twin cams, but not overhead cams as the man said. The cams were high in the block with short push rods.
Now that really is a classic I never drive one as a mechanic back in the day, I remember finding one in the scrapyard & thinking that it shouldn't be crushed but I was unable to save it.
Thank You "very" much for showing this beautiful Car, I like everything about it. I think that in the 1930s we reached a pinacol
in building proper quality automobiles. That preselect gearbox is lovely, so smooth! Thanks again. 😳WoW.
Lovely looking car, but it is not a twin overhead camshaft engine as you keep saying with the greatest respects (even if it looks like one which it isn’t). It’s one of those fallacies’s which keeps repeating itself around this magnificent engine.
The engine has hemispherical combustion chambers and inclined overhead valves. It has been called the most significant engine development in the 1920s (subsequently used by Riley into the 1950s with the Riley Pathfinder being the last to use it in 2.5L form). With twin camshafts set high in the cylinder block and valves operated by short pushrods below, it provides power and efficiency without the servicing complexity of an OHC (overhead camshaft) layout.
I hope the Riley finds a good home!
Yes. I stand corrected. My slip of the tongue Mark. I got it right twice! Filming, narrating and doing it all without a script isn't easy!
Hi wey back in the mid 60s my Dad bought me a Riley Elf 1500cc twin carbs the main headlights were on the wings they used to wobble on bumpy surfaces, the interior was very much like the 36 Kestrel real leather seats gorgeous dash it's manufactured in the early 50s I only wish I had a photo for you many thanks for the memories you have given me 😮 xx.
One of my all time favourite classics love the sweeping look of that back end
Glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for commenting.
They don’t get much prettier than this old girl 😍
I wish we could find more but they are quite rare. Pre-war Rileys are such great cars.
Rileys are great.
Agreed. We always seem to sell them quickly. Very popular.
Beautiful car and perfect song :-)
Thank you Rupert!
Very nice Riley. Very different in car design in comparison to other cars that were around at that time.
I totally agree!
Well done. Beautiful car. BTW Sentimental Journey did not come out until 1944. All the best.
You share my love of getting the trivia correct !
Thanks. That was my reasoning. This was the sort of car still being used in wartime.
Howler! It does not have a fluid flywheel.. That was the Daimler system; Riley bought theirs from Armstron Siddely which had a mechanical centrifugal clutch. Same result - different system.
Also the cams were " high" on the side of the block with short pushrods and not overhead cam.
120 years of cars. Thousands of models, not working from a script, it happens - well spotted- thank you!
If your going to correct old chap it's...Armstrong Siddeley 😉
The Pytchly roof had bent plate retainers on the roof slides which rotted. The 15/6 had a lovely engine but it had a water cooled centre bearing on the crankshaft and they were not always provided with adequate anti-freeze in winter hence they are a rare engine to find now. If you set the hand throttle to mild tick over in first gear with hand brake off you can close the door, walk some distance, turn and whistle and it will come slowly to you. Great fun for a young man showing off!
Thanks for your comment!
My first car in 1957/8. Swopped for '36 Austin 10 four months later 😢😢
Great cars!
This is the 1st time I have seen one of these. I have driven a few preselects and they are an amazing way to shift gears. I doubt if they made it to Oz.
A few pre-selector cars did go to Australia. Daimler and Armstrong Siddeley I think.
Apparently there are a few Rileys of this era in rhe southern hemisphere and a few from new 👍
did NOT have, " twin overhead camshafts " ; did NOT have," fluid flywheel " . Riley did a lot of " bold pioneering " - perhaps too much. The last " real " Rileys were the 1938 models . Starting in 1939,except for the engines,Rileys were just cobbled together from out of the Nuffield Parts Bin - mainly Wolseley parts. By the late 1950's,Rileys were nothing but pieces of BMC " badge engineering " . But,up to the end of the 1938 - Model Year, Rileys really were - " something special " , and a credit to British Engineering and British Enterprise.
Great vid, lovely car.
Thank you! 👍
A lovely resto. these cars were craftsperson built !
I'm glad you appreciate this lovely Riley. Thank you for watching and commenting.
what a very pretty car, love it
Thanks!
The gearbox sounds as though it hasn't had many miles on it since a rebuild; they usually wail and squeal much more than this. Might be a good idea to show the engine from both sides though.
Good point. I was running out of time and quite close to dusk as I filmed this one.
They look like overhead camshaft engines, but I think you'll find they are not. but are overhead valve.....
The speaker termed it a twin cam. He was correct, but then at 3:53 he said it was twin overhead cam.... There are two cams, just above the crankshaft, operating the overhead valves via very long pushrods and rockers. This is exactly the layout copied on Triumph twin cylinder motorcycles from 1936. Designer Edward Turner owned a Riley car.
He also made the mistake of referring to the left pedal as a clutch. It isn't a clutch pedal. This car has a pre-selector gearbox, with a fluid flywheel. That left pedal is what initiates a gearchange (already selected on that elegant lever below the steering wheel), but simply is not a clutch pedal. I was interested to note that it has a four speed gearbox, I thought they were mostly 3-speeders.
@@pashakdescilly7517 I had a riley 4 cylinder, it was a four speed...and not overhead cam...
@@pashakdescilly7517 My 1337 Riley had a centrifugal clutch ,( I removed it as they have a tendency to fly to bits !).
1337 ? thats an old car 1937, as far as I know all preselector cars were 4 speed ,the very last cars were 3 speed manual with overdrive.
@@mikeadams7829 ENV made pre-selector gearboxes, to Wilson patents... the 3 speed was certainly used on many British cars. Most MGs with preselector were 3, but the K3 Magnette got a 4 speed.
Someone I met in classic motorbike circles (I have a Norton and am restoring a Vincent) told me that his uncle used to repair Rileys, and bought a number of six cylinder cars with broken cranks. He discovered a Ford 6 crank for a rare model that would go into Rileys almost unmodified. Sadly he had no idea what model Ford this was. It would be great to pin this story down.
NOT overhead cam!
Correct sir!
Nice looking vehicle..
Which part of 'Deco,' sounds like daycar?
Yorkshire accent and proud of it!
Great car era incorrect music as "sentimental journey" was 1944 😉
Many of these cars were laid up during WWII. The song is evocative of the early post-war era of optimism when these cars were back on the road, still in regular use.
Nice car, shame about the music! "Easy to Love" by Cole Porter would fit better.
Thanks for your comment. Glad you like the car
Its not a clutch pedal its a gear pedal
This is not a Riley Kestrel it is a Riley Merlin
The Merlin is a four-cylinder car, with four not six side-windows.
Definitely a Kestrel - about 8 left I think.
Deffo a Kestrel , merlin was a 1 and a half litre with 2 windows per side built on the earlier falcon chassis
The music gotta go
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