1936 Riley MPH Recreation

Description

Beautifully built MPH replica based on a Riley Kestrel chassis; fully rebuilt Riley 2.5 Big Four engine producing c.90bhp at the wheels; aluminium bodywork; current owner/builder 16 years and used regularly 

Widely considered to be the most beautiful sports car of its era, the Riley MPH was built in extremely limited numbers by the special projects department of Riley Cars and was based on the chassis of the 1933 Grebe TT racer. The aluminium bodywork was supported on an ash frame and was very similar to both the Sprite and Imp models, variations being mainly in the wing design, length of bonnet and spare wheel mounting.

Power came from Riley’s 1.6 six-cylinder twin-cam OHV unit with twin SU carburettors, developing c.54bhp at peak revs, sufficient for a top speed of over 80mph. Ignition was by Scintilla Vertex magneto and transmission was of the Wilson pre-selector 4-speed type.

Costing £550 new (three times the price of an equivalent MG), ownership was limited to a privileged few and only around 15 were made in total, all built to special order. The last genuine MPH sold by Brightwells made £215,000 in 2009 but a couple of others sold in America have made over twice that amount since.

This wonderful MPH replica was built by our vendor about 15 years ago. A qualified engineer who later became a doctor, he did much of the work himself but also enlisted professional help where required. The donor vehicle was a 1937 Riley Kestrel (CRO 270) which was purchased from Riley specialist Ian Gladstone in 2007.

The Kestrel chassis had the advantage of being a couple of inches wider than that used in the factory-built MPH which gives slightly more room in the cabin – anyone who has ever sat in an original MPH will realise just how cramped they are! While you could never call this one spacious, it does accommodate a normal sized person with relative ease and you can comfortably operate the pedals in normal footwear.

The vendor made the ash frame himself but the aluminium coachwork was entrusted to ace panel beater Brian Martin of South Stoke, Oxfordshire, who had previously bodied another MPH replica for a fellow Riley Club member. The engine is a fully rebuilt 2.5-litre Big Four from a Riley RM with RMF camshafts and cylinder head and twin SU H4 carbs. Rolling road tuned by Sigma Engineering of Gillingham in 2022, it was found to produce c.90bhp at the wheels. An electric fan is fitted, along with an electric water pump, and the cooling system uses Evans waterless coolant.

The 4-speed floor-change gearbox is a Nuffield unit as also used in the RM series and gives the car long-legged performance (approx. 30mph per 1,000rpm in 4^th), the vendor reporting that it lopes along happily at 70mph – 80mph and only 2nd and top gear are needed for most driving conditions. A twin circuit brake system has been fitted which provides ample stopping power, although the vendor advises that due to lack of recent use the brakes are pulling slightly to the left. He has thoughtfully included a spare master cylinder which he believes will cure the problem.

The wiring loom was completely renewed during the build and includes a cut-off switch fitted discreetly below the dash. The cabin was trimmed in beige leather with green carpets, a canvas tonneau cover and hood/frame were specially made and a pair of imposing Marchal headlamps adorn the front end. The original Hertfordshire-issue number plate, CRO 270, is transferable and doubtless has a value of its own.

In regular use until recently, including many Riley Club outings and occasional runs from Dorset to Prescott and back in a day (a 220-mile round trip), the car has been starting promptly and running well as we have moved it around on site, with good 60psi oil pressure.

Only reluctantly for sale due to illness, this gorgeous MPH replica will turn heads wherever it goes and is on offer here at a very attractive guide price.  

For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or email james.dennison@brightwells.com