2009 Portfolio of Classic Car work

In 2009 my workshop was virtually a one-make zone, Rileys of different ages making up nine of the ten jobs which I completed in the year. Although I might prefer the diversity of working on a range of different classic marques,there was plenty of variety in the tasks carried out to keep these fine motors running.

1951 2½ Litre Riley Drophead

  • Serviced engine and got it running smoohtly
  • Checked over brakes and sorted them out
  • Fixed several wiring problems
  • Escorted through its first British MoT for decades

This elegant Drophead was fresh from a museum in California where it had sat looking pretty, but not being used.

1954 Riley RME

  • Addressed unreliable starting and erratic running
  • Freed up sticking and leaking brakes
  • Fixed a variety of electrical faults
  • Service, MoT and road test to finish off with.

This smart saloon was suffering poor running and even poorer stopping. All sorted out and returned to good working order.

1934 Riley 9 Special

  • Overhauled engine including crack repairs, new cams
  • Serviced dynamo, starter, carbs, distributor...
  • Renewed chassis spring shackles, dampers, steering
  • Replaced worn bearings in the gearbox

Having lost its saloon body decades ago, the car sat idle with makeshift open bodywork. The owner has now commissioned a new body from a specialist, and I've carried out the mechanical rebuild.

1949 Riley 2½-Litre Saloon

  • Replaced the elderly wiring with a new braided loom
  • Incorporated flashing indicators, retained semaphores
  • Fitted discreet extra rear lights for safety
  • Various minor fixes and tweaks along the way

A good, sound, much-used and well-loved Riley which is a joy to drive.

 

A Riley for every month of the year?

With three 1½-Litre and seven 2½-Litre postwar "RM" series cars, and two pre-war Nines attended to during the year (two of them ongoing projects which rolled over into 2010), I was amply able to illustrate the claim to be a "Riley Specialist". The only non-Riley was an endearing little Morris 1000 Convertible. My New Year's Resolution for 2010 would have to be to encourage owners of other famous makes to bring their cars my way.