1935 Riley Nine

The Riley family, having already made a name for themselves in the cloth weaving sector, expanded their business into bicycle manufacturing at the close of the 19th Century. Riley Cycle Company Limited was founded in May 1896, and two years later, one of William Riley's five sons, Percy, built his first motor car, which was powered by an engine of his own design and manufacture. The company's first publicly exhibited motor vehicle was a quadricycle with forecar bodywork, which appeared in 1899 at the National Cycle Show at Crystal Palace. Motorcycle and tricycle production soon followed, initially using proprietary engines and later ones of their own design and construction. The Riley Engine Company of Coventry was established in 1903 by three of William's sons, Victor, Percy, and Allan. The other two Riley brothers, Stanley and Cecil, joined their elder brothers in the business a few years later.

The Riley Engine Company initially built motorcycle engines, adding motorcycle engines to their portfolio in 1905, and by 1907 had halted motorcycle engine production and focused solely on engine production for motorcars. In 1912, the Riley Cycle Company changed its name to Riley (Coventry) Limited. The following year, four of the brothers (Percy, Victory, Stanley, and Allen) began manufacturing entire automobiles.

The Riley Nine
The Riley Nine was built from 1926 to 1938 and offered in a wide array of body styles. Stanley designed the chassis, suspension, and body, while Percy designed the engine. Initially displacing 1,087cc, the twin-camshaft four-cylinder unit would power various versions of the Riley automobile until 1957.

The Chassis
The chassis was designed for front-mounted placement, with power being sent to the rear wheels via a torque tube and spiral bevel live rear axle. The engine was mounted in the chassis by a rubber bushed bar that ran through the block. The suspension consisted of semi-elliptic springs, and the wheelbase measured 106 inches.

The Engine
Percy Riley's 9hp, 1087cc four-cylinder engine had its twin gear-driven camshafts mounted high in the block, operating the valves via short pushrods. Its cross-flow cylinder head featured hemispherical combustion chambers with the valves inclined at 45 degrees.

The transmission initially used a cone clutch but was soon replaced by a plate clutch driving through a Silent Third gearbox, then an all-helical change box, and finally an ENV pre-selector epicyclic gearbox.

Coachwork
The two bodies initially offered on the Riley Nine were a fabric four-seat tourer and a fabric-bodied saloon called the Monaco. The former was built through 1931 with the latter being offered through 1932. A 'Speed Model' called the Brooklands (a.k.a. The Speed Model and the Brooklands Nine) was offered from 1927 to 1931 and featured cycle wings and a pointed tail. This sporty version had a low chassis and modifications made to the engine, with an output of around 50 bhp. J. G. Parry-Thomas and Reid Railton were the first to demonstrate the competitiveness of the 9hp Riley, and their success led to the production of 'Brooklands Nine.' Many World Speed Records were set at Brooklands with the 'Brooklands Nine,' along with numerous class victories at Le Mans, Brooklands, Shelsley Walsh, and the RAC Tourist Trophy. In 1932, it achieved outright victories at the Ulster TT and the JCC 1,000 Miles Race at Brooklands.

A variety of fabric and steel bodies were offered, including open and closed configurations, with seating for two to four passengers.

The Riley Imp
The Riley Imp was offered in 1934 and 1935, and was a development of the 9hp four-cylinder sports car. The Imp (like the MPH) featured a short-wheelbase chassis of 90 inches and a modified engine. The lightweight bodies had swept-back wings, a short tail, and a long bonnet. It is believed that approximately 120 examples were built.

The Riley Imp's success in the 1934 Ulster Tourist Trophy led to its re-designation as the Riley Ulster Imp. A Riley Imp driven by Kay Petre and Dorothy Champney placed 13th overall in the 1934 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2024