1964 Riley One Point Five
Discussion
Whilst scrolling through Facebook market place (please don't judge me!) I discovered this Riley 1.5, a car I know very little about and thought it had a charm about it that I liked. I kept scrolling but would see it popping up for about a week and a half.
About a week into the occasional glance and some wishful thinking about the sort of car I would turn it into I showed Mrs. Jim. Normally she would roll her eyes and pat me on the head and tell me "ok", this time she said "why not go and have a look?"
We turn up at this yard and it is stacked out in classic cars which just amazed me, they had a few Healey's 3000's and sprite's, Lagonda's, Jaguar's and MG's and this unassuming Riley 1.5. Apparently from the same collection that had been abandoned and the owner had been taken into care with his family selling the cars off to fund his care.
The Riley looks rusty and needs a lot of work but Mrs. Jim gave me a look, the sort of look when we decide to get another drink or have fish and chips but this time we bought a Riley!
With money exchanged The Riley was delivered to us.
Despite the musky smell and the pile of rust it dropped I am happy
The engine is seized solid and hasn't run since the 90's I might as well try to see if it will run.
A bit of research says that this sticker dates back to the early 70s which is cool.
This all happened back in May but will get the thread up to speed but I have also started to make some YouTube videos of it if anyone is interested.
About a week into the occasional glance and some wishful thinking about the sort of car I would turn it into I showed Mrs. Jim. Normally she would roll her eyes and pat me on the head and tell me "ok", this time she said "why not go and have a look?"
We turn up at this yard and it is stacked out in classic cars which just amazed me, they had a few Healey's 3000's and sprite's, Lagonda's, Jaguar's and MG's and this unassuming Riley 1.5. Apparently from the same collection that had been abandoned and the owner had been taken into care with his family selling the cars off to fund his care.
The Riley looks rusty and needs a lot of work but Mrs. Jim gave me a look, the sort of look when we decide to get another drink or have fish and chips but this time we bought a Riley!
With money exchanged The Riley was delivered to us.
Despite the musky smell and the pile of rust it dropped I am happy
The engine is seized solid and hasn't run since the 90's I might as well try to see if it will run.
A bit of research says that this sticker dates back to the early 70s which is cool.
This all happened back in May but will get the thread up to speed but I have also started to make some YouTube videos of it if anyone is interested.
I quite like these. I think the later ones like this have a slightly "better" engine, incorporating some improvements from larger capacity versions? Not sure if they got the 5 bearing crank that some B series had about that time?
Would say if it's largely original, I'd try to keep the original engine. Even if it's very seized, it's probably saveable.
Body shell looks a little crusty, but that's business as normal for this kind of period, and frankly I'd rather have that than one that looks "ok" but is full of bodges.
I know sills are available new (at a price), but I assume there's an owner's club, and possibly they have a supply of bits you would need?
Would say if it's largely original, I'd try to keep the original engine. Even if it's very seized, it's probably saveable.
Body shell looks a little crusty, but that's business as normal for this kind of period, and frankly I'd rather have that than one that looks "ok" but is full of bodges.
I know sills are available new (at a price), but I assume there's an owner's club, and possibly they have a supply of bits you would need?
Great purchase and wishing you all the best with it.
I have fond memories of one of these which I inherited from and Aunt, and have waffled on about within this forum.
I’d quite like another to do some form of Historic rallying.
There’s one just round the corner from me which I periodically see out and about in the summer months. The odd thing about it, is that it resides on the same street as my late Aunt lived and is the same colour as hers.
I have fond memories of one of these which I inherited from and Aunt, and have waffled on about within this forum.
I’d quite like another to do some form of Historic rallying.
There’s one just round the corner from me which I periodically see out and about in the summer months. The odd thing about it, is that it resides on the same street as my late Aunt lived and is the same colour as hers.
With regards to the engine it's a 1500cc 3 bearing B series. Personally it's nothing spectacular and my intention is to build a car i could drive daily.
I figure whilst it's still in there i might as well try to get it to run. A fortnight of throwing diesel down the bores had it freed up and turning by hand.
With a battery thrown on everything works apart from the starter motor that needed to be stripped and cleaned.
From the outside I want it to look like a riley but underneath it needs disc brakes, a stronger axle (the original is weak as Mr. Hobbs's receipts show). Whether that means an escort axle and some adaptor plates or i mix mx5 chassis etc into the Riley.
There are a lot of things I want to keep.
The gauges, although the mechanical rev counter might need some modernising!
The dashboard and the central speaker.
The aluminium facia for the heater controls
I had some help with AI etc to get an idea on how I'll want it to look. (Wheels Tbc)
There's more but these are some of the finer points. I also want to turn the mummified mouse into a gear knob- it seems fitting that it keeps it's house!
I figure whilst it's still in there i might as well try to get it to run. A fortnight of throwing diesel down the bores had it freed up and turning by hand.
With a battery thrown on everything works apart from the starter motor that needed to be stripped and cleaned.
From the outside I want it to look like a riley but underneath it needs disc brakes, a stronger axle (the original is weak as Mr. Hobbs's receipts show). Whether that means an escort axle and some adaptor plates or i mix mx5 chassis etc into the Riley.
There are a lot of things I want to keep.
The gauges, although the mechanical rev counter might need some modernising!
The dashboard and the central speaker.
The aluminium facia for the heater controls
I had some help with AI etc to get an idea on how I'll want it to look. (Wheels Tbc)
There's more but these are some of the finer points. I also want to turn the mummified mouse into a gear knob- it seems fitting that it keeps it's house!
The kit car manufacturer Rochdale used these as a donor car for their Olympic;
https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C2112371
but they used a trailing arm/coil spring rear suspension arrangment that a fellow with your skillz may be able to look into?
The rear axle is very similar to Spidget ( not sure if it's identical or not ), but if so Frontline may offer better halfshafts. They were a known weak point 'back in the day'!
1622cc MGA engine will drop staight in, the later 1798cc MGB/landcrab five bearing version uses different engine mounts but is do-able with some work but this opens up stuff like an overdrive 'box....
https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C2112371
but they used a trailing arm/coil spring rear suspension arrangment that a fellow with your skillz may be able to look into?
The rear axle is very similar to Spidget ( not sure if it's identical or not ), but if so Frontline may offer better halfshafts. They were a known weak point 'back in the day'!
1622cc MGA engine will drop staight in, the later 1798cc MGB/landcrab five bearing version uses different engine mounts but is do-able with some work but this opens up stuff like an overdrive 'box....
Thank you everyone for the kind words, I appreciate it as things are going to get considerably worse!
Whilst figuring out where to start I thought the best idea was to remove the seats and see what else lurks beneath. That's when I found the mouse lair including another mummified specimen!
With the seats out it wasn't as bad as I expected, the inner sills have had some MOT spec welding repairs which had been undersealed for some reason. I think this work was carried out in the 80's along with the change to fibreglass front panels.
It does have rust issues around the A pillar and the floor in that area too but not as bad as I expected it to be. Unfortunately this is under the jacking point which makes using axle stands a new challenge.
I did find some money though.
The front seats have been sold as I won't be using them in the future and it frees up some space whilst I start the work. Next job was to remove the front wings which are bolted on as standard which was a fairly easy job, but before I start I did use the lights one last time.
Glass fibre repairs are a new one for me...
I think I am going to need some more tools...
Whilst figuring out where to start I thought the best idea was to remove the seats and see what else lurks beneath. That's when I found the mouse lair including another mummified specimen!
With the seats out it wasn't as bad as I expected, the inner sills have had some MOT spec welding repairs which had been undersealed for some reason. I think this work was carried out in the 80's along with the change to fibreglass front panels.
It does have rust issues around the A pillar and the floor in that area too but not as bad as I expected it to be. Unfortunately this is under the jacking point which makes using axle stands a new challenge.
I did find some money though.
The front seats have been sold as I won't be using them in the future and it frees up some space whilst I start the work. Next job was to remove the front wings which are bolted on as standard which was a fairly easy job, but before I start I did use the lights one last time.
Glass fibre repairs are a new one for me...
I think I am going to need some more tools...
carinaman said:
Nice cat(s). I am not sure about the mouse idea.
Informative thread regarding what it is. I am afraid that these have crossed my mind probably due to Cardle.
That's far too gone for me.
I feel like they need to stay with the riley in some way. Informative thread regarding what it is. I am afraid that these have crossed my mind probably due to Cardle.
That's far too gone for me.
Unfortunately it's going to get worse before it gets better.
With the wings off and the interior out the mect logical thing was to remove the nearside sill, it is only attached at the top where it meets the doors - it sounds like someone rustling crisps everything I touch it so I can only assume what horrors lie beneath.
With the riley safely up in axle stands I removed the front wheel.
That's when I discovered the riley was running wide rims at a whopping 4" and also using slick cross ply tyres - it must have lead to some dynamite handling!
I tried to remove the doors by firstly removing the bolts on the hinges and it was at that moment i discovered they're welded to the pillar.
It does explain why the panel gaps are excellent. Fortunately the hunges aren't welded to the doors. The box section has kept everything in place which is nice as it felt like a bit of a gamble.
The sill has had some "welding" done to it in a previous life but I have a plan.
Then the cutting started...
Sills just do this right?
The inner strengthening panel had been welded over crudely and looking at all the steel welded in hasn't seen any primer or cavity wax so I'd say it's fared better than expected.
After taking some dimensions and having a little cry i figure i would call it a day and put the doors back on - the fitment is excellent.
InitialDave said:
Body shell looks a little crusty, but that's business as normal for this kind of period, and frankly I'd rather have that than one that looks "ok" but is full of bodges.
I know sills are available new (at a price), but I assume there's an owner's club, and possibly they have a supply of bits you would need?
A very astute assessment of the Riley and you're right about the sills, i can purchase new ones which is potentially what I'll use. A pair will cost more than what I have spent on the Riley (shocking i know!) I am a little reluctant as I will need to modify them to suit what repair I make for the rear wheel tub.I know sills are available new (at a price), but I assume there's an owner's club, and possibly they have a supply of bits you would need?
I can also purchase the inner sill strengthening panel but any panel i buy is on a 12-14 week lead time which means i might as well try to make as many panels myself because I am no worse off.
I fired the CAD up and worked on the inner sill which is dimensionsally the same as the original but is different to the original. The original is 2 pieces and is spot welded to the floor- it took me weeks to find this image.
What i have drawn up is a 1 piece, the floor will need a 90 degree flange welding to it that will be plug welded to the inner sill - similar to the cortina.
The inner panel again is made to the factory design
These are being made locally at a laser cutting firm i use for work, they can cut up to 20mm and fold 2 to 3m in length so it's easier and cheaper to use them for these jobs than purchase ones I won't be able to weld in until November.
If you need inspiration this thread about a rather in-depth restoration of an Austin A35 should offer some.
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