Riley MPH

Riley MPH
Riley MPH
Overview
Manufacturer	Riley
Production	1934-1935; Approx 15 made [1]
Body and chassis
Body style	two-seat sports
Powertrain
Engine	1.4, 1.6 or 1.7 L Straight-6
Transmission	4-speed manual or preselector
Dimensions
Wheelbase	97.5 inches (2477 mm) [2]
Length	144 inches (3658 mm) [2]
Width	57.5 inches (1460 mm) [2]
Chronology
Predecessor	none
Successor	Riley Sprite

Last updated February 18, 2019

The Riley MPH is a small production, two-seat sports car made between 1934 and 1935 by the Riley company of Coventry, England. Very few were made, and examples are now highly sought after.

Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England.

The chassis, with half-elliptic springs and rigid axles front and rear, was based on that of the car prepared for the 1933 TT races. To keep the height down to as low as possible, the side members were positioned under the axle at the rear. Large, fifteen-inch drum brakes were used. Elegant bodywork was mainly of aluminium built over a traditional wood frame and featured a long bonnet, front wings flowing into running boards and a short, rounded tail. The windscreen could fold flat to reduce air resistance.

A choice of three sizes of the six-cylinder engine was available, 1458 cc, 1633 cc or 1726 cc fitted with triple or more usually twin SU carburettors. The engines had the traditional Riley arrangement of twin camshafts mounted high in the crankcase. Aluminium alloy connecting rods were used. The 1726 engine had an output of 56.8 PS (56.0 bhp) (41.8 kW) at 4800 rpm. Drive was to the rear wheels through a choice of either a four-speed manual "crash" gear box or an ENV pre-selector gearbox supplied by Armstrong Siddeley.^[3] The top speed of the 17 hp (1726 cc) engined version was approximately 90 mph (145 km/h).^[1]

A preselector or self-changing gearbox is a type of manual gearbox used on a variety of vehicles, most commonly in the 1930s. The defining characteristic of a preselector gearbox is that the manual shift lever is used to "pre-select" the next gear to be used, then a separate control is used to engage this in one single operation, without needing to work a manual clutch.

Armstrong Siddeley was a British engineering group that operated during the first half of the 20th century. It was formed in 1919 and is best known for the production of luxury vehicles and aircraft engines.

The exact number made is not known, but is believed to be around 15, and it was expensive at £550.^[1] Numerous replicas have, however, been made. Fourteen original cars are thought to survive.^[4]

The pound sterling, commonly known as the pound and less commonly referred to as sterling, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, the British Antarctic Territory, and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence. A number of nations that do not use sterling also have currencies called the pound.

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References

1 2 3 Sedgwick, M. (1989). A-Z of Cars of the 1930s. Devon, UK: Bay View Books. ISBN 1-870979-38-9.
1 2 3 Culshaw; Horrobin (1974). Complete Catalogue of British Cars. London: Macmillan. ISBN 0-333-16689-2.
↑ "Rare Bird". Motor. 24 February 1973. pp. 46–48.
↑ Wood, Jonathon. "The Coventry Sixes". The Automobile. 23 (3): 44–49!--None-->

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[AZ1930-1] 1 2 3 Sedgwick, M. (1989). A-Z of Cars of the 1930s. Devon, UK: Bay View Books. ISBN 1-870979-38-9.

[BritishCars-2] 1 2 3 Culshaw; Horrobin (1974). Complete Catalogue of British Cars. London: Macmillan. ISBN 0-333-16689-2.

[Motor197302-3] "Rare Bird". Motor. 24 February 1973. pp. 46–48.

[AutomobileMay05-4] Wood, Jonathon. "The Coventry Sixes". The Automobile. 23 (3): 44–49!--None-->