1954 Riley RME 1.5

Summary:

Love it. Want a pre-war Riley now

Faults:

Overheating.

General Comments:

I have always loved the styling of this car and dreamed of owning one. For many years I enjoyed restoring and driving classic Jaguar cars, including a 1947 3.5, a 152 XK120, E types, and saloons. Finally I sold those off and spent 10 years working on old boats and going fishing a lot.

One day I walked past a car sitting with a For Sale notice on it and it was this Riley 1.5. At first I thought I could not fit in it and that it would be too slow on modern roads. Finally I got to know the owner and the car, came to appreciate its quality and potential, and now own it. On the first long run it overheated, and so I tried flushing the cooling system, then learned about the cross-tubes in the engine and the risk they are corroded. Now I am removing the engine in order to strip it and carefully overhaul it. The bodywork and interior of this car are excellent, so I feel it is worth rebuilding the engine properly. The we can do some travelling together and spend time on car club runs. Now I am looking for a pre-war Kestrel to work with.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 25th December, 2015

24th Sep 2017, 14:08

The "hot spot" system on these cars is, with modern petrol, totally redundant and can (should!) be removed. The kerb-appeal is tremendous, the performance lamentable. (They are too slow to get out of their own way!) Overall though a very desirable car. My advice, enjoy for a year, get shot of it and buy a 2.5 litre.

3rd Nov 2019, 00:21

It's a not-a gonna happen. The 2.5 has the clunky front guards and running boards.

The RME has the trim style I like so will persist until the links are ironed out.

Nearly 30C here today so the cooling system is not coping. Came out in a 1 hour run early this morning and no problem. Just after noon now and the temp is rising - about 190C now so time to park up, listen to the radio & read a book till the gauge drops again. Owning and running an old car teaches patience.

5th Jan 2021, 06:22

Hello. A bit late for me to read, but have you still got the Riley and have you fixed the overheating problem? I have got the RME 1954 model and just starting to strip it down to clean it up and get it on the road. I am not all that fussed about keeping it original and will be fitting an alternator, a PBR vacuum assist booster, possibly alloy wheels if I can get some with the same stud spacing (maybe the Range Rover wheels may fit). I would like to hear from you if you still have the Riley bug. I am located in Ararat Victoria. Regards Peter.

15th Mar 2024, 04:21

I can't think of any alloy wheels that would look good on a Riley RM, to say nothing of the fact that the tyres will be too wide and therefore impose stresses on the suspension it was never designed for. Don't do it.