The hardwork begins
The 1935 Riley 9 chassis with a 12/4 engine & gearbox is now set up my the garage and ready for work to commence. …..We will refer to this as project 1). Alongside it is the Riley chassis that has been converted to Sprite spec. With it is a 12/4 engine & gearbox that I already owned, along with miscellaneous other parts I already had. This is project 2.
I have decided to concentrate on project 1, as it is likely to be easiest to make quick progress given that it is reputed to be rebuilt/restored, but left in poor storage. … Ben has started hard, dirty job of cleaning and preparing the chassis for paint. Ben is a perfectionist so the wire brushing, grinding & rust removing is done to a high standard. … While he is doing that I am removing front & rear axles and checking king pins & bushes, shackle pins & bushes, steering joints,etc.
It has soon become evident that the previous restoration has been done well. Good news! … King pins good as new, shackle pins & bushes new, Steering joints good. On removing brake drums I discover relined brakeshoes, good as new actuators, adjusters, etc. … I am cleaning, greasing, (where appropriate), renewing castle nuts and fitting new stainless steel split pins, new clevis pins, etc. … Progress is fast. Mostly disassembling, cleaning, fettling & reassembling. If only all rebuilds were like this!
Something is puzzling me though. … It appears the chassis has been shortened, but only by four & a half inches. Why shorten a chassis by this small amout? Why bother? … Examining the back axle may have provided the answer. The axle is unmistakenly Riley manufacture, but it isn`t pre war 12/4, I`m sure of that. … I reckon it is a RMA back axle, (Post war), Put in to provide a better ratio for trials, (the previous owner wanted it to be a trials car). I think the torque tube was too short in the Riley 9 chassis, so the chassis was shortened to link torque tube & gearbox. … In my oppinion it would have been better to move the engine & gearbox mounting backwards to achieve the same result. (Having the added bonus of bringing the radiator further back, but more of this later).
Anyway, now that the chassis work is going so well I`m resolved to finding out why the engine is stuck solid & won`t turn over. … Watch this space.
About the Author
Phil Smith is a vintage car enthusiast with many years experience of owning, restoring and using vintage, PVT and classic cars. A longstanding member of The Vintage Sports Car Club (VSCC), The Riley register and The MG Car Club. Makes he has owned include Alvis, Bentley, Lagonda, MG, Talbot and Riley, of course. Now retired, Phil satisfies his 'old motor urges' by competing in the MGCC Luffield Speed series in MG Midgets from the 60's and 70's. This blog will chart his return to vintage/PVT cars.
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E-mail: philsmith432[at]hotmail[dot]com