Getting back to the Riley, (and the MG Midget!)
I havn`t been completely inactive over the winter & christmas period, but havn`t done any significant pieces of work that inspired me to “blog”. … I have found myself wandering into the garage, (it is attached to the side of the house), and doing little jobs for an hour or so occassionally.
The one thing I have started to do is visualise/plan/experiment with bodywork ideas. I have decided that the project based on a Riley 9 chassis with 12/4 engine should be an “all rounder”. Capable of being used on the road, for trials, rallies & speed events. I want to avoid it being very low with short wheel base, like a racer. I have, therefore, started to “mock-up” a body with space behind the seats for luggage, tools, etc, with a slab tank and a rear mouted spare wheel. … I have found a nice slab tank that appears to fit the bill. However, I think I may need to move a chassis cross member forward so that the space between the back of the seats, (luggage space), is reduced and the spare wheel will be inside the rearmost chassis member rather than overhanging the rear of the chassis. … Everything inside the chassis frame should make for a far more “compact car” with better handling. A second spare wheel could be added so that there is more weight at the back for trialling.
My choice for body frame material is timber. … A series of bulkheads in high quality marine ply, with ash timbers connecting them in the traditional way. … The front bulkhead forms a firewall between engine and driver/passanger compartment, so must be aluminium covered. This will carry fuel pump, fuse box, cut-out, etc. The next bulkhead is where the rear of the bonnet sits, and then a bulkhead that will carry/support the dashboard. … A bulkhead forming the seat backs comes next, followed by a bulkhead that the slab tank sits against. … My pictures show some of these bulkheads cut from thin hardboard for patterns. Sitting these on the chassis allows me to get a picture of how the frame will look, and to take some “lines” through to get the shape before cutting the expensive marine ply.
I have now got as far as cutting two of the bulkheads, and cutting “bed timbers” for them to mount on. … I havn`t yet decided wether to have a doorless body, (skimpy, light & strong), or have small doors ala MG TC, HRG, etc.
Can you tell what it is yet??
Looks a bit like a car now!
One Response to “Getting back to the Riley, (and the MG Midget!)”
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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
February 1st, 2010 at 11:52 am
Hi Phil, the chassis and radiator etc of your car is exactly the same as mine, though you have the larger engine. In the photo you have placed a rod from the radiator top to the scuttle, I presume to get an idea of the height of the firewall, scuttle and seat back etc and the rest of the body lines. I have been trying to think of ways to lower my car and reduce the height of the bonnet and therefore the other body lines to arrive at a more sporty appearance. If I leave the bonnet height as it is I may as well just restore the original bodywork which was a four seater 4 door tourer; an Australian bodied Lynx lookalike. But I confess that is not what I’m inclined to do. I really want it to be a 2 seater. I have thought of maybe lowering the radiator support bracket which lies across the chassis and maybe even of chopping the radiator itself down somewhat to reduce the height of the radiator above the engine. A reduction of only, say, 4″ would allow a substantial bonnet height reduction and subsequently the rest of the lines of the car. I’m a complete novice in these matters though and I was wondering if you too have given thought to this matter or if you are happy with the resulting height of the car as it is?
Wish I could find a lovely pair of Harford shock-absorbers like yours without having to arrange a second mortgage. I love this site of yours and really appreciate the encouragment you offer to novices like myself. Keep up the good work. Regards from downunder. Brin Hodges.