Coys Auction - Spring Classics
Royal Horticultural Halls
Elverton St
Westminster
London SW1

Thursday 12th march 2009
Registration Number: EU Registered Chassis Number: 66M2014
In the 1930s Riley made some of the world’s best small sporting cars, their secret being low weight and a classic ‘hemi-head’ engine. In 1934, 1 1/2-litre Rileys were second and third at Le Mans, and a 1,100cc riley was fourth in 1933 behind three Alfa Romeos. Then there were three wins in the Tourist Trophy in the 1930s, and in 1951 Mike Hawthorn was virtually unbeatable in Riley’s which were nearly 20 years old
There is an irony to the cars built by Riley in the 1930s; the qualities which attracted buyers then, and make the cars so desirable today, were the qualities which forced the marque into receivership. Riley was an innovator, the Nine Monaco of 1926 was the first car with a stepped back and integral boot and its engine, designed by Percy Riley, achieved mos