1935 Riley MPH/Sprite Supercharged Two Seater Special Recreation

Coachwork by Pitney Restorations, UK.

1,496cc, OHV Inline 4-Cylinder Engine, with supercharger
Single SU Carburetor
In excess of 80bhp at 5,000rpm
4-Speed Pre-select Transmission
Semi-Elliptic Leaf Spring Suspension
4-Wheel Drum Brakes

*Stunning rebuild of period Riley into iconic sports model
*All Riley running gear with additional supercharger
*Long term ownership of more than 37 years
*Reported to be ready to use and enjoy for fast road tours

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

Some of the rarest of all Riley models were the Sprite and MPH cars, and they provided the marque with a number of their successes, as well as participating in many of the most evocative events of the period, including the Mille Miglia and at Brooklands. Ultimately, it was the development of a Riley by Raymond Mays of BRM famed that spawned its pre-war spiritual predecessor, the E.R.A.
Copy is of course the acknowledged sincerest form of flattery, and it is not surprising that since the period in which they were built even, people have sought to emulate these cars, normally using the basis of more ubiquitous or production numerate models, then improving performance and (re)bodying
from their perhaps more humble or formal origins into this most sporting guise.

The current owner was responsible for building this beautifully presented Riley along these lines. Commencing in the late 1980s and using a 1935 Riley Falcon Saloon as the donor car, it has been built into the best-looking variant of the breed and with a careful eye to develop exceptional performance.
During the rebuild all of the running gear was transferred into a more sturdy new frame, all the while retaining the Falcon identity and mechanical components. The four-cylinder powerplant was rebuilt and a supercharger built by respected engineer Derek Chinn was added and a period pre-selector gearbox was sourced and built up with close ratio gears. Much of the rebuild was carried out by noted experts in the UK, Thos. Hamlin of Bridgwater in Somerset and Allen Clear. The bodywork chosen is that of the iconic MPH and Sprite models, with the exquisite 'bumble bee' tail, this being custom built with framing by Allen Clear and paneling in aluminum by respected second generation coachbuilder Ian Pitney of Pitney Restorations. When first constructed the engine was putting out 70+ plus brake horsepower, but this has since been improved with a set of Keith Pointing 'Fast Road Cams' and is likely now more than 80.
The car was trimmed using the finest tan Connolly hides purchased directly from Connolly and is finished in striking red paintwork. With every detail carefully matched to the original MPH/Sprite guise, it carries the correct style dash and instrument layout, fold flat windshield and 'Brooklands' aero screens among other features. While the performance is stated to be far in excess of the original 6 and 4 cylinder figures, thanks to its supercharger.
Looking and driving just as the original models do, this carefully constructed recreation, or Special offers all the fun for a fraction of the price.