1953 Riley RMF

Description

Very nicely presented 2 1/2-litre; recent expenditure; one of the nicest we have offered

Low-slung, rakish and elegant, the RM series was the last range of cars to be developed independently by Riley before the 1952 merger of Riley's Nuffield Organisation with Austin to form BMC. Originally made in Coventry, by 1949 production had moved to the MG works at Abingdon.

While the RMA and RME made do with a 1.5-litre engine, the RMB and its successor, the RMF, had the 2.5-litre 'Big-Four' with twin camshafts mounted high at the sides of the cylinder block, hemispherical combustion chambers and twin SU carbs. In RMF form the engine produced 100bhp giving the car a top speed just a whisker shy of the magic ton.

The RMF also had fully hydraulic drum brakes rather than the hydromechanical system of the earlier cars and featured independent torsion bar front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering which gave excellent ride and handling for the era. In production for less than two years, just 1,050 RMFs were made before it was replaced by the Pathfinder in 1954.

First registered in Cambridgeshire in June 1953, this beautiful RMF was fully restored in the mid-1990s and remains in lovely condition today. Sold by Brightwells to its current owner in 2015, it is reluctantly on offer due to reduced storage and is one of the nicest examples we have seen.

When acquired back in 2015, it had just received a full overhaul to the braking system; new shock absorbers fitted all round; a new fuel pump; the prop-shaft reconditioned with a new centre bearing; electronic ignition installed for reliable starting and smooth running; flashing indicators fitted to complement the semaphores and the bumpers rechromed.

All this work remains, the vendor having just recently given the braking system another going over due to lack of use, with bills on file for four new front cylinders and one new rear plus a rear axle brake cylinder overhaul set and a rear brake hose kit for the rear (bidders are advised that these have been fitted but the brakes need further bleeding as there is still air in the system).

The engine had already been rebuilt and converted to unleaded in 2005 by Coltec Racing Engines of Woodbridge at a cost of over £2,000 and has covered some 20,300 miles since. A stainless steel exhaust had also been previously fitted along with a Kenlowe fan although the vendor has never needed to use this, even on the hottest days, but it may one day prove handy in a summer traffic jam.

Looking wonderful in Autumn Red over Black with a supple and nicely mellowed red leather interior, the car is said to drive superbly, being easily capable of keeping up with modern traffic.

A ‘matching numbers’ machine with the later shell bearing engine, it comes with a fair amount of history, two old green log books from 1965 and 1974 plus an original Riley Instruction Book. This is as good an RM as we have ever seen, and is only being sold because the vendor has lost his storage. We doubt you would find a much better example anywhere.

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