falconriley

Hello Matt I know from experience that ownership of some cars are rather character building, and still own a vintage Sunbeam that is in disgrace for having a major fail every other use. It is over ten years and I still haven't gone back to fix the engine. To top it all off the replacement Riley was just the same. It took three years but I wasn't going to be beaten. It is an inanimate object so it can be cured. I shall be watching your progress with interest, very few of these cars in Australia, if any. Good luck. Matthew

I noticed the postings were missing/removed. Good luck with the Lagonda Bernie. Matthew

Looks like that fuel gauge works along the same principles as the Hobson Telegauge. Matthew

The Rolls Royce of Fiats, the 519, was also only built in RHD form. Perhaps they saw their largest markets as overseas plus the fact that Italy changed officially from left to right in 1924 could have a bearing. Matthew

Epoxy. I have used it to keep oil and water in a couple of motor with no issues. I know of others who have too. Just has to be really clean. Have a look at this. http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/forum/phpbb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=19919&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15 Matthew

Do you find that you get peppered by stuff thrown up from the front tyres? Unfortunately our local laws wouldn't allow this even if it was original, some type of guard over the tyre is compulsory. Matthew

This is why I intend to no longer purchase dismantled cars, as you don't know if you have all the parts and if there are interlopers. Although I still have a Riley in stock like that. On the other hand all the hard work has been done in the dismantling and it does provide more hours of fun. Fortunately in this day there is more information about and it easier to access than in the pre-internet era. You are making good progress Bernie. Matthew

Very nine. I love cars in this condition, providing mechanically safe and reliable. I wish my Sunbeam was in this state. Matthew

Hello Bernie Another advantage of being in England at the moment is to enjoy the cool and avoid the heat and humidity here in Brisbane. Either that or visit my sister in Hobart. Matthew

The one place that is worth trying is in Brisbane, run by Garth Browne. Enoggera Cylinder Heads, Shed 20, 51 Prospect Road, Gaythorne. I used to go to his father Peter's business, Power Brakes and Engineering so he should be capable. I can recommend you don't go near a certain establishment at Ningi. I know I won't be again. I have friends interstate that have successfully used a company in South Australia, which I was/am going to investigate next time I need white metal bearings, though I also live in Brisbane. Matthew

Hello Bernie It is good news that the bottom end is so healthy. Does it appear rebuilt or low mileage? Hopefully you have other components in such condition. Did Melbourne Motor Bodies ever produce a catalogue of the bodies they produced? The 1928 Riley Nine roadster project was reputed to be a Melbourne Motor Bodies product however there were no body plates with it. Have you seen this 501 with a Melbourne Motor Bodies? Matthew

I use grease on the Rudge type hubs, though either the Sunbeam or Crossley handbook said to fill the spinner with thick oil before installing. Must have made a hell of a mess, especially with the dirt roads of the '20s. Matthew

Motorcycle fork oil. It is available in a few grades, and is what I use in hydraulic lever arm shocks. Matthew

That timber is looking good now, it is a lovely hue. Definitely worth all your hard work. Matthew

That saved the hood if it was tilt tray transported. A failure to the hood and frame happened to my Nine when the DPO had it transported on a tilt tray with the hood up. And it is still like it now. Hopefully there are no dramas with retrieving the hood, Bernie. Matthew

I don't know if your rods do fit or not but in cases where conrods use pinch bolts and when the rod doesn't fit down the bore, I fit the rod to the piston and bolt it together, then fit the piston from the bottom leaving the task of fitting the rings till last. A lot easier in my opinion than trying to fit the piston to a rod in the block. Matthew

The 1928 Riley Nine engine I have nearly finished assembling has only loctite. I have used it before on engine assemblies amongst other things and believe it is superior to mechanical means such as lock washers etc. I recommend to just go with loctite, no need for the washer, which could fail like you have experienced. Matthew

Is there a crankcase breather? Is it clear? Could also be a sludged up or worn scroll oil retainer. Matthew

Are you using the brake drum so that the wheel/tyre is spaced off the body, supported only by the mount? One Riley Nine I had allowed the tyre to be touching the body and this was detrimental to the paint. The current Nine has the spare on the luggage carrier with rubber buffers to support the tyre which works a lot more bester. Matthew

Depends upon the current finish and if it is the required level of shine. I use car paint polish on my German silver shell and brightwork (and glazing too as it helps the water bead away). When I had something that is not up to that yet I would use something more abrasive like autosol or a mag wheel polish. Or if completely neglected fine wet and dry sand paper on German silver that has gone brown. The problem with always using an abrasive like autosol is it wears the plating off, one of my cars had an owner that used something like it all the time and the chrome is through to the brass in a few places plus nickel plate is softer than chrome. Matthew

How rude of him. Not only does it look fine, it isn't really any of his business. If he wanted it finished a certain way he should have put his money where his mouth is. Matthew

Basically a Riley special. Built by the Donald Healey Motor Company using Riley mechanicals, this model was called the Westland. There was also the Elliott, the Silverstone, the Tickford and the Abbott. I think the names were the actually body constructors. Matthew

That ratio shouldn't be too low geared, and given that I expect it would be very difficult to obtain a higher ratio quite acceptable. At least you won't have to worry about building a body to heavy for it. I know some purists look down their noses at steel frame bodies rather than the traditional wood, but at the end of the day you can't tell from looking what was used. I have a steel frame for my Riley and expect that it shall actually be better with greater rigidity and fewer noises. Do you have a magneto remagnetiser or shall you take it somewhere? Flange mounted maggies are not very common, and looks not unlike that fitted to Riley Nines which matches Crossley and Bentley. Matthew

Is that a worm drive differential? If so do you know the ratio? A club member here had a Triumph Super Seven roadster for a little while, his main comment was if this was the performance of a Super Seven he was glad he didn't have a Standard! He didn't own it long as he felt it was too pedestrian for his tastes, being used to Riley Nine and Alvis 12/50 cars amongst others. Matthew

You are correct, fault is not the correct word, as the design does work. What I was trying to say was the design could have been improved, however many ideas tried in the early days of motoring were the same. It is only as knowledge and technology has improved we know now know what we do. Even RIley's have their flaws. :-) Matthew