Reply With QuoteNice.
I remember rebuilding the carbs on one of those for a customer many years ago.
Twin OHC if I remember correctly?
Here's another fine example of British engineering. A Riley. Pretty rare beast. Funny thing is that there was a Riley on Le Mans this weekend. Someone knows his classics!
This 1953 2.5 ltr RMF Model is owned by the person who has asked us to repair is TR6 that fell of a trailer. He took the car to the workshop for general maintenance and to cure some leakage near the manifold. That was easier said than done...
Picture this: Riley built the 2.5 ltr and discovered that some customers wanted a heater... So they took the cylinder head, made a big round hole in the middle, threaded it and screwed in a bronze fitting and a iron(-ish)pipe that also runs through the inlet manifold...
Now 60+ years further down the road, the iron pipe starts to leak... That's where the fun starts! Airbox off, carbs off, inlet and outlet manifold of (manifolds are connected together with bolts) and then it's time to remove the bronze fitting. But how!?? There's no grip on the outside for a wrench or socket. But we found something to use: force and leverage. Guess what, the fitting wouldn't move. No way. Blow torch? no success, candle wax? no success. In the end, the mechanic with the most phlegmatic attitude and patience chiseled it out, leaving the thread inside the block and the fitting in tact.
After successfully removing the fitting, the owner (who had sought contact with other Riley owners...) heard that it's the biggest problem on Rileys! So, we are ahead of the game now.
Enter the person who can make anything. 90+ y/old Uncle Bill ('Ome Wim' here). He can make anything on a lathe - and that's why we we determined to save the thread on the fitting! He is the guy who helped getting the Packard on the road again. We're now sourcing bronze for him to make a new fitting for us, now with the possibility of removing it from the outside with a wrench. We're thinking of producing 10 or 20 of these pieces!
Nice.
I remember rebuilding the carbs on one of those for a customer many years ago.
Twin OHC if I remember correctly?
Cheers,
Neil.
Twin cam Neil, but high in the block, with short(ish!) pushrods, so not OHC.
My daily drive incidentally.
And Thieuster- that brass plug was the factory way of taking hot coolant out of the hottest part of the engine to feed the "factory air conditioning system", a.k.a. the most inefficient heater I have ever experienced.
Those wishing heat inside their Rileys have to throw the factory system away and fit a standalone such as Delaney Gallay, or Smiths. In 35+ years of working on these professionally I have never been able to shift one of these plugs without destroying it.
Last edited by unclealec; 21st June 2017 at 14:02.
Glad we are in good company then! When writing this, I got a message from a guy from the center of the country who owns a similar Riley. He wrote that he's also unable to undo the plug! We had contacted him for guidance but he hadn't read his email this weekend.Originally Posted by unclealec
Cheers, good info!
Daily driver, wow.
IIRC it was a long time ago, the roof had a sort of black covering?
Am I right?
Cheers,
Neil.
Yeah, my roof has a covering, and it is sort of black.
And here she is.....
Not quite as scruffy as it looks; it had just driven The Raiders' Road through Galloway Forest.
And here's the previous daily driver; wasn't as good with caravans being a 1½, so went to a new daddy.
Last edited by unclealec; 2nd July 2017 at 20:58.
Those are beautiful motors Uncle.
Bags of style.
Cheers,
Neil.
Thanks Neil; my life revolves around this range.
Reputedly the first decision of the newly-formed BMC board of directors in 1952 was to dump the RM range due to horrific build costs.
Incidentally, the "sort of black roof covering" is nailed on!
The black Riley on my pics has the vinyl roof cover as well. The owner doesn't drive the car as a daily driver. For me this Riley is a 'first'. Like a pocket-sized Jaguar. I love the acres of wood used on the dash and door capping. Real wood, thick as beams. The driving position for me (6 ft) is, well... a little fifties. Unobtainable cars like the Jaguar XK120 have the same 'sit up and beg' driving position with the steering wheel on your lap!
As said, I am glad that we're in good company when it comes to Riley Air Conditioning System... and, as said we will ask Uncle Bill to make us a new plug (I called it a fitting not knowing the correct phrase for it). I also mentioned the removal of the carbs. These are off for blasting, polishing and reconditioning. A Dutch company BCCP has all part for these carbs in stock!
When coming across a heater in a British classic, it's almost certain a Smiths. Not that they are very effective. My own TR has a Clayton heater. Quite an upgrade 10 yrs ago, but an expensive one. Currently we (TR Fraternity) turn to a new kid on the block (well, for us a new kid)! http://www.t7design.co.uk People who've installed their smallest heater in their classic are chuffed.
Menno
One of my other RMFs was bought new by the Managing Director of Clayton heaters from Riley on some insider mates deal. If you count the father & son as one owner, I am the third.
I did a wedding in it three weeks ago, for the youngest daughter of the second owner, but it is a very sad tale that I don't want to go into. Let's just say that she is dead now.
That sounds very sad indeed.
What's your experience getting a new plug? The workshop has Uncle Bill off course but that's a very lucky strike here.
I found a pic on the 'net supporting your explanation of the not-so-OH-cam.
Menno
New A4.62 plugs available from The Riley RM Centre Ltd, the spares division of The Riley RM Club, but you have to be a member.
Before they were available I made my own, but it is easier, quicker, and probably cheaper to buy them ready-made!
Do you need to fit a spigot for heater feed? If so, get Uncle Bill to make one out of brass and tap the plug after fitting, and have an external thread on the spigot.
This is not very interesting to the majority of TZers ( oi! You two! Get a garage!) so PM your email address and we can continue off-forum if you need any further advice.
Last edited by unclealec; 21st June 2017 at 20:08.
I'm not so sure of that, tbh: I think most of us appreciate mechanical machinery and good workmanship.This is not very interesting to the majority of TZers...
Also, threads like this turn up some fascinating examples of the diversity and knowledge amongst us. ;-)
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
Agreed Ralphy, but discussion about thread sizes of Riley 2½ litre hotspot tube blanking plugs does tend to make most people glaze over.
Menno & I will go mainstream if anything of more general interest erupts.
Far more interesting than "Show Us Your ******" or "Which Wrist" etc etc ad nauseum!
F.T.F.A.
Agreed. This sort of thread and subsequent exchange would also go down very well over at The Shed.
Never been there! Thanks for the heads up. GasGasBones' Carl is passionate about cars too!
Menno
Is it not going down well here? 😊
Cars, bikes, steam engines, he has too many distractions from getting on with making watch straps! It's fairly quiet there but very friendly.
I did say 'also'!There are a few mechanically minded types there who are also into watches.
Dead right Bob!
I love seeing these old motors, in fact I enjoy most non watch stuff that members here like to post about of their varied interests.
Cheers,
Neil.
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