The Riley Nine was a highly successful light sporting car made between 1926 and 1938. It was powered by a 1,087 cc four-cylinder engine with hemispherical combustion chambers and overhead valves operated by short pushrods and rockers from twin camshafts mounted high in the block. The two brothers Percy and Stanley Riley were responsible for the design: Percy for the engine and Stanley for the chassis, suspension and body.
The Mark IV that we see here was a thorough update of the Nine, with Riley’s own 6-stud hubs replacing the bought-in 5-stud items and a new cable-operated braking system with larger drums, adjustable from the driver’s seat in the event of cable stretch. The Nine survived in many iterations until 1938, with a plethora of bodies, both open and closed. In 1936 Riley made an agreement with Briggs Manufacturing to introduce a less costly steel body for a new chassis.
Lord Nuffield bought the Riley company in 1938 and Nine production ceased.
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