Riley One-Point-Five.
An idyllic scene, a quaint country cottage on a bright sunny day, graced by the presence of a Riley One-Point-Five saloon, the sportified version of the Wolseley 1500. The Riley shown below sports a two-tone paint job, and a radio aerial fitted to the offside front wing. No details of the location shown here are given - does the cottage survive, or perhaps was it swept away during a motorway expansion, or housing development? A hand-operated stirrup pump can be seen in the garden, yet the cottage evidently benefits from mains waste water, and has a television aerial attached to its chimney.
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The Riley One-Point-Five, like its Wolseley brother, was powered by the 1,489cc version of BMC's B-Series OHV engine. Unlike its sibling though, the Riley benefited from the fitment of twin SU carburettors which, allied to the excellent handling offered by the Morris Minor underpinnings, made for an enjoyable mid-sized four-door saloon of the day. If that wasn't enough, firms such as Speedwell could offer further engine and suspension enhancements, to heighten the pleasure of piloting these classic Rileys at speed.
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The 1.5 litre Riley went on sale in 1957, a few months after the Wolseley. Early cars can be easily differentiated from the Series 2 type, launched in May 1960, by the exterior hinges used on the bonnet and boot lid, features that disappeared during the 1960 update. The car shown above is, I think, a Series 2. Production of the Riley and Wolseley continued until 1965.
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A new Mk1 Riley 1.5 in 1957.
Keith Belcher has many photographs of cars that he, and his father, owned over several decades. One of them is this shot, of his father Ken stood alongside the brand new Mk1 Riley 1.5 that he purchased in 1957, the year of the model's launch. The external bonnet hinges, mentioned already as being an identifier of a Mk1, are plain to see here. Thanks for the photo Keith.
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Australian variants of the Riley One-Point-Five.
Buyers in Australia were offered their own versions of the One-Point-Five, namely the Austin Lancer and the Morris Major. There were many cosmetic differences between the British and Australian cars, as the following photo illustrates. This image was kindly sent over by Graeme a little while ago, it shows a Series 1 Morris Major that his Grandmother purchased new in 1959. It has been restored, and Graeme regularly takes it to classic car shows. It makes for an interesting comparison with the cars offered to BMC's home market, which is why I've included it on this page.
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Other items of interest.
A number of modern photos featuring restored Riley One-Point-Fives can be found on the site - here's one for example, while parts wanted and for sale can be advertised on this page.
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Return to Page 15 in the gallery of vintage cars and vehicles.
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