Managing Director – Bridge Classic Cars
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Previously owned by Bridge Classic Cars back in 2012, we are very pleased to reveal that our stunning 1924 Riley 10.8HP 11/40 Sports Tourer will be returning later in the month.
A brief history of the Riley 10.8HP 11/40 Sports Tourer ‘Blue Belle’: from H&H Classics website
Riley’s sporting 11/40 model was introduced at the Olympia show of 1919. By 1925 its detachable head side-valve engine had risen in capacity to 1645cc, increasing output from the initial 35bhp to 42. A variety of bodystyles were offered, many of which were the work of Midland Motor Body, while a number of other cars were exported in chassis form – not least to the Antipodes, where demand for the 11/40 was strong.
‘DS 9184’ is an example of the latter, having been shipped to Australia in 1925 and clothed in a local four-seat Touring body.
For the war years it was apparently transformed into a Ute, before being laid up in a country garage for the ensuing 40 years. Enthusiast Bernie Jacobson was evidently the man who awoke the Riley from its slumbers, whereupon it was totally stripped and fitted with a new hand-crafted all-alloy body courtesy of Coachcraft of Melbourne. The original engine, gearbox, rear axle and running gear were all attended to at the same time, and the Tourer treated to fresh interior leather trim and a brand new soft top. The estimated cost of the work undertaken is £80,000 to £100,000.
This delightful little veteran features Deep Prussian Blue bodywork paired with Black wings, the design of which is notably minimalist. The smart interior boasts Light Blue hide upholstery and matching carpets, and the 11/40 rides on colour-keyed wire wheels. Inclement weather can be excluded by a large Black mohair hood that is memorable for its Rileyesque diamond-shaped rear window. The vendor informs us that the overhauled engine is ‘beautifully detailed, in excellent order, starts instantly, and pulls strongly and smoothly through the gears’. ‘DS 9184 has apparently travelled few miles since all the work was completed and is now offered complete with a comprehensive file detailing the restoration, plus a variety of magazine articles featuring the car.
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