Description

1937 Riley 12/4 Lynx

Fully ground up restored; Dave Flake engine overhaul; rebuilt gearbox; a very well presented larger-engined Lynx

The continuation Buff Logbook for this car shows it was first registered on 19th January 1937 and still carries its original number EPK 436. Nothing is known of its early years, the first entry in the continuation logbook dating from 1954 when it was owned by a gent in Kent, running through to 1963 by which time it had moved to Newhaven on the south coast.

By the early 'naughties', it was under restoration, the car being advertised and purchased by our vendor in 2005 following an advert in the Riley Register magazine as an immaculate ground-up restored example.

On the way home from collection, the engine picked up a big end bearing so its new owner was forced to undertake an unexpected engine rebuild. On stripping the unit, it was found an oilway had been drilled incorrectly and the crankshaft was beyond further use. Fortunately, he had a good spare 12/4 crank which was supplied to local expert Dave Flake to be checked and ground, the engine being line-bored and fitted with new white-metal throughout. The engine was then carefully built back up and resinstalled.

The vendor, a well-known Riley racer had on the shelf a fully rebuilt pre-selector gearbox. He decided to fit this too, the box having been rebuilt by the late Cyril Turnell, the foreman of Self Changing Gears who had rebuilt most of the ERA gearboxes at the time. This was all duly fitted.

The car was then briefly run before attention turned to other projects.

As it stands, the car has not run for around 10 years so will require recommissioning before use, and we are advised, final adjustment of the pre-selector bands which was the next job on the list post installation. It will still require an element of running-in once back on the road.

The bodywork and brightwork is in very good order as can be seen from the pictures, although we seem to be missing the passenger footwell floorboard and carpet - easily sorted.

The 12/4 Lynx was quite a car in its day and this one looks superb value at the suggested guide price.

For more information - contact matthew.parkin@brighwells.com