1937 Riley 12/4 Falcon

Description

1937 Riley 12/4 Falcon

Mechanically overhauled by Blue Diamond in 1994; bodywork restored at a cost of over £33,000 in 2006; went to Le Mans and back in 2012; a well-sorted Falcon ready for new adventures

Riley produced an astonishingly wide variety of sporting road cars during the 1920s and '30s, sales being boosted by an impressive competition record which established the Coventry marque as a worthy rival to the likes of Bentley, Aston Martin and HRG.

The bedrock of Riley’s success was the immortal Nine which they launched in 1926. Introduced at the 1934 Olympia Motor Show, the Riley 12/4 successfully built on the Nine’s greatest strength – its superb twin-cam engine. Modified and enlarged to 1.5 litres, the new engine produced 51bhp and gave the 12/4 a top speed in excess of 70mph, impressive performance for its class.

Three bodies were available on the 12/4 chassis (an unusally low number by Riley standards!), the more traditional, upright Falcon saloon being joined by the more racy looking Kestrel, with an open Lynx model for the wind-in-the-hair brigade. Buyers could choose between a manual or, at extra cost, a Wilson pre-selector gearbox.

Affectionately known as 'Albert', this Kestrel was first registered in Llandudno in February 1937. Two buff logbooks and an old V5 document all 12 keepers from 1953 until the present day.   

Invoices and correspondence show that Albert had an extensive mechanical overhaul by Blue Diamond Services in 1994 with the brakes, steering, suspension, engine and pre-selector gearbox all attended to as required. Between 2004 and 2006 the bodywork was completely restored by Foundry Classics of Dorking at a cost of over £33,500, the whole process being documented by many photos on file (a small selection of which are shown here).

Well-known to the Riley Club, Albert has attended many events over subsequent years, including a trip to Le Mans and back in 2012. Old MOTs show that he has covered some 10,000 miles since 2006. Our vendor acquired Albert from Vintage car specialist Robin Lawton in 2020 (for rather more than the guide price suggested here) and has continued to look after him well.

Only reluctantly for sale due to infirmity (the vendor, not the car!), Albert comes with a large and interesting history file and has been starting promptly and running nicely as we have moved him around on site, with good 40psi oil pressure. All he needs now is an enthusiastic new owner who can reap the benefit of all the hard work done to date and continue to cherish him in the manner to which he has become accustomed.

For more information contact James on 07970 309907 or email james.dennison@brightwells.com