1951 Riley RMD Drophead Coupe

First registered on 20 April 1951, this RMD is probably one of the last of the 502 cabriolets built. To give you some context to the era, this was the last year of King George VI’s reign and a couple of weeks after the Grand National with one of the highest attrition rates of its history - only 3 of the 36 starters crossed the finish line, a third of the field having fallen at the first fence.

According to the vendor, the RMD was fully restored “a number of years ago”. It’s hard to quantify what that means but what we do know is that it has had four registered keepers, the last of which owned the car for over 30 years. We can also see that the odometer currently reads a little over 67,600 miles and that it is still a very, very beautiful car.

The chassis number - for anyone who is a Riley or RM enthusiast and has access to the archives - is 61D 8280. The first RMD was 59D 5007 but the model shared the numbering sequence with the more numerous RMB.

The paint and bodywork on this car looks amazing and was clearly done well during its restoration and has been properly looked after since. The colour combination of black topsides, wings and running board with maroon flanks is a real touch of class.

Despite having a relatively straight and level waistline, the swooping front wings descending into the running boards and up and over the rear wheels give the car a curvy look - something of a throwback to the streamlining of the thirties.

From the front, the tall chrome grille sits between the array of headlamps and fog lamps above a chrome badge bar and bumper with overriders. The chrome then continues down the side waistlines to the hood frame bars and finishes at the rear with the boot release and bumper.

The car has some other lovely period features like proper wing mirrors - i.e. on the wings - and trafficators aft of the doors. But it also has discreet indicators tucked under the bumpers.

The beige / cream hood also looks in great condition - it carries a few marks over the top but otherwise appears immaculate and folds nicely away under a colour-matched tonneau cover and then under another in black.

White walled tyres don’t suit every car, but with the chrome beauty rings and hub-caps, and maroon centres, the look really complements the two-tone coachwork above. From the outside, the wheels, along with the rest of the car, look in very good condition.

Looking from underneath, at least one of the wheels seems to be rather rusty on the inside of the rim around the brake drums. However, it wouldn’t seem to be a big job to remove the wheels and subject their hidden sides to a wire brush and a bit of rust-proofing paint.

The interior is upholstered in a fluted cream leather, which looks to be in very good condition across the front seats and rear bench. It also lines the door cards and rear sidewalls. Whereas outside, the wooden frame is all but hidden, inside it becomes a feature, with the exposed door tops and dashboard beautifully crafted and finished.

The instrument panel set into the cabinetry of the dash is like nothing else, the large round clock and speedometer are separated by rectangular gauges for battery, fuel, water temperature and oil pressure. All of them are gold-faced with chrome bezels and use a distinctive but very elegant block typeface - again reminiscent of pre-war decades. Below the panel is Riley’s typical row of push-pull-turn knobs and the ignition key. Tucked under the dash is the heater drum.

The steering wheel looks original with a large, light-coloured, plasticised rim and three banjo-style spokes.

At floor level, the carpeting and gear-shift gaiter are in maroon - again appearing in good order - and there are also black rubber floor mats with the car to give additional protection. Underneath the carpets, the floors look very solid.

Under the traditional centre-hinged engine covers sits what looks like a new battery and a clean and tidy engine bay. Back in the day, less attention was paid to covering up things that moved; so wheels, pulleys and fans are all on show and rotate unguarded. No paperwork exists to prove how well the engine has been maintained and serviced but judging by the overall condition and the smooth running it bodes well for any new owner.

Aside from the light smattering of road dirt that you’d expect, the undersides of the Riley are amazingly clean and tidy with barely any signs of rust or damage across the chassis or running gear. Evidently everything was painted black during the restoration and where necessary given a good coating of underseal - only the nuts and bolt-heads and the extremities of the spring leaves show even surface rust. The exhaust system looks to be stainless and in good order.

The Riley RM cars have a steel chassis with a steel body nailed and soldered over a wooden frame, which is mostly hidden. This frame is partially visible underneath the car and its replacement or repair would likely have been one of the main elements of the restoration. Without closer inspection, we can’t be certain of its condition, although the general good order of the undersides and the rest of the car should give a degree of confidence.

The luggage space appears in a good condition with clean and tidy carpet and linings and chrome rails to aid sliding suitcases in and out. The upper forward part of the boot also houses the hood when folded. Stowed to one side of the boot is the jack and wheel brace.

The car’s last MoT expired almost 10 years ago, although it had passed tests in 2009 and 2011 cleanly with no advisories. As these are the only two MoTs known of (online records began around 2005) - it is possible that the first of these may have been carried out soon after the culmination of restoration works. According to the Riley RM Club registrar, their records suggest the works were carried out between 2003 and 2007.

The V5C is present but there is no history file with the car. However, it does have two sets of keys, a full set of instruction and workshop manuals, a handful of running spares and rather inexplicably a folding stool!

The odometer reading appears to be very low for the age but cars such as this should be considered on merit of their condition, and we would encourage anyone interested to scrutinise the detailed photographs of the car and also to come and see it for themselves at our HQ in Oxfordshire. The Riley RM Club (easily found online) has a handy Guide for Buyers for download covering these cars.

The “big four” starts well and runs smoothly, giving a feeling of potential power. With 100 hp but a heavy car, progress won’t be rapid - despite this being a sporting model - but you will enjoy every second of it, especially with the top down on a sunny day.

Putting a value on such a rare car isn’t easy - just 80 RMDs were sold in the UK and now, with a few re-imported, there are only around 60 left of which 41 are roadworthy. But we think, given its condition - not perfect but incredibly good following the earlier restoration - and absence of detailed history, it will sell for between £25,000 and £30,000.

If you look at what contemporary dropheads from other British marques like Jaguar and Alvis are selling for, this has to be something of a bargain, even at the top end of that range.

As previously mentioned, there is an active club for the Riley RM which can offer advice, parts and social events such as the national rally at Market Rasen Racecourse over the second weekend of July. If you bought this beautiful RMD you might be too late for an official entry this year but we can’t imagine you’d be turned away if you arrived in such a gorgeous looking cabriolet.

Viewing is always encouraged. This particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays between 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.