1952 Riley Special

“This is a unique Riley known in the Riley Motor Club as the ‘Harrian Special’ – the car that Riley should have built,” explains our vendor.

Having started life in 1952 as a Riley RMB 4-seater saloon, it was subsequently modified by Harry Wilton in 1979 and re-registered. “Shortening the chassis by 17 inches transformed the car into the glorious 2-seater roadster you see here”.

The Ferguson family (of Ferguson Tractors fame) became the first owners of the car in its ‘new’ form and used it regularly until 1993, when it was parked up and stored in a barn on the Isle of Wight. “In 2014, Park Lane Vintage Cars acquired it and embarked upon a full restoration, which took six years. This involved taking the body off, with the chassis repaired and treated where necessary. A full engine rebuild was undertaken, the body restored and various upgrades – including a Kenlowe fan and oil cooler – fitted. A new tonneau cover was also commissioned at a cost of over £2000”.

With the restoration completed in 2020, the owner of Park Lane Vintage Cars enjoyed the car sparingly until 2024. That’s where our vendor came in… “I purchased it in the early part of that year, becoming only the 5th owner of the car in 73 years. Since then, I’ve only used it on sunny days to exhibit at local car shows”.

The Riley Special comes with a comprehensive file including all bills and receipts for the restoration, together with some photos of the work completed.

“I’m only selling now as I’m 70 years-old and there are many classic cars that I still want to own whilst I am still able to drive. This beautiful, unique car is in excellent condition and, as you would expect, it drives superbly. I’m sure the next owner will not be disappointed”.

Shortening the chassis, re-crafting the bodywork to include cut-away doors and adding aero screens have all combined to result in one purposeful looking little roadser.

The side profile is a little less delicate than that of an RMC roadster but from the front it’s certainly more imposing and sporting in appearance. Combining a jaunty disposition with that semi-racing look, it’s a unique car and one that is certain to draw attention whether that is on the road, at a broad classic car show or even within Riley marque circles.

The bright red paintwork remains in excellent condition; it’s pretty much unmarked and retains a stunning deep shine. Brightwork is more than up to the job of adding to the visual pizzazz, with no evidence of pitting or tarnish. The whitewall tyres, body-colour painted wheels and chrome hubcaps further up the aesthetic ante.

It’s a stunning, handcrafted, bespoke roadster.

The cabin is finished in tan leather with contrasting Wessex black carpets. In combination with the red exterior, it provides the car with quite a striking visual appeal.

Again, it’s finished to a high standard. Considerable financial outlay was made to do so. This included purchasing a full carpet and boot carpet set at a cost of £383.99 and repairing the original Riley RMB steering wheel (£438) to name but a few items.

Star of the show however, goes to the custom red mohair tonneau cover. Commissioned at a total cost of £2,136 from SM Trimming of Lewes, East Sussex, this included removal of the old trim and machining in new ash and fresh Tenex studs. In-situ, it looks simply glorious. It also lends confidence when out for a drive or at a show, should you get caught in a spot of wet weather.

The wooden dash panels and art deco chrome-rimmed gauges remain in original condition and have an exceedingly pleasant patina.

Our vendor says that the Riley Special is a beautifully sorted motorcar. “The restoration was done very well, to the extent that I haven’t had to spend anything on the car other than petrol and insurance".

“The rebuilt engine pulls strongly and has excellent oil pressure, sitting between 40-50psi at all times when driving. On throttle, there’s a lovely rasping sound emitted from the exhaust. The car itself is easy to drive and the brakes are strong, giving the driver confidence in modern traffic”.

Of course, the additions of a Kenlowe fan and an oil cooler aid and abet the roadster in keeping its cool, lending the owner added peace of mind. This is one classic that shouldn’t have you getting hot under the collar in heavy traffic.

Lifting this car’s bonnet panels reveals a clean, tidy and smartly presented engine bay. Underneath, this car really excels for it remains in pretty much spotless post-restoration fettle; you’ll find wonderfully clean black metal, a chassis in what appears to be first-class condition and a stainless steel exhaust system. Add to that fresh looking suspension components and braided steel fuel pipes and it’s a thoroughly confidence inspiring picture.

The ‘Big Four’ engine fires easily and the vendor's right about that exhaust note... it’s a raspy pleasure.

Before we get to documentation, we must point you to the ‘Other Photos” section of our photographic gallery below. That’s because there, you will find twenty-two pictures showing both the car ‘as found’ and restoration process itself.

The latter detail the body-off, chassis refresh phase, engine rebuild, body restoration and rebuilding of the Riley. Many are date (and time) stamped, as well.

In that same section you will also find a wide range of snaps from the various car shows that the vendor has taken the Riley to. We have to say, that it looks pretty spectacular in all of them.

Right, back to the documents…

We’ve included a snapshot of them. There are many more to be supplied with the vehicle (a thick sheaf, in fact) but we’ve popped a few of the big restoration items on there, including the £2136 outlaid on that lovely tonneau.

The V5c registration certificate (showing five owners in total) is present, as a range of expired tax discs and MOT test certificates. A Pitman’s Motorists’ Library The Book of Riley is included, as is a Riley 1½ Litre and 2½ Litre Workshop Manual.

The Riley Record (Journal of the Riley Motor Club) Vol. 51, No. 4 from August 2024, in which the car graced the front cover and featured inside, is also present.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos to support our claim that this ultra rare Riley Special has been constructed, fully restored and then maintained to the highest of standards.

Featured in The Autocar magazine in 1981, and later in the Riley RM Club magazine, this is a well-known car within the Club. As our vendor states, “it’s a unique car – you won’t find another in the country”. And therein lies the crux; this purposeful looking roadster will provide its new custodian with both a distinctive and exclusive ownership experience.

So, this very nicely sorted, rare and delectable roadster is now up for grabs. It’s estimated to sell for between £15,000 and £20,000, which means that, in this case, exclusivity is most definitely affordable.

Ready for some delightful top-down motoring this summer?

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £15,000 - £20,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Haywards Heath, East Sussex. To arrange an appointment to inspect this vehicle, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.