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Riley 2.5 Engine

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Twosheds

Twosheds

Darth Vader
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OOOO! AAAHHHH!

Just picked this up for my friend from the rebuilder. He does good work.

Very heavy, very tall engine. It wouldn't fit in his SUV heightwise. Barely fit under my cap. Design dates from 1929, but it's for a '50 SM. Double cam, but they are in the block. Hemispherical combustion chambers.
 

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What a lovely machine! I'd love to see the head design.

Nothing like older technology...
 
Very nice job on the engine....any pics of it's "home"??
 
Riley had some interesting ideas. Don't forget, they had successful sports - racers between the wars as well as inspiring the ERA.
That picture is gorgeous!
 
A literal piece of motoring history, that.

How many could be remaining? Not many.

It would be most interesting to see the value of that Riley engine on eBay, or at an auction. Bound to be worth more than a few pence.

Really cool Roger, thanks for posting! :thumbsup:
 
Silverghost said:
Very nice job on the engine....any pics of it's "home"??
Click to expand...

Well, here's a "before". And a couple I took when I delivered the engine, one of which is out of focus, but the "home" is still in too many pieces for a photo.
 

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vagt6 said:
Really cool Roger, thanks for posting! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

I'm John.

And you're quite welcome anyways, Mark!
 
DART said:
Any specs on output, John?? I'm always interested in 50's engines of that displacement & how they compare to the 2.5 hemi-V in the SP's.
Click to expand...

Dunno about the output, but Nial does.

Half the cylinders and double the cams.

I read that this engine was used in the Healey Silverstone.
 
Yes, the Riley 2.5 was used in all Healeys before the Austin Healey. In the Healey Silverstones, Abbots, Westlands, Sportsmobile, etc. etc.

Donald Healey finally switched over to the Austin drivetrain because he could be assured by Austin of sufficient delivery volumes for a mass produced car. Riley couldn't do that - I understand he more or less preferred the Riley 2.5 to the Austin 2.7, but the Austin Motors were mass produced.

Actually Donald Healey was later talking with Shelby and Ford, but never worked it out. The Austin Healey 3000 was the preferred chassis for the Cobra over the AC Ace, but Healey had a nice profitable AH franchise with BMC at that time so didn't want to rock the boat....
 
I'm surprised the Healey chassis was preferred to the Ace, which was surely a much better chassis for adaptation, and even a better chassis all round?
 
Roger said:
Mickey Richaud said:
Twosheds said:
vagt6 said:
Really cool Roger, thanks for posting! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

I'm John.
Click to expand...

Roger that!

:jester:
Click to expand...

Steady on chaps!

Roger
Click to expand...

Roger Murdock: Flight 2-0-9'er, you are cleared for take-off.
Captain Oveur: Roger!
Roger Murdock: Huh?
Tower voice: L.A. departure frequency, 123 point 9'er.
Captain Oveur: Roger!
Roger Murdock: Huh?
Victor Basta: Request vector, over.
Captain Oveur: What?
Tower voice: Flight 2-0-9'er cleared for vector 324.
Roger Murdock: We have clearance, Clarence.
Captain Oveur: Roger, Roger. What's our vector, Victor?
Tower voice: Tower's radio clearance, over!
Captain Oveur: That's Clarence Oveur. Over.
Tower voice: Over.
Captain Oveur: Roger.
Roger Murdock: Huh?
Tower voice: Roger, over!
Roger Murdock: What?
Captain Oveur: Huh?
Victor Basta: Who?
 
I think the thinking was that they would redo the chassis for the Cobra, but then figured it was alot of work for a pretty big gamble at that time. Also don't forget that DHMC was known for being a top notch suspension and race prep house in the 1950s.

If you've ever driven a stock BN1 (I own a '53), it's one of the best balanced sports cars I've ever driven, and it was designed in 1952!
 
Is the Riley for sale?
 
healeynut said:
I think the thinking was that they would redo the chassis for the Cobra, but then figured it was alot of work for a pretty big gamble at that time. Also don't forget that DHMC was known for being a top notch suspension and race prep house in the 1950s.

If you've ever driven a stock BN1 (I own a '53), it's one of the best balanced sports cars I've ever driven, and it was designed in 1952!
Click to expand...

Early 50s, maybe, but by 1961 when AC started on the Cobra, they weren't in the reckoning any more, especially on the circuits. The mid-late 50s successes of Lotus, Lola, and to a certain extent, Cooper, had shown a lighter, faster way of building sports cars that ran rings round the earlier generations. The AC chassis was much more in that mode than the heavy Healey.
 
Carrol Shelby has told me in person that the reason he wanted the AC was soley for the chassis.
 
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