Description
Pavilion Gardens | Buxton, Derbyshire
12th Feb, 2025 12:00pm
1938 Riley 12/ 4 Lynx Tourer
No Reserve
Registration No: DUR 482
Chassis No: 28L7838
MOT: Exempt
Long-term family ownership
The Subject of a previous gearbox overhaul
Offered from a deceased estate
Previously a multi-award winning Riley at club events
In the late 1920s and '30s, Riley, based in Coventry, crafted some of the finest small sporting cars globally, spanning Saloons, Tourers, and dedicated sports models. Percy Riley's famous marque really took off thanks to the 1926 Motor Show exhibited Riley Nine, the main feature of which was the engine, which became a talking point amongst the sporting motoring fraternity. For when most of the rival firms were still employing side valves, Riley's Nine engine had not one, but two camshafts, mounted high up in the cylinder block, driving inclined valves via short pushrods and rockers, and was fitted with hemispherical cylinder heads - a layout which responded well to some further power increasing tweaking. Indeed, the Thompson and Taylor team Brooklands-Nine became one of the biggest winners in British motor racing prewar. Such racetrack cred quickly rubbed off on the street models, which the 'Brooklands Crowd' bought in great numbers.
The late vendor purchased this 1938 Riley 12/ 4 Lynx in the 1990s. Previously a multi award-winning Riley at club events, the Lynx had been in use until 2022 and maintained to a good standard, when it was laid up due to ill health. Just one of a batch of 44 built at the end of the line for the 12/ 4 Lynx range and fitted with a Riley Sprite dash from new, it was purchased by the previous owner in the late 1970s. A full restoration down to the chassis ensued and included new A and B pillars and upgrading to a higher output radiator.
The paperwork with the car includes the V5C, previous valuations, test certificates and magazine cuttings from when the car was new, as well as photographs of the car’s restoration in the early 1970s and tours around Britain since. The interior has a beautiful weathered look whilst the hood has some areas where the stitching has come apart, however, this can be easily remedied. The Riley would make a good usable car with some light recommissioning. It has been running as recently as December 2024 and will take minimal work to see it run again. Just before it was laid-up, it benefitted from a full gearbox overhaul, covering a mere handful of miles since. It is to be sold at No Reserve.
