1954 Riley Pathfinder – Project Profile

The UK has given the automotive world some greats. We have the companies that are still operational, like Bentley, Jaguar, Rolls-Royce, Morgan and others. All doing their bit to show the world that Britain is still the best when it comes to luxury, to performance and to world class engineering. And then of course, on a slightly more sombre note, we have the companies that have long since left the UK’s motoring menu. Allard, Morris, Austin, Rover, Humber and of course, Riley to name but a few. And of those, Riley was one of the greats. Beautiful cars, exceptional engineering and more luxury than a gold-wrapped, five-star hotel room, Rileys were cars to be seen in. And that’s why the 1954 Riley Pathfinder featured here needs to be saved.

While not a barn find (because if every classic car described as a ‘barn find’ actually was, the country would need to have more barns than houses), it is a time capsule of a find. The vendor states that the car was unceremoniously tucked away back in 1962 and it didn’t see the light of day again until recently. And the setting in which it was stored away seems to have been very kind to it. Sure, the tyres are dry-rotted, the glass is murky and the paint has long since lost its original shine, but under the dust and decay lies a solid, straight, unrestored, honest example of Riley’s last ‘proper’ car. Opportunities like this don’t come up often.

What is it? 

The car here is, as we touched on earlier, a 1954 Riley Pathfinder. It only enjoyed a short production run of just under three years, but even so, it was a significant car. History sees it as being the last ‘proper’ Riley before the company merged with Austin to form BMC. It was designed as the RMH, and took over from the popular RMF. However, the nomenclature didn’t really work with the new merger, and so it was given the name Pathfinder. And find a path it could. Laden with wood and leather, all under a sleek four-door body, the Pathfinder was powered by Riley’s ‘big four’ 2,443cc inline-four engine with twin cams and SU carbs. It gave the Pathfinder 110hp, which was impressive for the time and The Motor magazine managed to get one to crack 99.5mph. It was an impressive car in more ways than one, but is now a very rare sight indeed, making this one a very special find.

Why is it a project? 

Well, it’s been locked away since 1962, so it needs completely going over. Amazingly, and in credit to Riley’s engineers, the owner managed to get this Pathfinder running after nothing more than a fettle of the plugs and points, though fuel was from a remote supply, not the tank. The brakes are binding, the cooling system probably wants overhauling, the electrics will need to be inspected on the basis of safety if nothing else and it will need a lot of fiddling and fettling to get it reliable again. But, it’s all easy ‘home mechanic’ stuff to do. The car seems to be solid, and the vendor seems confident that while heavily patinated, the panels and the underside are pretty solid. The car is also complete by the looks of things, so there should be no frustrating parts hunting for the new owner. From what we can see, this car could be back on the road without too much fuss, hopefully.

Five things to look for:

1) Rust

It looks good, solid even, but it would be foolish to not check for rust, especially underneath. Given the great condition of the topside, we’re confident the belly should be decent, but get under there and have a good, proper look. That way, you won’t get caught out further  down the line by work you weren’t anticipating.

2) Brakes 

The seller states the brakes bind, and in all reality, the system is going to need to be completely overhauled. However, it’s not going to hurt to have a look at what’s there and check for anything that looks damaged. The good thing is, parts are out there, so don’t fret if it’s all scrap.

3) Interior 

The interior of this Pathfinder is delightfully welcoming. It looks like it needs nothing more than a date with Henry and a thorough wipe down. However, check the floors, lift the carpets, check the headlining and the door seals and of course, the door functions such as the windows and so on.

4) Electrics

If it were our money, we would look to completely rewire the car just for safety if nothing else. The manner in which this car was stored has been great for the tin, but dry conditions mean the rodents may well have been at play. Check as much as you can, looking for any evidence of tiny teeth. Really though, budget for a new wiring loom, and maybe even a 12 volt conversion.

5) Engine 

We know the engine runs, which is great. However, check it over. Look at things like the core plugs, the carbs, the exhaust manifold and so on. Before any serious use, it will need an overhaul, new gasket and rubber seals, lines and so on.

What should you do with it? 

If it were our money, it would be a full mechanical and electrical overhaul, then a through detail and – subject to the metal being okay – that would be it. We like the faded paint and ‘just broken in’ interior, and it would be a crime to rid this car of those things. Yes, you might want to give it a fresh coat of paint in the future, but for now, it would be good to embrace the hard earned and frankly miraculous patina this Pathfinder has. Riley spares, for the mechanical stuff, are easy enough to find through online sources and owners clubs, so getting this old girl running and driving once again should, hopefully, be an easy task.

Fancy a project like this? Find a Riley Pathfinder for sale.