1965 Riley ELF

This beautiful Riley Elf was purchased by our very own head honcho and serial car collector last year. He’s spent some time tidying it up and sorting out a few niggling jobs but has now realised that he’s never going to drive it as much as he thought he would, hence this sale.

The chap he bought it from bought it in turn from the now defunct Albany Garage in London, who carried out the restoration work on it prior to selling it. The previous owner then showed it at various classic car meets but then lost interest; if the Riley was a puppy, it would be the scruffy one from Lady and the Tramp – all it wants is someone to love it and give it a home for life…

The car has had a respray in its recent past. The chromework isn’t rusty or pitted but is developing a gorgeous patina; we like it like this, but if you prefer the concours look then you might want to invest some time and money in getting it re-chromed.

There are also some very small areas of rust on the top seam and some discolouring around the hinges (please see the pictures on the listing for full details) but none of it is structural and a few pounds swiftly spent would nip it in the bud before it becomes a problem. Finally, the bonnet catch needs adjusting or replacing as the bonnet doesn’t close properly.

The interior has been retrimmed at some point and the deep red seat coverings and door trims are in good condition as a result.

Some issues remain, however: the steering wheel has a small crack on the underside; the dashboard veneer and chrome dial bezels are starting to show their age; and there are some deep scratches on the front facing of the leather that will need attention; although they haven’t gone completely through they are unsightly. Oh, and the headlining isn’t the best we’ve ever seen either.

Recent work in the last couple of weeks includes a new fuel pump, the mid-section of exhaust has been replaced, and the gear linkage has been adjusted. The engine was also a bit coked up where the leaking exhaust gases were being sucked in the carbs, but an ‘Italian tune-up’ seems to have cleared it out.

The owner tells us that “it’s a sweet little car and good fun to drive with its magic wand gearstick and Mini handling” (handing courtesy of the inter-connected Hydrolastic suspension, of course).

Sadly, this lovely example doesn’t come with the sort of history we’d normally like to see; while the mileage is supported by the fact that has every MOT certificate dating back to 1989, everything else has been lost at some point in its life bar an original 1968 BMC workshop manual!

However, we’d encourage potential bidders to come and take a look for themselves. The car will also come with a brand-new, 12-month MOT.

Of the 31,000 that were built, it’s thought that fewer than 700 have survived, which gives the Riley Elf rarity. It’s also a charming old thing and while most would agree it isn’t as cute as a contemporary Mini it is classier, which is another thing in its favour.

Finally, they’re still cheap. Even though they’ve performed very well in the past twelve months they still have a long way to go in our opinion: the guide price for this example is £3-4,000, which should still give you some headroom even after you’ve spent another grand or so on tidying up the few areas that still need attention.

At that price it’s a bargain, and if you don’t bid it’ll be one of the cars in your life that got away - and, as we all know, the stuff you regret is the stuff you didn’t do…

The vehicle is with us and available for inspection by appointment and we would welcome bidders to come and see the car for themselves. To arrange please use the 'Contact Seller' button at the top of the listing. 

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