1951 Riley RMA 1.5 Saloon

First registered in 1951, making it one of the last RMAs to be built, this magnificent red and black example has been in the care of the titled vendor since 1995 as part of a large collection of classic cars. Even more wonderfully, he purchased it from the chap who had bought the car new, so the winning bidder will be only the car’s third owner in 70 years!

With plenty of evidence of care over the years, it is presented in a patinated condition, which we love. In need of some further recommissioning, the direction the car is taken in will lie in the hands of its new owner; for what it’s worth, we’d recommission the mechanical components and pop a set of tyres on and live with it as it is for a while before embarking on anything more drastic; it’s a delightful old thing and we can’t help but feel that its condition is an important part of its history.

Cars like this are hard to value; while the price of cars from the eighties and nineties have really taken off in the past few years, cars from the forties and fifties have started to struggle a little.

But, the vendor is a lovely chap and has sufficient faith in his car to offer it with no reserve, trusting that the market will value it fairly. So, if you’ve ever fancied a bit of semi-vintage, post-war motoring, this is your chance to get your hands on a wonderful piece of history for (possibly) not a lot of money.

Wonderful details abound like the separate compartment for the spare wheel, the twin fuel filler caps, the centre-hinged bonnet, and the sweeping front wings that terminate in a pair of full-length running boards. You’ll also have noticed the proper chrome radiator grille in addition to the faired-in headlamps, wing-top sidelights, and a pair of auxiliary Cibie driving lights.

There’s a black vinyl roof as well, which matches the black wings and running boards. The deep red coachwork contrasts beautifully with the noir trimmings, treading the line between rakish and gaudy perfectly.

Even better news comes with the fact that it is all still nice and solid and while the paintwork isn’t pristine, years of diligent care and rustproofing have left it in need of only titivation to the new owner’s desired level of presentation.

And what work is there to do? Well, that depends on how fastidious you are: It’s indisputable that the tyres will need replacing before you can use it as the sidewalls are cracked but after that, it’s all very much a work in progress.

There are some stonechips here and there, and these could be either touched-in to protect the underlying metal or fully resprayed. The latter might be a bit OTT but the former could be easily and cheaply undertaken and wouldn’t harm its looks in any way.

Some of the rubber seals have perished and replacing these as and when you find them would be an easy job – and one that would give you an excuse to retire to the garage to listen to the cricket while you fettle them this summer.

If you thought the outside was wonderful then you’re going to love the interior. Wonderfully elegant, it reeks of solid engineering and an appreciation of what makes a car feel special.

Like the huge wooden, three-spoke steering wheel (recently replaced) and a winning combination of both round and square Jaeger dials set in the imposing dashboard. It also boasts Bakelite switches and chrome controls, too.

The red leather seats are patinated and only very, very lightly damaged; if it were ours, we’d be tempted to make the necessary repairs to stabilise their condition and then leave them well alone.

The door cards are good, as are the chrome handles and the wooden frames around the windows. Sure, there is a little peeling here and there but that would be easily remedied without ripping the heart out of its history.

The engine was rebuilt by Agra Motor Engineers of Banff in 1993. Having seen only gentle use since that time, it runs very well but can take some starting.

But, as you can see in the video, is ticks over well once it has burst into life. It also revs beautifully without making any untoward noises. It also shows good oil pressure, further strengthening our view that it’s a good ‘un at heart and just needs a decent service and some time spent setting it up to help it start more easily.

Bought from the vendor’s long-time solicitor, he added it to his extensive collection of classic cars to preserve it. Lightly refurbished to arrest its decline, there are also receipts for repairs to the radiator, dynamo, and clutch.

More recent work includes new front brake shoes (2003), undersealing (2004 and 2018), exhaust (2006), generator and battery (2013), brakes (2018) plus receipts for servicing in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, and 2019.

The engine bay itself offers great access via that centre-hinged bonnet. Presented honestly, it, like the rest of the car, could left as it is without harm, or detailed to your own personal tastes as and when money and motivation collide.

The underside is solid thanks to all those years of diligent undersealing and rustproofing.

The Riley doesn’t have a current MOT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have the car re-MOT’d at the earliest. The cost of an MOT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies…

That said, its last MOT expired in 2013 but it had had a clean sweep with no advisories until then, which tells you everything you need to know about the care with which it has been maintained over the years.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of its servicing paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to a very good standard. NOTE: all the service history documents in the gallery are facsimiles. We do not have the originals. The seller will supply the originals to the winning bidder. 

Cars like this tug at our heartstrings like few others; with just two owners from new, it’s been preserved and driven throughout its life rather than restored and displayed and is all the better for having been treated in this way.

Because, while showroom-fresh, museum-quality examples are all very well, cars were designed and built to be used, to be taken on adventures, and to play a part in the lives of their owners – and this one has certainly achieved that.

So, we can see that the new owner will probably want to preserve that tradition, continuing to maintain and stabilise it to enable it to continue to fulfil its role in life well into the second quarter of the 21st century.

And it’s likely to be a cheap way of cutting your teeth on a car that can still be maintained with nothing more than simple hand tools because the market has started to turn away from cars of this era.

Which is a shame because they have an awful lot to offer the enthusiast with an eye to diligent engineering and the use of proper engineering materials. So, if you’ve got somewhere between £6,000 and £10,000 earning nothing in a building society why not take a punt on one of the most charming cars to pass through our hands in 2021?

Inspection is always encouraged (within Govt. guidelines of course), and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.