Riley 16

The Riley 16 hp is a car made by the British Riley company from 1937 to 1940. It slotted into Riley's range immediately below their 18 hp V8 model. Announced in September 1937 for the Earls Court Motor Show^[2] it became one of the two genuine Riley models in the rationalised range that followed the 1938 takeover by the Nuffield Organization.

1938 Riley 16hp
Kestrel 16hp 6-light saloon first registered January 1938
Overview
Manufacturer	Riley
Production	1939–1940
Body and chassis
Body style	1937: Continental sports saloon Kestrel 6-light saloon Adelphi 6-light saloon 1939 Kestrel 6-light saloon Kestrel 2-door drophead coupé
Powertrain
Engine	2.4 L Straight-4
Dimensions
Wheelbase	116 in (2,946 mm)[1]
Length	179 in (4,547 mm)
Width	63 in (1,600 mm)
Chronology
Predecessor	none
Successor	Riley RMB

It had a 2443cc straight-four engine with twin cams and S.U carburettor which developed 82 bhp (61 kW). The transmission was a four speed manual. It was capable of a top speed of around 80 mph (129 km/h).^[1] The chassis was a lengthened version of the one used on the Riley 12 hp which was introduced at the same time.

The 1939/40 16 hp was available with a standard saloon, Kestrel fastback saloon or drophead coupe coachwork.^[3]

Continental sports saloon (this body is on a 12/4 chassis)

Adelphi 6-light saloon (this body is on a 15/6 chassis)

Kestrel 16hp 6-light saloon

Adelphi 16hp 6-light saloon

Riley 2½-litre Big Four
Overview
Manufacturer	Riley Motors Limited
Also called	Riley 16 h.p.[4]
Production	1937 to 1957[5]
Layout
Configuration	straight four
Displacement	2.443 L (149.1 cu in)[5]
Cylinder bore	80.5 mm (3.17 in)[2]
Piston stroke	120 mm (4.7 in)[2]
Cylinder block material	cast iron, aluminium sump, alloy pistons
Cylinder head material	cast iron, hemispherical combustion chambers, spark plugs in centre between valve covers[4]
Valvetrain	90-degree angled overhead valves[5] operated by twin high-lift camshafts moving rockers with short light stiff push-rods powered from the crankshaft by duplex roller chains[4]
Compression ratio	6.9 : 1[5]
Combustion
Fuel system	Twin H4 SU carburettors[5] mechanical petrol pump[4]
Fuel type	petrol
Oil system	pressure fed from sump by submerged gear-type pump driven by skew gear from camshaft
Cooling system	water, thermostatically controlled flow, belt-driven water pump and radiator fan[4]
Output
Power output	106 bhp @ 4,500 rpm Tax rating 16hp[5]
Chronology
Predecessor	none before 1937
Successor	Riley RMH then BMC C-Series engine

Michael Sedgwick described this long-stroke four as a first-class tourer in the Riley tradition, Britain's largest four since the 4½-lire Bentley ended production in 1931. Its chassi, he said, was regular Riley - beam axles and Girling brakes - fitted with Borg-Warner overdrive as standard. It would run up to 90 mph. The engine ran very smoothly for a four-cylinder. Good value for money; it survived into Riley's Nuffield-owned era but with disc wheels, umbrella handbrake lever and ordinary synchromesh gearboxes, (Nuffield) ". . . made a few wire-wheeled Kestrels in 1939 and 1940 to keep the traditionalists happy".^[6]