Beschreibung:

Development work on a standard Riley chassis by engineer/drivers Parry Thomas and Reid Railton so inspired the Riley factory that the company designed and built its own two-seater sports car which they were to christen the ‘Brooklands’. Railton himself drove the prototype in its first race at Brooklands in 1927 – the ’90 Short Handicap’ - which it won dramatically at a speed of 91.37mph while setting a fastest lap at an astonishing 98.62mph. This set the standard for the new production ‘Brooklands’ model introduced the following year. The new car featured the already well tried and tested four-cylinder, pushrod-operated, overhead valve engine with a bore and stroke of 60.3mm x 95.2mm and a capacity of 1,087cc. Advanced design of the new engine included part-spherical combustion chambers, inclined opposed valves and twin camshafts while the ‘Brooklands’ model also featured an increased compression ratio, stronger valve springs and twin SU carburettors. The chassis was lowered to carry the sleek, new two-seater coachwork and shortened to 8 ft in length to reduce weight and improve road-holding. The coachwork was sensational in its day with its long, pointed tail, fold-flat windscreen, cutaway side panels and cycle-type mudguards. The early cars were developed by Thompson and Taylor but such was demand that production moved to Coventry. The ‘Brooklands’ was to dominate the 1,100cc class in international competition and was nowhere more in its element than at the circuit from which it took its name. 1932 was perhaps the most significant year in the racing history of the ‘Brooklands’ with outright victories in the Junior Car Club’s 1,000 Mile Race, the Ards Tourist Trophy Race and a second place in the ‘Brooklands 500 Miles’ race. Writing of the Ards victory The Autocar reported:- “It is a pleasure to record the victory of the 9hp Riley in the Tourist Trophy after a race as hard fought as any that can be remembered. Mr Victor Riley deserves the success in every sense of the phrase, for he has upheld the British colours for many years…….. one has only to compare the speeds class by class with those recorded four years ago and …… it is obvious that development has vastly improved performance generally.” The race had never before been won by a car in the 1,100cc class. Noted drivers who campaigned the ‘Brooklands’ model included George Duller, Victor Riley, Le Mans-winning ‘Sammy’ Davis, George Eyston, Jack Dunfee, John Cobb and the Hon. Brian Lewis while chain-smoking Middlesbrough garage owner Freddie Dixon cut his racing teeth on a ‘Brooklands’ Riley, much modified to his demanding standards. This car is recorded as having been campaigned by famous racing driver (and band leader) Billy Cotton in 1935 in the ‘Brooklands 500’ race, at that time ‘mechaniced’ by ‘Wilkie’ Wilkinson who was of course later to achieve even greater fame and significance with Écurie Écosse. The car was modified by Byfleet Motors for that race and at that time was road-registered EPD 555. It was fitted, either at that time or a later date, with a special racing body with light steel frame which it still retains. In 1977 the car was discovered in Birmingham by sporting Riley gurus, Neville and Barbara Farquhar, and passed to Irish ownership prior to acquisition by its present Swedish owner. The car is presented in racing trim, the engine reported as having been race prepared by Barry White and the coachwork is presented in red livery. Brooklands Rileys of confirmed authenticity are indeed rare and this historic example will surely be a serious competitor in appropriate speed events.