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Riley with twin 'windows' in boot?

Started by Dkipling1 , May 14 2011 15:55

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20 replies to this topic

#1 Dkipling1

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Posted 14 May 2011 - 15:55

In the laste fifties I used to admire a roadster that I believe (?) was a Riley, and I cannot now match my memory with Riley models. This one looked somewhat like the RMC, in that it had an extended boot area that had two rectangular glass 'portholes' / windows on its upper surface. These fascinated me because they made no sense. I also sensed but did not look, that there may have been a rumble seat under there. The twin windows were up towards the hinge area.
This particular car was immaculate, in turquiose, owned by a moderately wealthy woman, but I do not believe it would have been a custom coachwork job.

It certainly appeared to be a 1940's era car, and if not a Riley, I do not know of other makes that had the long sloping boot, least of all with these unique 'windows'. Photos of RMC roadsters are similar but not quite matching. :well:

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#2 Robin Fairservice

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Posted 14 May 2011 - 16:07

Was it a Triumph 1800 which had such windows and a rumble seat?

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#3 BRG

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Posted 14 May 2011 - 16:09

As pictured here http://www.simoncars...iumph/tr18.html ?

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#4 D-Type

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Posted 14 May 2011 - 18:49

i remembered this model and thanks to the ID from Robin Fairservic... I had a look around the web. I was amused to find that a rumble seat (US) or dicky seat (UK) is known in German as a 'Schwiegermuttersitz' or 'mother-in-law seat'.

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#5 Bloggsworth

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Posted 14 May 2011 - 20:27

As children we used to fight to get into the dicky seat, best place to travel to school, we could abuse the other children we passed without let or hinderance....

Edited by Bloggsworth, 14 May 2011 - 20:27.

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#6 GMACKIE

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Posted 14 May 2011 - 21:34

Was it a Triumph 1800 which had such windows and a rumble seat?

Like the one that Bergerac drove, before he changed his name to Barnaby?

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#7 Dkipling1

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Posted 14 May 2011 - 21:39

Was it a Triumph 1800 which had such windows and a rumble seat?

[

font="Comic Sans MS"]That's the one! My memory over that last 50 years had conflated my uncle's Riley front end with that car --- now I see the rad, yes it was a Triumph. The one the lady owned was a gem, just "mint", and I'm glad to find that my rumble-seat intuition was correct! Question --- were these produced in large numbers? I think the Riley RMC was barely 1,000 units.
Thank you, guys, for such fast and heldpful postings. [/font] :clap:

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#8 Dkipling1

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Posted 14 May 2011 - 21:44

Was it a Triumph 1800 which had such windows and a rumble seat?

That's the one. Thank you so much for your FAST and helpful replies. Now I recall the rad grille more accurately --- over 50 years my mind had conflated my uncle's Riley grille with the lady's car. Glad also to see that my rumble-seat intuition was spot on. How many of those Triumphs were built? :clap:

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#9 Robin Fairservice

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Posted 14 May 2011 - 22:52

[ font="Comic Sans MS"]That's the one! My memory over that last 50 years had conflated my uncle's Riley front end with that car --- now I see the rad, yes it was a Triumph. The one the lady owned was a gem, just "mint", and I'm glad to find that my rumble-seat intuition was correct! Question --- were these produced in large numbers? I think the Riley RMC was barely 1,000 units.
Thank you, guys, for such fast and heldpful postings. [/font]

According to Wikipedia. 2501 1800's and 2000 of the 2000 cc model.

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#10 Geoff E

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Posted 15 May 2011 - 08:47

According to Wikipedia. 2501 1800's and 2000 of the 2000 cc model.

That agrees with the info in this database http://www.gblandco.com/gb/Gaydon.pdf

It contains an amazing number of British car production figures of the various works which eventually comprised British Leyland.

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#11 Sharman

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Posted 15 May 2011 - 09:58

According to Wikipedia. 2501 1800's and 2000 of the 2000 cc model.

i remember driving one in the 50s and sports it was not, sloppy and slooooow.

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#12 BRG

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Posted 15 May 2011 - 17:59

i remember driving one in the 50s and sports it was not, sloppy and slooooow.

It was quick enough for Jim Bergerac.

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#13 GMACKIE

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Posted 16 May 2011 - 03:44

It was quick enough for Jim Bergerac.

Not for Tom Barnaby, though.

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#14 Tim Murray

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Posted 16 May 2011 - 06:26

It was quick enough for Jim Bergerac.

Not for Tom Barnaby, though.

You don't need that quick a car on an island with a speed limit of 40 mph.

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#15 Allan Lupton

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Posted 16 May 2011 - 08:01

That Triumph was marketed as the 1800 Roadster (later 2000 Roadster) not as a sports car, so don't criticise it for not being what it wasn't supposed to be.
Remember, too, that Triumph was not a mass-producer and although the TR1800/2000 was not light or particularly powerful, it did fill a place in the maket as it was immediately post-war, selling 4500-odd during the time that another comparable Coventry manufacturer I know well only sold 3500 saloons.
The headmaster of my school had an 1800 in 1949-54ish so although I never wanted one, I've always had a soft spot for them.

Edited by Allan Lupton, 16 May 2011 - 08:02.

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#16 Sharman

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Posted 16 May 2011 - 08:12

That Triumph was marketed as the 1800 Roadster (later 2000 Roadster) not as a sports car, so don't criticise it for not being what it wasn't supposed to be.
Remember, too, that Triumph was not a mass-producer and although the TR1800/2000 was not light or particularly powerful, it did fill a place in the maket as it was immediately post-war, selling 4500-odd during the time that another comparable Coventry manufacturer I know well only sold 3500 saloons.
The headmaster of my school had an 1800 in 1949-54ish so although I never wanted one, I've always had a soft spot for them

Sentimental old fool :cool:

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#17 RCH

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Posted 16 May 2011 - 10:15

http://lanternimages...d...Ijs=&pg=124

Well, there was one used by the police...

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#18 BRG

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Posted 16 May 2011 - 19:23

http://lanternimages...d...Ijs=&pg=124

Well, there was one used by the police...

"Well Sarge, we nicked Johnny Fingers and Freddie the Fish and read them their rights. Then we put them in the dickie seat and drove to the station. But when we got here, they'd gorn!"

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#19 Dkipling1

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Posted 17 May 2011 - 20:24

"Well Sarge, we nicked Johnny Fingers and Freddie the Fish and read them their rights. Then we put them in the dickie seat and drove to the station. But when we got here, they'd gorn!"

Oh dear, now you have woken up one of my favourite police-and-car stories, true or not. When Ronnie Biggs was still in Brazil and Scotland Yard wanted to talk to him (despite being unable to extradite), Ronnie was driving on a country road and pulled over to help a broken-down motorist. When he got out, a British detective stepped out from behind the car and said "Allo Ronnie; just a word with you, old son."
I'd love to know the origins of this tale.