RILEY MOTOR CARS -
12/4 Specifications
as Old as the Industry, as modern as the Hour
Featuring:
Brief History;
Chassis.
Brief History
The 12/4 range of Rileys were launched in late 1934 as the Riley 1½Litre. The original body options were the familiar trio of Falcon,
Kestrel,
Lynx. They were designated as 1½Litres rather than 12/4s, the name they have always been more generally known by, in order to distance them from the Riley 12/6 models, which were seen as being slightly more upmarket, but at the same time were being phased out in favour of the newer, 'better' 4-cylinder models.
Chassis
During the life of the 12/4 models, four different chassis were used. Three by Riley and then another new chassis for the Nuffield models. There were also special chassis constructed for some of the sports models.
- Narrow Track Chassis - 4' Track; 9'1" WB
- Developed from the 12/6 chassis, and used on all the original 1934/5 models bearing the 22T chassis designation, and also used for some of the early 26F/L Falcon and Lynx models in 1935/6.
- Merlin Chassis - 4' Track; 8'10" WB
- This was a development of the 9 chassis, intended to be 'mass produced' rather than building each chassis individually on jigs. In order to take the slightly heavier 12/4 engine, the chassis had some additional plating on the front members, it was also fitted with the standard 12/4 brakes, in place of the smaller 9 units. Only used on the Merlin and Victor, albeit with some more amendments for the latter.
- Wide Track Chassis - 4'3" Track; 9'4" WB
- This was the biggest of the chassis used for 12/4 models, and featured all the remaining bodies on it between 1936 and 1938. While it became the standard for the 12/4 models after 1936 it was never mounted with any of the other engine options.
- Nuffield Chassis - 4' / 4'3" Track; 9' WB
- A development of the Merlin chassis, featuring that models front axle and either a Wide Track or Morris rear axle, resulting in different tracks front and rear. Only ever used for the 1939 models - Saloon and Drophead.
