RILEY MOTOR CARS -
16/4 Specifications
as Old as the Industry, as modern as the Hour
Brief History
The 16/4 or Big-4 engine was launched in 1937, as a replacement for the 15/6 (although both survived until the end). It was designed around the same basic principles and features as the succesful 12/4, although it was a litre bigger! The engine initially provided more power than Rileys were used to, but a stiffer chassis and other improvements soon overcame this.However, despite producing a true 100mph saloon for Riley BEFORE WW2, the engine did not acheive it's full potential for another 20years!
The initial bodies available were the Ever-popular Kestrel and Adelphi, and the new Continental Saloon, unique to the 16/4. A Lynx was also made available shortly after launch, as well as the bodyless Chassis, which recieved only one period-body, from Maltby-Redfern. Despite several attempts to fit the Briggs Touring body to the chassis, it is unknown whether any were sold, despite claimed sightings of one in the 1960's.
The engine survived the Nuffield takeover and, with the 12/4, became the mainstay of the postwar RM Series, finally bowing out with the Pathfinder in 1957. In the meantime it had been used by Donald Healey to great effect, in his own cars and had increased in power from 82bhp to 110bhp (or more!).