RILEY SPECS - 12/4

as Old as the Industry, as modern as the Hour

Chassis Numbers

Many of the specifications pages refer to Chassis Numbers for certain elements of the information. As a result I have felt it necessary to include a page to help decipher the Chassis Number of your car. In many cases, this will also allow you to identify the original engine and bodystyle that the car carried.

After the Riley 9, the 12/4 or 1½Litre was the most popular Riley engine before the war. Launched with the famous trio of Falcon-Kestrel-Lynx bodies, the range steadily expanded with the Adelphi proving the most popular model in later years. The engine survived to power the RMA/E after the war.
General Specification Production Figures

1935 Production Models

Riley 12/4 Falcon 4-door Saloon. (1934-35)
Riley 12/4 Kestrel 4-door Fastback Saloon. (1934-35)
Riley 12/4 Lynx 4-door Open Tourer. (1934-35)

Prototypes & Racing Models

Riley 12/4 TT Sprite. (1934-37)
Riley 1½ IFS Racing. (1936)
Riley 1½ Army Tourer. (1936)

Later Production Models

Riley 1½ Falcon 4-door Saloon. (1935-36)
Riley 1½ Kestrel 4-door Fastback Saloon. (1935-38)
Riley 1½ Lynx 4-door Open Tourer. (1935-38)
Riley 1½ Merlin 4-door Saloon. (1935-36)
Riley 1½ Adelphi 4-door Saloon. (1936-38)
Riley 1½ Falcon 4-door Saloon. (1936-37)
Riley 1½ Kestrel-Sprite 4-door Fastback Saloon. (1936-38)
Riley 1½ Lynx-Sprite 4-door Open Tourer. (1936-38)
Riley 1½ Sprite 2-seater Sports. (1936-38)
Riley 1½ Adelphi-Sprite 4-door Saloon. (1937)
Riley 1½ Continental 4-door Saloon. (1937)
Riley 1½ Touring Saloon (1938)
Riley 1½ Victor 4-door Saloon. (1938)


Rare Riley 12/4 DHC bodied by Jensen

See also Nuffield Rileys