RILEY MOTOR CARS -
ERA Specifications
as Old as the Industry, as modern as the Hour
The company was called English racing Autombiles, and was formed by Raymond Mays, Peter Berthon and Humphrey Cook. 17 cars of Types A-D were built, although Types C and D were just modified B-types. There were also three E-types, which owed less to Riley than the previous cars. The 'prototype' ERA was the White Riley, itself developed from the successful TT cars of 1933 (another of these cars formed the prototype MPH).
The cylinder blocks and other parts were manufactured by Riley for ERA, and much of the work was done within the Riley works, alongside both Rileys own works team and of course Freddie Dixons team! It is understood that at one point an ERA held the course / lap record on every major racing, hillclimb or trials circuit in the British Isles, as well as many abroad. Whether this is true or not is now impossible to confirm, but the cars were prolific winners!
Of the 20 ERAs built, 16 still existed in 1982, and I presume the same number (if not more!) survive today. I believe that all 4 Type A cars survive, along with 10 of the B-D Types and 2 E-types.