1967 Riley Elf MKIII

Registration No: MAE 774F
Chassis No: RA2531038403A
MOT: September 2022
Estimate: £5,000 - £7,000

Motor Car Location: Oxfordshire

• MkIII Riley Elf presented in the attractive combination of Cumberland Green with Snowberry white roof and matching green leather interior
• Subject to £5,395 and nearly 65 hours worth of work in 2021 with marque specialists Blue Diamond Riley Services, Bicester
• Offered with a history file containing invoices dating back as far as 1986, as well as an original workshop manual and original handbook

Nobody living in the UK in 1959, will ever forget the birth of the Mini - the phenomenon that changed small cars forever. Following on just two years later, the Riley Elf and Wolseley Hornet were luxurious versions of that car. They sported longer, slightly finned rear wings and larger boots that gave the cars a more traditional three-box appearance, plus 2.5 cu ft of extra stowage space. The front-end treatment incorporated each marque's traditional upright grille design, giving the cars a less utilitarian appearance than their deliberately basic sibling. They sported larger-diameter chrome hubcaps than the Austin and Morris Minis, plus additional chrome accents, bumper overriders, part-leather seats and wood-veneer dashboards - the full-width version on the Riley being one of the main differentiators between it and the Wolseley. The Riley was the more expensive of the two - the dearest factory-built Mini of all. The Elf name was intended to recall the Sprite and Imp monikers used by Riley in the 1930s. There were three versions of the Elf during the model's nine-year reign. The MkI was powered by the 848cc version of BMC's ubiquitous A-Series engine, while a single carburettor version of the Mini Cooper's 998cc power unit was employed in the MkII variant of 1963. In tune with upgrades on the standard Mini, Hydrolastic suspension was fitted from September 1964. However, it was the MkIII Elf of 1966 that embodied the longest list of upgrades the model was to enjoy, including wind-up windows, fresh-air fascia vents and the remote control gear linkage from the Mini Cooper; also, concealed door hinges two years before they were seen on the mainstream Mini. Some 30,912 Riley Elfs were produced all told.

Manufactured in 1967 and presented in Cumberland Green with Snowberry white roof and matching green leather interior, ‘MAE 774F’ has been in current ownership for the last 5 ½ years. This particular example was subject to some restoration work between 2015 and 2016, and remarkably has covered just 9,597 miles in the last 32 years; passing 100,000 in 1990.

‘MAE 774F’ has been subject to significant expenditure in its current ownership, comprising a replacement clutch slave cylinder in 2020 before extensive work with Blue Diamond Riley Services, Bicester Heritage in 2021 across two separate points. In April, works included a full service including oil, filters and plugs, the brake shoes being overhauled, suspension greased, valve clearances checked and adjusted, carburettor cleaned, valve cover cleaned and replacement gasket fitted, electronic ignition fitted, cooling system overhauled and significant fettling. In September, further works included carburettor and ignition timing adjustment, track rod end and ball joint replacement, brake system bleed, hydrolastic suspension draining, checking and re-pressurising, as well as more fettling. In total, 64.25 hours at a cost of £5,395

This particular example is offered for sale with a history file containing invoices dating back as far as 1986, a large folder containing a collection if invoices and previous MOTs, an original workshop manual, original handbook and the V5C document which displays 3 former keepers. In addition, the vehicle also comes with a number of spares including the original steering wheel and a replacement carpet set ready for fitting. The vendor rates the condition of bodywork, engine electrical equipment and transmission as ‘Very Good’, with the paintwork and interior trim as ‘Good’.

For more information, please contact:
Andreas Hicks
andreas.hicks@handh.co.uk
07943584762