Riley - Riley Sidevalve
The Sidevalve Riley was available from 1919 originally as the 11hp, having a 65.8x110mm engine with an RAC horsepower tax of 10.8hp, with the sports version called the Redwing, which is probably the known model today, along with the sand racer. For 1925 these Riley Sidevalves were fitted with the new well base wheels which were making it onto cars in the UK (although already popular in the USA) on the models 11/40hp (1498cc) and 12hp (1645cc). Front wheel brakes also made it onto the cars by 1925. The Riley Sidevalve models were listed to 1928 after which Riley concentrated wholly to their efficient 1,100cc range.
The Riley Sidevalve tyre size listed between 1919 and 1924 was the beaded edge 760x90, and Blockley produces the best example of this tyre. For the sidevalve model Riley built after this time the wheels were well base artillery type with tyre sizes quoted 4.50x19 (27x4.4) with the largest 1645cc engined example having a larger 5.00x20 (29x4.95) tyre size. Blockley produce superb, period authentic examples of all these tyre sizes which are the best tyres you can fit - see full details of all these tyres at the links below:
