1935 Riley TT Sprite Ex-Works – a fastidious and long awaited restoration to original specification

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Pre-war of the week

We found this wonderful 1935 Riley TT Sprite Ex-Works in our online marketplace. Proudly brought to the market by Robin Lawton Vintage & Classic Cars. AVC 19 has just been the subject of a fastidious and long-awaited restoration to original specification.

Robin Lawton was able to assist with securing the acquisition of numerous original components – both body and mechanical – which had hitherto been unavailable for at least the past 40 years. The car now looks just as it did in 1935 when it made its race debut at the 1935 Tourist Trophy driven by Vonder Becke and finishing a creditable 9th against some extremely formidable competition.

This Riley has a distinguished race history which includes: 1935 Tourist Trophy, 1936 French Grand Prix (finishing 3rd in the under 2 litre class), 1936 Tourist Trophy, 1937 Le Mans 24 Hours, 1937 French Grand Prix, 1937 Montlhery, 1945 Paris ‘Benoist Cup’ and following an earlier restoration which was completed in 2009 the car was campaigned at Prescott and several other VSCC Events by Riley guru - Allen Clear.

Historic competition cars always create much interest but it is rare to find a car with such comprehensive and fully documented provenance – dating back over 80 years. Many ‘Evocations’ of the delectable TT Sprite have been created over the years – but this is a true original with a virtually unrivalled pedigree in its class.

Background on the car has been extensively researched and it is believed that this car, chassis 22T1750 was constructed in the Riley Works Competition Department using the chassis from the 6 cylinder Works MPH Racer - KV9478. The evidence for this is the fact that the nearside dumb iron shows evidence of the reuse of the chassis: 22T1750 is stamped on the side with evidence of 44T2128 stamped on the top of the dumb iron. There is also evidence that appears to show where the MPH chassis had its brackets for the front axle radius arms removed – showing that AVC 19 was built up from KV9478 using parts available at the time. The aforementioned MPH had competed in the 1934 Le Mans before being dismantled by the works in the summer of 1935 with AVC 19 (chassis number 22T1750 being registered by the Riley Works in May 1936).

See this beautiful and very interesting 1935 Riley Team Car for sale in our online marketplace.

Photographs by Robert Clayson.

Make a comment, ask a question, give your opinion, share additional information or start a discussion by filling in the fields below.