The wheel also attributed to my confusion. It must be: 1952 Riley SP6 Roadster although Riley built outstanding sports cars before World War II, it abandoned this field after the war. In the early 1980s Mr. Dennis Ramsay of Sterling, Scotland decided to rectify this omission. The skilled Ramsay earned competition fame with his Daimler-V8-powered HAR sports-racer. In 1983 the motor engineer completed this unique 2.5-litre sports Riley. The car's RM-series basis dates from 1952. Having shortened the chassis by 24 inches to 95 inches, the same as the BMW 328 that inspired his project, Mr. Ramsay underslung it at the rear and fitted Girling hydraulic brakes. Original Riley grille, wings, bonnet and scuttle are retained, albeit revised to suit their new environment in the car that Ramsay dubbed his Project SP6. All new panels are aluminium, including the tail, shaped to evoke the pre-war Sprite style. Lightness was a priority with drilling of the side members and wheels, the latter aiding brake cooling. Ultra-light and with 100 bhp available from its four-cylinder 2.5-litre twin-cam Riley engine, the RMS is a vivid performer that suggests what Riley might have achieved, had it chosen to build a car for this category. Often mistaken for a Riley works prototype and featured in ‘The Automobile’ and ‘Riley Record’, HFV 554 has participated in VSCC and Aviva Classic runs. Having toured to Ireland and Burgundy, Ramsay’s SP6 has proved a quick and reliable driver with first-class weather protection and capacious boot capacity. And it is, in fact, behind the wheel that this special roadster comes to life, with an exceptionally stable ride and a startling turn of speed.
