Page 34 - May2022

The Int erview, cont inued from page 33

vendor offered him an incomplete Sprite, unseen, I?ve got a few stories of my own, including my first
for a set price, if he promised to race it as ? .his two Riley encounters in one week or that my
dead son had intended. A weird circumstance that Sprite seems to have found a 1937 Lynx and two
demanded a yes! 1937 Kestrels to share its garage, just as they may
well have shared the assembly floor in 1937.
2. At a race, while doing his pre-event check-out,
Remember, that I only know of 26 Rileys from the
John encountered a guy dressed in scruffy vintage
12/4 engine series in the USA, from four years of
clothing (not unusual at UK events) who claimed
production, and four of them were mine.
(despite his youthful appearance) to have worked
at Riley?s when the car was assembled. He pointed Then, I found the car?s original motor after 80
out ALL of the things John had learned were years on a random eBay listing on the opposite
different about his car, and said he?d been shore from where it was removed.
searching for the car for years.
Or that, despite all odds, my first wife had been
He told John he?d be around whenever it was being unable to conceive 17 years into our marriage -
used and John left for his event. During the race, but did so in the first month of our exile from a
the Sprite?s ignition quit as John rounded a corner , house that the Riley burned down when I was
facing a pile-up as he slowed. Looking about, he welding on it down in the basement of the house.
saw the racing switch on the other side of the dash
That?s a lot of coincidences especially considering
had been turned off.
I?m talking about experiences from two engineers,
After returning to the pits, the man was gone and not a discipline most known for being whacky!?!?!
the pit folks to each side had never seen him but
Q. Your Riley journey began with a shell of a Riley
wondered about John?s strange prep mutterings! At
found in West Virginia, so let?s circle back to that. You
the awards ceremony he relayed his experience to
said you?d been working on it since 1974 and we have
Arnold Farrar who did work at Rileys and he was
a video of the car having metal work done that is in
disgusted at John?s story since Arnold once knew
this issue. Everyone knows that restorations can take
the man well but ? . he died in the Blitz.
years, but 48 years in progress does seem like an
3. About two years later while slowing behind a exceptionally long time. What?s the status now?
The Tradit ional
stopped lorry, a voice screamed at John to get off
A. Its long-delayed restoration is due to a number
the road. It was so loud and abrupt that he just DID
l
of factors that I?l try to summarize.
IT and the car behind him never braked before
burying itself in the truck. Within 10 years of it?s 1974 purchase, I?d gained an
appreciation for the car?s desirability, value, and
4. John Golder was very protective of his Sprite
rarity. Due to my new perspectives, I?d secured 80%
CNF640 and it was never driven by either of his
of the parts I knew (thought I knew!) I?d need and I
sons despite them being just slightly younger than
started the job.
I. But, John not only allowed but suggested I
compete with it at Shelsley Walsh. In 1985, while heating shock absorber parts in the
basement, I ended up burning a hole through the
After two practice runs my first competition run
center of my house. Rather than just a two month
resulted in a DNF because the contact points in
issue with getting back into the house, my wife
both fuel pumps welded shut. Two pumps had
was very unhappy with my restoration skills and I
always been used on the car to prevent such a
had to stop working in the basement.
stoppage and in nearly 15 years of racing neither
had ever seized. Interestingly, when the fault was In 1988 we moved and I had to pack the Riley
discovered, John actually shook his fist at the sky away. By 1992 we were moving to Nashville and my
and said " STOP IT!" He?s allowed to be in my car! resto plan was way behind while the car?s value
was increasing. continues on page 35
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