Is It an Ex-Brooklands Riley?

Sir,
I am wondering if I might take advantage of the facilities offered by your Vintage Postbag section, to try and trace some of the history of my present car and its original owner.

The car is a Brooklands Riley Special. It is very similar to the original but instead of being built on to the “Brooklands” chassis, it is built on to the 9-h.p. chassis. This car was supposed to have been built at the end of the vintage era (circa 1929) and raced at Brooklands by Cuthbert. If anybody knows the whereabouts of any relatives I would be very grateful to hear from them. A few words about the engine might help to refresh somebody’s memory. It is a 9-11.p.; the cooling system has been modified, with the inlet on the nearside of the block, being extended by the drilling of three more inlet ports; there is also an additional outlet port at the rear of the head. The engine has been modified to work on the dry-sump system, with the oil tank slung under the driver’s seat. Circulation is maintained by a large oil pump fixed to the o/s of the timing case and driven by the inlet camshaft pinion, the exhaust camshaft pinion works a vertical B.T.H. magneto, and the magneto drive works a water pump. At the front, driven directly by the crankshaft, is a vane-type Powerplus supercharger with a 2-in. side-draught S.U. carburetter. If anybody knows anything about this car I would he extremely grateful to hear from them.

Ruislip. R. Richfield