Mini Alternative: 1967 Riley Elf
Cars like the Riley Elf are reminders that it isn’t just GM that badge engineers the heck out of its own lineup. This particular car is effectively a Mini-based runabout with different design details like the front fascia and rear hatch. Said to be part of an extensive collection that the seller won’t have time to restore, the Riley does have some rust issues but is so complete, it looks worth saving. Find it here on eBay with an opening bid of $2,350 and no action yet.
The seller has a variety of interesting projects for sale; you can see the whole list here, and we’ll be writing up the Hillman shortly. The Elf has a variety of issues in addition to standing for an extended period of time, including broken glass, the aforementioned rust issues, and some damage to door panels in the cabin. However, the seller is correct in that it appears largely complete, and better news is that the motor still runs and a replacement hood is included in the sale.
Each brand under the British Motor Corporation followed a similar model to GM, with some being more luxury-oriented, others economy-driven, and brands like Riley designed to be both sporting and luxurious. You can see that in the cockpit, with the bright red seating surfaces and door panels, always a striking combination against English white; then, the dash panel covered in wood paneling from end-to-end. Throw in the three-spoke steering wheel and manual transmission, and you’ve got a car that is effectively what the modern Mini brand attempts to achieve. Ironically, BMW (which owns Mini) owns the Riley trademark to this day.
I believe this is a derivative of the Mini “A-Series” engine, in 998cc guise. The good news here is that so many parts are likely shared with the Mini, that it won’t be too difficult to source spares. While the seller does acknowledge the rust along the hood, I’d like to know if that extends to the chassis and/or if the floors are solid. The Riley Elf is a rarely seen variant of the Mini lineup and would look quite good on some chunky wheels and tires with some driving lamps on the front, but it would also be quite pretty if restored to OEM specs. How would you build it?
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Comments
That’s a odd one but would be too cool to dress with some hi-po mini parts. Sure would be the only one around.
These are a great little car. The beauty of these is that every mechanical component from a Mini of the same era is interchangeable. Doors are also the same, as is all of the glass. This actually wouldn’t be a particularly hard restoration, and would be a fun driver when completed.
Doors are not the same as the Mini, this being a MKIII with internal hinges and roll-up windows. Different from the later Mini ones.
Mk III Mini doors are fully interchangeable with the Elf. Elves debuted with the Mk II (ie there was an external hinge version as well). As long as you buy the correct gen Mini doors, they’ll fit.
These were essentially the highest trim Mini, with the Wolseley Hornet being the mid level (and had a cool illuminated grille badge). This car should have real leather seats as well.
Nice photo, your car, Red?
VTEC? What on earth is powering this one…. I’d like to know….!
Very nice. As I was looking at the add, this is just what I was thinking.
Interestingly, in South Africa the Wolseley grille and interior, without the longer boot were made as the Wolseley 1000. After about 450 were made it was replaced by the Mini 3, which in a hugely ironic move dispensed with the grill and added the extended rear and mini-fins with the standard Mini front.
A set of drum-brake Cooper steel wheels with Yokohama 007s (might be wrong – it was a long time ago…) will vastly improve your Mini experience. All the grip you need unless you’re going nuts with engines. Anything other than 10″ wheels looks wrong to me.
Might be A008s?
I have a short list of dream cars to have in my city (San Francisco), this one is on it
Being a Left Hand Drive version has got to be a rarity on this model!
A bit more than badge engineering here. Different rear lights and quarters for starters. Not sure on the boot lid. After seeing Minis in New Guinea, my first Hornets as an 11 YO on his first UK trip we’re a “Dad what’s that?”
Rear hatch? Even the Minis only had trunks/boots, (with the lid hinged at the bottom so that when open it made a shelf.) Unless it was the one prototype that the UK Minister of Transport borrowed, or the slightly less rare and very expensive Radford conversion. Sir Ringo Starr was a noted owner of one. The Elf and Hornet had conventionally top hinged lids.
I wonder why BMW hasn’t introduced a booted version of the new MINI, specially since they own the Riley name, it seems natural.
I saw Sir Ringo’s on display at The Beatle Museum in Liverpool many years ago , The rear area of the car was custom made to fit his drum kit , the Museum is long gone and I often wonder what happened to the car
Just did a bit of searching , It looks like it sold at Auction late last year for about £ 100 .000
Yep, Ginger Spice bought the Ringo Starr car.
No difficulty buying parts for the Elf, but I´d look for a better example than this one, unless very local to you. Agree with @ Derek, 10″ wheels are essential on a mini. Going too big kills them. As does hanging 4 big spot lights on the front
Extra lights like the Monte Carlo Rally winning Minis? Like Paddy Hopkirks? All cliches are based, at least in part, on a truth, aren’t they?
The ‘Harry Potter Car’ is a Ford Anglia.
Years ago I bought a Riley Elf out of UK. Someone had done a fairly nice job of hacking the top off, filling in the door openings with cut down fillers, and finished it off nicely. A good low-dollar roadster, and that’s all it was. Bonham’s sold it 10 – 12 years ago at one of their Quail Lodge auctions to a very well known and affluent west coast collector of high dollar exotic classics. He said he bought it simply to drive back to his hotel that night as his driver called and said he was caught in traffic and had no idea when he’d arrive at the auction site. That was the last I saw or heard of the car until this past January at the Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale. That very same simple home made roadster was described by Barrett as a very rare Riley “Jolley” and it sold for well over $50,000!! I wonder if the buyer will read this hear and realize what he really got for his FIFTY GRAND PLUS!!! Maybe I should look for a Wolesely Hornet and take my can opener to it????
You know I’ve come back to this a few times! I’m regretting being only half way through my FJ40 restoration. I’d have this in a heartbeat
Even has Hydrolastic suspension!