Riley Pathfinder
Encyclopedia
First presented at the London Motor Show in October 1953, the Pathfinder replaced the RMF as Riley
's top-line car
.
Designed as the "RMH" just before the 1952 merger of Riley-parent, the Nuffield Organisation
, with Austin
to form BMC
, the Pathfinder is seen as the last proper Riley car. It used Riley's 110 hp (82 kW) 2.5 L (2443 cc) twin-cam, "Big Four" straight-4
engine fitted with twin SU carburettors and had a separate all steel chassis with coil spring
rear (this was changed to leaf springs towards the end of production) and front torsion bar independent suspension
. From 1956 an overdrive gearbox became optional.
The 12 in (305 mm) Girling drum brakes had a Clayton Dewandre Vac Hydro Servo fitted as standard.
In the front, buyers could choose between two single seats and the optional full width bench seat, with the front corner of the seat squab contoured so as to accommodate the gear lever and allow seating for three. The rear seat had a fold down centre armrest and leather covers were used. A heater was fitted as standard. The car was available in black, maroon, green, blue or grey finish. The gear lever was floor mounted by the driver's door, so drivers in right hand drive markets had to change gear with their right hand. The handbrake was operated by a lever under the dashboard in both bench and individual front seat versions.
The body was similar in appearance to the Wolseley
6/90
, although there were detail differences such as the Riley's opening bonnet including the radiator grille, whereas the Wolseley's grille was fixed. Both cars were launched in 1953, and both were designed by Morris
' Gerald Palmer for the Nuffield Organisation before the merger. All Pathfinders featured the front independent suspension developed from the RMF, but the sophisticated Riley rear suspension was replaced by a conventional leaf spring
type in the last few examples. An essential part of the location of the rear axle was a Panhard rod which on some early examples sheared on hard cornering resulting in the unfortunate 'Ditchfinder' nickname.
A car tested by The Motor
Magazine in 1955 had a top speed of 99.5 mph (160.1 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 16.8 seconds. A fuel consumption of 19.5 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £1240 including taxes.
The Pathfinder was replaced by the short-lived Wolseley 6/90
-derived Riley Two-Point-Six
in 1957.
Riley (automobile)
Riley was a British motorcar and bicycle manufacturer from 1890. The company became part of the Nuffield Organisation in 1938 and was later merged into British Leyland: late in 1969 British Leyland announced their discontinuance of Riley production, although 1969 was a difficult year for the UK...
's top-line car
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
.
Designed as the "RMH" just before the 1952 merger of Riley-parent, the Nuffield Organisation
Nuffield Organisation
The Nuffield Organisation was a vehicle manufacturing company in the United Kingdom. Named after its founder, William Morris, 1st Viscount Nuffield, it was formed in 1938 as the merger of Nuffield's Morris Motor Company , another of Nuffield's companies the MG Car Company and Riley.Morris Motors...
, with Austin
Austin Motor Company
The Austin Motor Company was a British manufacturer of automobiles. The company was founded in 1905 and merged in 1952 into the British Motor Corporation Ltd. The marque Austin was used until 1987...
to form BMC
British Motor Corporation
The British Motor Corporation, or commonly known as BMC was a vehicle manufacturer from United Kingdom, formed by the merger of the Austin Motor Company and the Nuffield Organisation in 1952...
, the Pathfinder is seen as the last proper Riley car. It used Riley's 110 hp (82 kW) 2.5 L (2443 cc) twin-cam, "Big Four" straight-4
Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
engine fitted with twin SU carburettors and had a separate all steel chassis with coil spring
Coil spring
A Coil spring, also known as a helical spring, is a mechanical device, which is typically used to store energy and subsequently release it, to absorb shock, or to maintain a force between contacting surfaces...
rear (this was changed to leaf springs towards the end of production) and front torsion bar independent suspension
Independent suspension
Independent suspension is a broad term for any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically independently of each other. This is contrasted with a beam axle, live axle or deDion axle system in which the wheels are linked – movement on one side affects...
. From 1956 an overdrive gearbox became optional.
The 12 in (305 mm) Girling drum brakes had a Clayton Dewandre Vac Hydro Servo fitted as standard.
In the front, buyers could choose between two single seats and the optional full width bench seat, with the front corner of the seat squab contoured so as to accommodate the gear lever and allow seating for three. The rear seat had a fold down centre armrest and leather covers were used. A heater was fitted as standard. The car was available in black, maroon, green, blue or grey finish. The gear lever was floor mounted by the driver's door, so drivers in right hand drive markets had to change gear with their right hand. The handbrake was operated by a lever under the dashboard in both bench and individual front seat versions.
The body was similar in appearance to the Wolseley
Wolseley Motor Company
The Wolseley Motor Company was a British automobile manufacturer founded in 1901. After 1935 it was incorporated into larger companies but the Wolseley name remained as an upmarket marque until 1975.-History:...
6/90
Wolseley 6/90
The Wolseley 6/90 was a car from the British Wolseley Motor Company, produced from 1954-59, which replaced the 6/80 as the company's flagship model. It was badged as the Six-Ninety on the bonnet and 6/90 on the bootlid....
, although there were detail differences such as the Riley's opening bonnet including the radiator grille, whereas the Wolseley's grille was fixed. Both cars were launched in 1953, and both were designed by Morris
Morris Motor Company
The Morris Motor Company was a British car manufacturing company. After the incorporation of the company into larger corporations, the Morris name remained in use as a marque until 1984 when British Leyland's Austin Rover Group decided to concentrate on the more popular Austin marque...
' Gerald Palmer for the Nuffield Organisation before the merger. All Pathfinders featured the front independent suspension developed from the RMF, but the sophisticated Riley rear suspension was replaced by a conventional leaf spring
Leaf spring
Originally called laminated or carriage spring, a leaf spring is a simple form of spring, commonly used for the suspension in wheeled vehicles...
type in the last few examples. An essential part of the location of the rear axle was a Panhard rod which on some early examples sheared on hard cornering resulting in the unfortunate 'Ditchfinder' nickname.
A car tested by The Motor
The Motor (magazine)
The Motor was a British weekly car magazine founded on 28 January 1903....
Magazine in 1955 had a top speed of 99.5 mph (160.1 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 16.8 seconds. A fuel consumption of 19.5 mpgimp was recorded. The test car cost £1240 including taxes.
The Pathfinder was replaced by the short-lived Wolseley 6/90
Wolseley 6/90
The Wolseley 6/90 was a car from the British Wolseley Motor Company, produced from 1954-59, which replaced the 6/80 as the company's flagship model. It was badged as the Six-Ninety on the bonnet and 6/90 on the bootlid....
-derived Riley Two-Point-Six
Riley Two-Point-Six
The Two-Point-Six replaced the Riley Pathfinder as Riley's top-line automobile. While its predecessor retained the Riley twin cam, cross flow motor, the Two-Point-Six was almost identical to the Wolseley Six-Ninety Series III...
in 1957.
Die-Cast Models
- CorgiMettoy-CorgiCorgi Toys is the name of a range of die-cast toy vehicles produced by Mettoy Playcraft Ltd. in the United Kingdom. The Mettoy company was founded in 1933 by German émigré Philip Ullmann in Northampton, England, where he was later joined by South African-born German Arthur Katz who had previously...
produced a model of the Pathfinder in 1956, available as a standard saloon and as a police car. - Base-toys did so in 2008 in saloon-version.
General
- Auto-architect: The autobiography of Gerald Palmer (1911–99). Gerald Palmer and Christopher Balfour; Magna Press, 1988. ISBN 0954312112.
- The cars of BMC. Graham Robson; Guild Publishing, 1987. ISBN 0947981144.