Riley IMP BHY327

Riley IMP BHY327 for sale
with interesting and well documented history.
Dr. D.G.Styles -historian and registrar in the Riley Register- state that only 1 prototype IMP, 10 racing IMP and 94 road going IMP have been manufactures in 1934 and 1935, this IMP with chassis 60-25512 manufactured as one of the first 30 cars in early 1934. Approx. 50 IMP still remain.  BHY327 was 1.th registered 7.th October 1935. Delivered with engine 54824 and ENV preselect g/box No R1625 /13.4.34 R161 (both present).
Previous owners include Harry Pearson of Leicester and Harry Tompkin in 1950, followed by J.E. Charles Ruben in 1955 and  V. Herbert in 1957. 
Australian Peter Hodges and Doug McNeil bought BHY327 in March 1958 from Gordon & Glynn for a 3 month tour through Europe aiming to visit on route some major motor sport events. They left London 1.th April heading to St. Nicklaus via Paris-Lyon-Avallon-Geneva-Lausanne-Montreux. Trying to go to Italy Simplon and Furka either was blocked by rocks or snow so taking the train through the Simplon tunnel to Domodosolla. Battery regulator had stopped working a while ago they found in Milano a LUCAS service for repair. Next goal was Sicilia via Genua-Pisa-Rom-Naples-Pompei-Regio Calabria-Messina- Catania-… On the way back: Messina-Regio Calabria-Rome-Tavernelle-Siena Florence-Bologna-Modena-Maranello-Mantova-Cremona-Milano. Now heading to Monte Carlo and Nice via Cuneo. Near Nice the crankshaft broke. They found a little friendly garage where they could use a part of the workshop. Gordon & Glynn were telegraphed to air fright a new crank, rods and main bearings which P. Hodges collected at Nice Airport while Doug McNeil took engine out and stripped. 4 days later both leaving Nice heading for Nürburgring over Grand St.Bernhard Pass which was closed.  But Simplon now open they successfully climbed the pass over the Alps. In a small town behind Lausanne engine started to clatter. Again they found a friendly garage helping with workshop facilities. This time main bearing of the 2.nd conrod failed. P. Hodges went with the conrod to Lausanne  for white metalling. After repair within miles the 2.nd conrod main bearing failed again and they could use the same garage again. After much thoughts they found that the grub screw fixing the crank shaft front main bearing to the housing has become louse. This allowed the crank main bearing to move slightly limiting oil flow to the 1.th conrod but no oil reaching the 2.nd con rod anymore. After further lost days, repair now lasted and they reached Adenau and the Nürburgring.  Via Cologne they went to s’Hertogenbosch /Holland and further to Leuven/Belgium, Brussels, Liege and Spa. Next spell was Luxembourg, Champagne, Paris, Le Mans followed by Rouen, Bologne, Dover. On 23.rd June they reaches London were they started 84 days before covering 8000 miles. Peter Hodges and Doug Neil advertised  BHY327 in July 1958  and subsequently sold the car to David Burt, London owing the IMP at least until 1961.
In 1968 Frank Heaney imported BHY327 to the USA and soon experienced again two crank bearing failures, so car was put aside for years. In 1980 Homer U. Tsakis with Richard Mikovitis  bought the IMP and some restoration was carried out retaining substance as much as possible. Body incl. wood was sound and stayed to the frame. Engine needed only new white metal for crank and rod bearings. In 1985 restoration was 75% finished when co-owner R. Mikovitis  died in a plane crash. Car was  finished and exhibited 1986 in Hershey.
 In 1987 the car returned to UK and was sold through Dan Margulies to Mrs. Elizabeth Lambert. With some efforts the IMP was registered again as  BHY327 in the UK. Car was maintained by her husband, a qualified motor engineer und she regularly used the car to drive 15mls to work. To get easier in and out some additional room was gained by reshaping door aperture on the driver side by a coachbuilder accompanied by a special made smaller steering wheel. Wiring loom and  trim was professionally renewed beside other parts reconditioned. In April 1999 after 12 years ownership car was sold to and exhibited at Bramley Motors nr. Guildford. Januar 2003 Twin Cam bvba in Belgium became the new owner. Marreyt Classic having a close relationship to Twin Cam bought the car from them. In 2003 Marreyt sold car to Mrs. Hannelore Hipp in the south of Germany. Mrs. Hipp road registered the car TUT-OQ1H in 8/2003. After a short spell she sold the car in 12/2005 to the current owner, a qualified automotive engineer. 
In 5/2008 rear brake lining were soaked in oil (seals  had become worn) leading to recondition the complete cable brake system with new brake linings, seals, pulleys, cable, springs, …. Even shimming the brake shoes for best possible braking performance carried out. Since then even braking on all wheels and all blocking at the same time when braked hard.
In 2009 dynamo was replaced by a alternator fitted inside and  invisible into a spare dynamo housing.
During 2010 I build a complete 2.nd ‘9’ engine with Phoenix crank and rods, Newman-cams, Omega pistons, reconditioned leadfree cylinder head and Brooklands water pump. External canister type oil filter. 
Between 2011 and 2012 original engine came out and stored (still present). ENV-preselect gearbox reconditioned with new bearings, bushes, springs and new linings on 1.th and reverse. Muff coupling between prop shaft and diff pinion inside of the torque tube renewed before reconditioned PSG and new engine fitted. For a purpose build new radiator with hidden electrical fan complete IMP was brought to a specialist in the UK. Original radiator still present.
Regular maintained, many other work during my time like fuel tank cleaned, de-rusted and 2k sealed inside, leather bucket seats fitted (bench seat still present).Recently major service with all oil’s changed and nipples greased. 
Too many other cars, in the last years IMP was driven only on some few occasions covering  approx. 2500 miles since fitting new engine.
During my time I enjoyed reliable short trips and longer journeys, even some rounds in Spa and the ‘Green Hell’ (Nürburgring).
Original engine 54824, radiator, bench seats, spare parts, documentation … coming with the car.
Friendly first enquires per email please.
P.O.A.