Riley RME Saloon 1.5 :
Sunbeam Alpine Series V:
Just over 10 years ago, I managed to get one of our two Sunbeam Alpines going and took it to school to fetch my daughters. Nee actually told me that she is not getting into the car if I used it again!My most memorable (more like harrowing) experience with the Riley was when I stopped to post a letter. I forgot to release the handbrake and this had the effect of disabling the pedal brake (I think) because when I reached the trafffic lights at Sentul police station (along Jalan Ipoh towards town) I realised the pedal brake did not work. Fortunately, the motorcyclists saw my expression and let me pass the red lights!
A rich lady who lived in Jalan Madge borrowed the Riley for a few days but liked it so much that she did not return it till we asked for it after a month!
The Riley was sold to our tenant, Ha Tham of Ha Tham Engineering Works, who used it for a number of years before it was scrapped, I think. Ha Tham was acknowledged by Eric Chia to be his sifu when he used to visit the workshop to learn more about repairing tractors, before he went big on Komatsu tractors and listed UMW.
I am surprised the Sunbeam Alpine V was featured in the first James Bond film. If only we could restore them again. The thought of inspection by Puspakom puts me off. I remember writing a letter to a newspaper motor journalist enquiring about using a Japanese engine instead. Soon after, I received a letter from JPJ asking to inspect the car, suspecting that the engine had been changed! Don't under-estimate the power of the press!
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