Things you learn to your surprise

"Cé hé sin" (michael-m-mouse) 02/11/2020 at 16:42 • Filed to: Riley Elf

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Back in 1962 Autocar magazine tested the then new Riley Elf, a lengthened and upmarket Mini.

This is their lead image:

So, fifty-eight years on, 563 MWL has long gone to the tin can factory, hasn’t it? It’s not as though the Mini was exactly exempt from rusting away.

Nope.

Svend > Cé hé sin 02/11/2020 at 16:53

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I t’ll be living the life of Riley.

Go on ya bad 'Elf. 

Cé hé sin > Svend 02/11/2020 at 16:55

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As a press car, it might have wound up in a museum or collection somewhere.

user314 > Cé hé sin 02/11/2020 at 16:59

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Would a museum car still need a valid plate & emissions? 

ranwhenparked > user314 02/11/2020 at 17:07

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Maybe, if it's a small, private museum or one where the car is driven regularly. Though, you'd think they could do a dealer plate or something.

Cé hé sin > user314 02/11/2020 at 17:31

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Plates remain valid in the UK no matter whether the car is taxed or not, but to answer your question if the car is just plonked on a stand and stays there it doesn’t have to have an MoT or be taxed. It must be somewhere it gets an airing occasionally.

kanadanmajava1 > Cé hé sin 02/11/2020 at 17:41

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It seems that it wasn’t just a press car but a pre- production car. A pparently it got equipped with a supercharger in mid 60's. I t has been restored thrice so far . Here’s more info about it.

fintail > Cé hé sin 02/11/2020 at 18:17

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Pretty cool.  I have a pile of 60s era Autocars, I’ll have to check some of the registrations sometime.  Everything rusted fiercely then, so I am not optimistic.

Stef Schrader > kanadanmajava1 02/11/2020 at 20:21

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I love it!

We raced a Wolseley Hornet (another be-trunked Mini) in Lemons over here. Great little car.

glemon > Cé hé sin 02/11/2020 at 22:00

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The whole number plate stays with the car for life thing sure makes it a lot easier to trace a car’s history than it is over here.

Love the Elf, a sedanified mini.

Svend > user314 02/12/2020 at 02:00

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It would need to have a valid plate if it was going to get used on the road again, some may use a 'dealer plate' for a one off or short periods on the road. 

Svend > Stef Schrader 02/12/2020 at 02:03

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I love watching the old Minis, Elf, Hornets, Somersets, Oxford/Cambridges, etc... racing around Goodwood. It's proper racing with those, quite low speeds by modern standards with a lot of driver skill and guts.