The following gallery contains production data of the Speed 20 SB from the Model Register published in the 1980s. Click on any photo to start the gallery.
The Speed 20 SB Gallery (375 built 1933-4)
Speed 20 SB Register
1934 Speed 20 chassis 1-26-2
SB Speed 20 engine; 2,511cc 1-28-1
1934 Speed 20 SB independent front suspension 1-27-1
10852 1933 Speed 20 SB Show Model 1-13-3
10862 Speed 20 SB Charlesworth Dhc AXK 279 1-24-3
10868 Speed 20SB, 4-19-1, AUW33, VdP style tr, Behind onlookers in photo, (PAS) 11868, Speed 20SB, 4-19-1, AUA498, Chas sal 13379, Right end of line, LHO 1960 UK
1954 Littlehampton Concours
10868 Speed 20SB, 4-19-1, AUW33, VdP style tr, Behind onlookers in photo, (PAS) 11868, Speed 20SB, 4-19-1, AUA498, Chas sal 13379, Right end of line, LHO 1960 UK 4-29-1
10868 Speed 20SB, AUW 33 4-9-1, AUW33, VdP style tr, On left in photo, (PAS) 4-9-1 Firefly Cross & Ellis 10557 FS 6429
10868 Speed 20SB , 5-67-2, AUW 33, VdP tr, (PAS)
10869 December 1933 registered 1934 model Speed 20 SB Competition 2-seater (chassis 10869) body by Arthur Mulliners, built for Freddie March. It was once owned by the comedian Al Read and his catch phrase “right monkey” used to be inscribed on the car. In 1956 it was bought by Hal Garner and unused from 1968 to 1999 when restoration started. It was later sold to a Belgian. Photo, Bill Fryer, Brooklands SE Alvis Day, 5th September 1999.
10869 Speed 20 SB Competition 2-seater. Bulletin 539 shows later pictures of the car.
10875 Speed 20 SB WP 608 1-30-3 Chris Taylor comments “The Watkinson Car” to his own design bodied by VDP won many accolades due to it stunning good looks and seems to have formed the basis for many Follett copies of it. Owned in the eighties by Don Jones (Trimmer) of Hodge Bower
10876 Speed 20 SB BOL 229 1-37-2
10891 Speed 20 SB Vanden Plas AXE 244 1-25-2
10897, Speed 20SB ALR784, VdP tr 3125, Farthest right in photo, LHO 2013 Overseas (Can) (PAS)4-23-3
10897, Speed 20SB, 4-49-2, ALR784, VdP tr 3125, On left in photo, LHO 2013 Overseas (Canada) (PAS) 10869, Speed 20SB, 4-49-2, AXA137, A. Mulliner tr, On right in photo, The March Special, (PAS)
10912 Speed 20 SB KV 6669 1-35-3
10923 Speed 20 SB Peter Sedgwick Midland Alvis Day Telford AAT Fox Collection
10928 Speed 20 SB Lancefield XG 9405 1-32-1
10928 Speed 20 SB Lancefield XG 9405 1-32-2
10932, Speed 20SB, C G Fincken, ANB589, VdP sal 3114, Centre of photo, LHO 1956 UK (PAS)
11873, Speed 20SB, 4-7-3, JY4889, Chas sal 13387, To rear in photo, A W Hardy LHO 1963 UK (PAS) and C Ross with xx 2866
4-7-3 1953 Chiltern Rally with 12/70 15266 DRO 117
10932, Speed 20SB, ANB589, VdP sal 3114, LHO 1956 UK (PAS)
5-65-2
11210 SB Speed Twenty last listed with AOC No 6746 Eire. This pic looks like it was taken in the mid ‘Sixties. The Cross & Ellis sports body is missing the front bumper, windscreen and running boards. The original running boards were a continuation of the front wings joining directly to the rear wings. HS 7447 was a Renfrewshire registration from very early in 1934. (Nick Simpson)
11218 Speed 20 SB body by “Joe and the Boys” Johore, Malaysia NG 8267 1-25-3
11218 Speed 20 SB body by “Joe and the Boys” Johore, Malaysia NG 82671-25-4
11234 Speed 20 SB VG 6282 tourer body by Sunbeam 1-30-2
11246 Speed 20 SB AYN 17 1-33-4
11246 Speed 20 SB AYN 17
11246 Speed 20 SB AYN 17 1-33-1
11259
In a letter dated 27 October 1987, Michael O’Callaghan (AOC 1321) responded to the publication of the first SB Register to say there wasn’t much information on his old car JT 668. He thought the Northampton firm of Mulliner built the all aluminium drophead coupe body. He had the car in the late 50s but broke it up, with some of the parts still around. The engine was in his SA with an ANV 110 gearbox. The wheels, gearbox lamps etc went to Mike Pratt. The body and chassis were cut up. Having only cost him twenty quid from a breaker’s yard he got four years motoring out of it, including passing his test, but no-one could weld the cracks in the aluminium. Influenced by Jock Stephen, he concentrated on his SA models from then on as the ifs was no good and the SB was too heavy. He later got the Charlie Chace SA VDP, 9811.
11264 Vanden Plas 3171 2 door saloon (Photos AAT 2013)
11264
11264
11269, Speed 20SB, 2-31-4, LV7703, C&E tr 30290, 2014 for sale (PAS)
11271, Speed 20SB, 4-4-1, ATU991, Mayfair dhc, Fourth from left, LHO 2005, UK (PAS)
10932, Speed 20SB, 4-4-1, ANB589, VdP sal 3114, Third from right, LHO 1956 UK (PAS)4-4-1
11271, Speed 20SB, 4-2-1, ATU991, Mayfair dhc, 10932, Speed 20SB, 4-2-1, ANB589, VdP sal 3114, Second from left, LHO 1956, UK (PAS) Nearest to camera, LHO 2005, UK (PAS) 4-2-1 Taken at Tring for the Spring Rally May 17 1953. Jim Cooper. 24154 MGK 572 TA21
11271 Speed 20 SB ATU 991 Mayfair 1-36-4
11271 Speed 20 ATU 991
11271, Speed 20SB, ATU991, Mayfair dhc, Nearest to camera, LHO 2005 UK (PAS)4-15-3
11286 Speed 20 SB Vanden Plas BMF 323
11298, Speed 20SB, 2-67-2, ANE269, Special ex Chas sal 13268, LHO 1999, UK (PAS)
11299, Speed 20SB, 4-54-2, NJ3504, VdP sal 3191, LHO 2007, UK (PAS)
11299, Speed 20SB, 4-54-2, NJ3504, VdP sal 3191, LHO 2007, UK (PAS)
When cleaning off the underside of the bonnet during restoration the ghostly figures 10876 grinned through the under bonnet grime. Here is a photo of the numbers cleaned off and again linking the precious bonnet to its chassis. You will note that these were painted freehand by the Alvis fitter in 1933.
The 3½ Litre or Model SA25.63 has its own page, click here The 3½ litre introduced at the 1935 Motor Show for the 1936 season. The chassis was effectively an Speed 20 SD stretched to 10′ 7″ wheelbase but retaining the Speed 20 SD back springs (which were lengthened by a foot when the Speed 25 came along) and adding a solid floor plate filling the area between the gearbox and the batteries.
The engine (later used for the Speed 25) similarly looks like a stretched Speed 20 unit, with a 7-bearing crank, looking back to that model by not having a thermostat and bypass.
Alvis Archive 