Malcolm Kindell is the TA21 Model Secretary for the Alvis Owner Club and has been collecting data about TA21s since 1973. He holds a comprehensive record of existing and extinct TA21s. Malcolm can often advise about the history of individual TA21s and is always looking to increase his database, so if anyone has the smallest amount of information about any aspect of the TA21 past or present then please let us know by posting a Comment. Malcolm welcomes any pictures of TA21s whether they are of existing cars or ones that have long been lost. You can email these to alvisarchive@btinternet.com
The TA21 by Malcolm Kindell
Alvis produced 1319 cars designated as TA21, three of which were prototypes. These were 3LI, 3L2 and 3L3. The latter was the development car based on a TA14 chassis with the six-cylinder engine which still survives somewhere in the USA.
The other two cars one of which was a left hand drive estate and the other a saloon similar to a Sunbeam Talbot 90. The estate was broken up and the saloon was written off following an accident in the sixties. Of the remaining 1316 cars, 1003 were built by Mulliners of Birmingham as saloons.
303 were built by Tickford of Newport Pagnell as DHCs
and 9 chassis were delivered to Hermann Graber for special coachwork
Tickford also produced a “one off special” two-door hard top version of their DHC, which has probably not survived.
One saloon was delivered to Freeman Sanders without an engine. Freeman Sanders was a development engineer with his own design of a six-cylinder diesel engine.
“I am the third owner Mr Sanders Mr Lister and me for many years.
The car has covered 14000 mls, yes 14000 mls
dry stored from new runs well.”
Of the nine chassis delivered to Graber only three are known to survive. One has a fixed head coupe body and is in Australia.
The other two have DHC bodies and are in Switzerland and the Philippines. It is rumored that another exists in a Royal Household but this is unsubstantiated.
Of the 303 Tickford cars approximately half a dozen left Tickford without hood mechanisms and one of these survives with quite an attractive bespoke hard top.
Of the 1003 Mulliners saloons, two were Special developments with different windscreens. One had a split screen very much like the early Morris Minor and the other, SP689 on chassis 25330 had a curved windscreen. The split screen version has long been lost but the curved windscreen example survives. It also has a unique dashboard.
Whilst the 2012 AOC Membership List records 103 TA21s registered with the Club it is known that 337 TA21s survive world wide with another 22 that are known to exist but cannot be positively identified. Now this does not account for those TA21s that have been tucked away and haven’t seen the light of day for decades. They will no doubt appear in one condition or another at sometime in the future and will then be recorded.
A further breakdown of the survivors suggests that there are 168 Mulliners saloons, 154 Tickford DHCs, 3 Grabers and 12 Specials worldwide, with a further 7 saloons and 15 DHCs known but not positively identified. It is calculated that in the UK the survivors are 104 Mulliners saloons, 82 Tickford DHCs and 7 Specials.
Of the TA21s around the rest of the world the USA has about 48, followed by Australia at 22 and New Zealand with 14. Sweden follows next with 11 and Holland and Germany have 9 each. There are probably more in Germany as there are photos of at least 3 more with German registration plates that cannot be identified. Canada has 5 and France has 4. Others are spread around Denmark, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Japan, South Africa, Switzerland, Brazil, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Turkey and the Philippines.
Chris Harding offered a link to his TA21 restoration….in Dubai
http://ta-21-in-dubai.blogspot.com/2012/12/arthur-alvis-ta21-restored-to-full.html
Wonderful!
Excellent information. Thanks for the efforts. I am sure I will be asking for information support in the future. Alan
Is it possible to drop pictures on this response forum? I have a picture of a TA-21 sleeping in the cold and snow I would share. Alan
Alan You are not able to drop pictures directly but if you email it to alvisarchive@btinternet.com I will post it for you. Please include details of the chassis number, location and date. Thanks, John
How many TA21 cars, (DHC), left the factory in Left Hand Drive form?
Malcolm says: “85 TA21s DHCs left the factory in LHD form. 66 of these were to the USA”
I have recently purchased, in New Zealand, a 1953 TA21 DHC. I do not have any tangible history on the car. It is in excellent condition and drives exceptionally well.
If I provide engine and chassis numbers are you able to provide some background? I would also like to know if the numbers are matching.
Regards,
Arthur Green
Malcolm Kindell has responded to you directly.
I have a 1953 TA21 DHC I purchased from a salvage yard in Pueblo, CO. Car number is 24803.
Do you know how many DHC’s were delivered to Cavalier Motors in L.A.? They took delivery July 22, 1952.
Thanks for any info you can provide.
Hello Murk, Are you located in Colorado? How good or bad is your new 1953 TA21 DHC? I may have some body parts, if your Alvis may be in need. Not very many of we Alvis owners here in the Mountain West. I am in Utah,
do you still have any ’53 parts?
Murk
Hello Murk,
Yes I have some spare items from a TA-21 project I have going. What are you looking for? Are you located in the western USA?
Regards,
Alan Dewsnup
Utah
I am missing front fender braces, also do you have any access to bumpers or a replacement bumper close to the original?
The body is in “good” shape. I do need bumpers. It needs a total restoration. I’m in Pueblo. CO.
Hello Murk, Drop me a note at alsfarms@hotmail.com. Al
KVJ 145 – An update of Arthur’s travels in the Middle East can be found at https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6556155358454337354#editor/target=post;postID=7001754886753364510;onPublishedMenu=allposts;onClosedMenu=allposts;postNum=0;src=postname
Can anyone please provide any information on the existence or fate of a TA21 previously owned by my family in the 1960’s? It was a 1952 Drophead with UK registration number BHC 300, chassis number 24721. The car was two tone blue very similar to chassis number 25107 a photo of which is shown on this website. Any information gratefully received.
Malcolm Kindell has replied to you directly
Malcolm, I’ve a lot of data about my TA21 (No.24554, Reg MUU 450) concerning mileages and past owners – and a few gaps too. If the data is of interest, let me know and I’ll pass it on.
Hi Colin.
Nice to hear from you and a happy New Year. I am always interested to have any detailed information about any TA21. So thanks. Please send information that you have to my email address malcolmkindell@gmail.com
I am happy to share with you any information that I might have which you do not.
Malcolm
How many TA 21, LH drive steering remain in the USA?
Hello, I´m restoring a TD 21 and because it will still need a bit I ´m looking for an other car. So I found an Alvis TA21 Special offered at brightwells classic. Do you know the car? I would like to buy the car, if possible without auction.
So if you have any information, please contact me.
Thanks a lot
Yours
Andreas Mueller von Postel
23aussi@gmail.com
i have just bought a ta 21 saloon MGG 864 and will be restoring it
Our records show it is a TC 21.
25263
mgg 864 new it was with glasgow ship services may 54 then to W R ANNAN printers edinburgh oct 54 for some reason the rear wings was fiberglassed over the steel wings wheel arches was made smaller and colour change in 1965
Do you know of TA21 MXM982? It’s for sale on facebook marketplace as a barn find in Bishops Stortford. Light blue, brown interior and certainly looks worth saving for someone with the skill (and money!).
We have no owners recorded, chassis 24688 from 1952.
Hello Malcolm, You may have heard from Dave Culshaw, but prototype 3L3 is now living with me in The Netherlands.It has two stable mates , a TA21DHC ( which you have seen as we met once in the UK when visiting William Morris’s house with the local Alvis club) and a TA 14 special with 3 litre engine . so I have now two TA 14 chassis with 3 litre engines !! . 3L3 is having a sympathetic restoration !!