An archive is an accumulation of historical records, or the physical place they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or organisation’s lifetime, and are kept to show the function of that person or organisation.
Our archive is of no use until someone wants to know the history of an Alvis product or to contribute to it. Happily for us this happens fairly regularly and usually gives pleasure to all parties, the current and previous custodians and the archivists.
The news of a Graber bodied Alvis changing hands is of interest so when Ken Swanstrom got in touch in May to say he was the new custodian a TD21 Graber coupe the documents I received in the 1970s as a Graber Friend came in useful. For more on this story, click here.
This week a Swiss website mentioned Alvis in an article about classic car values, citing the TB14, TC21 / 100, TA21 and TA14 models as “big losers” over the last five years.
Valuation advice on classic cars and their investment potential can be useful but drawing conclusions from a small sample of sale prices should not be relied upon because not all sales are in the public domain. The older and rarer the car the more condition and history influences the value.
However, being armed with a detailed history of a car will help determine a fair price, so ask for the history before you buy and if one is provided by the vendor, check it for errors and omissions. “One careful lady owner for 28 years, (but six hooligans in the last ten)“.
This period photo has been identified as a 4.3 Vanden Plas saloon, chassis 13179, registration DLU 444 last heard of in the USA under restoration – do you know where The Village Inn is? If so, please let us know.
The 4.3 model has it own page and website, click here
The publication date of Dave Culshaw’s latest book now looks likely to be extended into 2021 because of furlough at the publishers Veloce.
Alvis Archive 
It looks like the Village Inn in Twyning, just north of Tewkesbury
I would take issue with the comment in a Swiss article, “classic car values, citing the TB14, TC21 / 100, TA21 and TA14 models as “big losers” over the last five years.” Perhaps a couple of decades ago the post war cars were not so sought after. However, as the values of the Park Ward models have increased considerably and the Graber built cars really risen, the 14’s and the 21’s have moved along somewhat. That has allowed a lot of people without fat wallets to enjoy an Alvis and the camaraderie which comes with that ownership. Looking at UK prices there are still some good buys in the TA/TC21’s. To my mind, buying and Alvis is because I want to own and drive one. Not to do so is like buying a glass of wine, or beer and to leave it standing on the bar in the hope it will go up in value!
HI SIRS etc i like the column “where are they now “, old alvis owners who sold their cars over the years gone by ,i had a good half dozen in 70s 80s found OUT where 2 are , both in Holland,
NOW MINT AND ON SHOW
Hi Dave,
Was one of those 2 ‘Dutch’ cars a pink TD21 (original registration 508 AXU)? I am the current owner and would love to know more about it.
Kr. Johan
The Village Inn (Flowers) is in Twyning Green, Tewkesbury, Gloucester
Roger Mitchell
Roger Mitchell Founder & Director Tea Building â56 Shoreditch High Street âLondon E1 6JJ aml-group.com Disclaimer âPlease be kind, don’t print this email unless you really have to. âAML Communications Ltd. Registered in England no. 07590532.
Hi John,
Just wondering if there may be any issues sharing the logo with the Co Op?
Chief executive Steve Murrells unveiled the campaign – “Co-op: It’s what we do’ – at Saturday’s AGM in Manchester Keep Safe,
Eileen.
Sent from my iPad
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Where do you think he got the idea?