The Crested Eagle has come under scrutiny this week following enquiries from once young boys who grew up with them in the family. Alastair Birch spotted ALE 850 on the website, now in concours condition in the custody of Eric Ody, and sent several pictures of his late father’s Alvis cars. “From my records Dad (a founder member of Pembrokeshire Vintage car club ) owned ALE approx from 1957 to 1967 and then two subsequent Alvis cars TA21 OUM 167 and a TE21 6951 HP. He was a brilliant mechanic ( teacher and musician ) and looked after these cars by himself. He passed away In 1990.”
6951 HP is a mystery car, believed originally metallic beige when owned by Mrs Parker in Cumbria, and blue with Colin’s ownerhip. Has anyone seen it since?
Next, we heard from Tony Dodd, “Following a recent google search by my son, he was delighted to discover some old photos stored in your archive.”
An enquiry to Wayne Brooks showed that the car was alive and well in 1997 in Belgium. Has anyone seen it?
The third one is on offer for sale at Hubert Kranz, believed to be:
Last year, Crested Eagle owner and Archive Trust volunteer Chris Bluer scanned all the factory record cards for the model. Since then Wayne Brooks has compiled a Model Register of the cars as they left the factory. This Model Register is available for download on the Crested Eagle page.
With more time to watch daytime TV, several people saw “Bargain Hunt” yesterday at Alvis. Here is the link.. Alvis on the telly
Another older film about the Dragonfly helicopter was also spotted by Colin Newby on YouTube. In 1949 Westland Helicopters licence build the Sikorsky S-51, re-engined with the Alvis Leonides. 149 Dragonflies were built for duties by the Royal Navy and RAF. https://youtu.be/jEWGq6z_czg?t=351
Alvis Archive 
From Switzerland, congratulation for another most interesting article about Alvis – Sikorsky helicopter and thé interview of Mr Alan Stote.
Thank you to the Archive team
Best regards
Daniel Fischlin
Good to see DKX 756. She might have survived but the 3 little boys are still alive and kicking.
May I extend the realm of this thread to ask if my first Alvis still exists? I bought it from the second owner, a men’s outfitter in Leeds in 1972. It was a dark metallic blue 1965 TE21 registration JWT 71C My brother and I visited his shop one Saturday travelling in a brand new BMW 2500. We were told we could test drive if we left the keys of the BMW to ensure its return! Such trusting times. In my ownership it was looked after by Alf Brown in Lancaster Gate Mews and Tollerton & Burke in Camden.
Hello Barrie, the DVLA shows the last V5C issued in 2009 but no tax or mot. We have no owner information after 1973.
03/02/2021.
Three Litre Series III. 6951HP.
I can add to the history of this Alvis. I knew Colin Birch in the early ‘Seventies; he was a double bass player with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and occasionally filled the tank of 6951HP at our petrol filling station near Abergavenny on his way to and from Fishguard. He used to take out the left front seat to accommodate his bass, in its carry-case inside the car!
I acquired 6951HP in about 1973 or 1974. It is Chassis No 27122 and it was the family car for around ten years. 27122 was supplied new to Grosvenor Garage in Manchester finished in Alvis Light Shade Metallic Beige and was driven by Leonie Parker. Her previous Alvis was a TD21 26419 which had been an Alvis Works car and came to her with the Coventry registration plate 6951HP and she transferred this plate to 27122.
27122 had about 100000 miles when I acquired so I set about a comprehensive mechanical rebuild including fitting sports wheels and assisted steering. With this work complete I had the body taken apart, de-rusted and most of the panels replaced. At this time the colour was changed from the blue metallic to Rouge Damasse. She was checked for top speed on several occasions and a verified 130 mph came up easily; she had a good camshaft….
About then I had acquired an old Monmouthshire registration plate AX310 and this was transferred to 27122. We used it for trips to France, Switzerland (Graber Treffen), Germany, Italy, the Dolomites, Monaco and Lichtenstein, often with three children aboard.
With the arrival of a Speed Twenty around 1983 I sold 27122. I retained the Monmouthshire registration plate and the local authority refused to return 9175HP and issued a EHY637C in its place. 27122 was sold to the Leicester area and she disappeared until recently when a new Member joined with her having extracted it derelict from a back-yard in the Black Country. I believe it later went to Chris Prince.
I have some images if you would like them.
Alviscarement,
Nick Simpson.
Thanks Nick for the info, was very fond of HP. Dad never owned another Alvis. Did have other classics was about to buy another Alvis when he passed in 1990. Have one pic of your car with a Graber on Swiss border , which you must have given dad. Al Birch.
Thanks Nick, that completes the puzzle. Photos always welcome.