Good news this month has come from Germany, Holland and Switzerland of cars being restored and changing hands that had been not heard of for some years. It was good to be able to provide some of their histories which are not always passed on by a seller. We don’t always have a full history and often the new owner adds clues to a car’s past. One example is an early TD21 (the ninth saloon) which is now in Germany to be restored, last heard of in a french scrap yard. A photo has been added to the revamped TD21 : 1958-1963 page which is now in gallery format.
Sad news received is that the seventh TD21 saloon suffered conflagration alongside a neighbouring Crewe product which had burst into flames and could not be saved. A salutary reminder to keep fire extinguishers ready to use at all times.
Further sadness was news that our Swiss Graber Friend, Christian Merz, had died peacefully in his sleep. He leaves his wife Barbara and sons Philipp and Gerhard. He had been an AOC member since 1975 when he and several other Grabers, including Madame Graber herself, visited the first International Alvis Day at Knebworth. See 1975 – Knebworth. We last met at the Graber Treffen in 2018.
Christian lived and worked in Bern as an architect, not far from the Graber garage. He had owned his TD21 cabriolet since the 1970s, and later added a four door TE21 Graber saloon and a Fourteen Woodie.
His sons will keep the cars.
Alvis Archive 
With reference to the TD21 photo gallery contained in the January News I believe that Photo 32/49 1959 TD21 red with white roof is of the car I currently own, ( chassis 26343 body 18282). If you have any information eg. when and where the photo was taken and any info of the then owner I would be most grateful if you could supply. Details that lead me to believe that this is my car are the twin bonnet locks, the bonnet louvres and the damage to the bottom of the grill by the starter handle access. Thanking you in anticipation.
Michael P Shepherd AOC member 11915 SE Tel: 01442 870629 Mob: 07443 832883 Sent from Mail for Windows
The photo by Job van Huizen was in 2007 at the Gelbloux Rally in Belgium when owned by a non member in Lasne. We have the car’s history starting with member 13, R P Birks.