Alvis Archive

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.

Spanning both the vintage and post-vintage periods the six cylinder models spawned the Speed models and continued alongside them. A fine photo, taken in 1938 of a 1929 model came our way via Robin Gilbert and some research by Greg Wrapson identified the car.

The photo came not from a motoring magazine but from a London County Council Estates and Valuation department which just happened to feature the TA 16.95 Atlantic Saloon. Dated 18th January 1938, the subject was Neate Street, Cobourg Road, London SE5 which was later cleared of slums to become Burgess Park. Martin Taylor has kindly donated the original print to the Trust, having rescued it many years ago. Identified as chassis 7756, car 12563, the registration UV 4874 had not previously being recorded.

This photo and another sent in by Ian Hardaker are now included in a much expanded gallery of over 100 photos on the Silver Eagle page, together with three Model Registers of the cars as they left the factory.

Hugh Stirling sent in more green themed photos and in the process uncovered another gap in our knowledge.

If you have any period or current photos you would like included in the model galleries, email them to alvisarchive@btinternet.com

If your preference is for a Speed 20, take a look at our expanded gallery of over 100 photos of the SA model, click Speed 20 SA, download a Model Register and then follow on with the later Speeds.

Another 1930s photo has come our way with a suitably wintry European landscape featuring a well known Firefly. This had been added to the Firefly gallery which has also been expanded to over fifty images including the same car in later life. Click on Firefly

Another cover photo used more than once is this one which adorns the December 1996 Bulletin, which you can download and read.

We were pleased to welcome Andy Bye, Director of Museums & Archiving of the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs to Bowcliffe together with Director of Research Paul Chasney in his Graber TF21.

We spent much of the time together discussing the challenges of operating an archive in current conditions. The experience and enthusiasm of Andy in putting together the Rootes Archive Trust in their own property in Wroxham was invaluable in putting our situation into context.

One of the items of discussion was raising funds to support the archives running costs. As it is the season for bargains, we are offering new members of the Trust a free copy of Roy Probert’s “Leonides” worth, we are told by those in the know, at least £25. How to join and claim your copy is here Becoming a Friend. See also AERO ENGINES.

The AOC stand at the NEC Classic Car Show was given an award for the Most Interesting Selection of Cars. Steve Horne’s report can be read on NEC Classic Car Shows.

A new page has been added to the Albums 2012 Alvis in Wales.

The photo gallery has also been expanded to include new material on The 12/70 page.

We were delighted to receive a complimentary copy of Peter Horrobin’s new book “One Life, Many Cars” for the archive with Peter’s letter proclaiming that profits from the sales will go towards restoring his inspirational but crashed Speed 20. You can read the background to the book on www.peterhorrobin.com but more than a half of the pages are pure Alvis enthusiasm. Readers born in the 1940s will identify with all that is written and hopefully younger readers will be fascinated by a history of how motoring used to be. With 227 excellent photographs and engaging narrative throughout its 144 pages this hard backed book would be a sound buy for the festive season. Privately published, it can be purchased on Peter’s website.

The Trust has become a member of the Federation of British Historic Vehicles (FBHVC – http://www.fhbvc.org) which provides useful guides for owners of historic vehicles, including updated guidance on fuel. Membership also comes with benefits for our Followers such as product discounts, and for the Trust by means of commission on those discounted sales. If you are interested in discounted oil and additive products, click on Club Motul.

Followers can get a discount on tickets for the Classic Motor Show at the NEC this month 12-14 November – click on https://classicmotorshow.seetickets.com/tour/classic-motor-show and enter code CCL100. Both the FBHVC and the Alvis Owner Club have large stands this year.

If you enjoyed the photo galleries from the 1950s, three updated galleries are now available to browse on Speed 20 SB SC SD.