1951 Alvis TA21 Three Position drophead by Tickford

For sale by auction on Saturday 30 August 2014 with Historics at Brooklands. Brooklands Motor Racing Circuit. Weybridge. Surrey. Call 01753 639170
The Alvis type TA21 was announced in 1950. looking much like its
TA14 predecessor but featuring independent front suspension and a
new. overhead-valve. six cylinder. three litre engine. Styled along
classic. pre-war lines. the three Litre was reckoned by Autocar
magazine to appeal to 'discerning owners who appreciate quality and
good handling as well as mere performance. ' Additions to the range
of models were not long in coming; a sports two-seater and a
Tickford bodied two-door drophead coupé being announced for the
1951 season. The introduction of open-top models was calculated to
boost sales in the United States market. where Alvis was beginning
to make an impact. Perhaps the best thing about it is that many of
the handling characteristics of the sportscar have been built into
the chassis which. combined with a low centre of gravity and a
reasonable amount of space. make this fine car something of a
compromise. suited to those who want both family car and sportscar
features all in one package.

This excellent Alvis TA21 on offer today had a very interesting
start to its life; according to research of the archive records
carried out by the Alvis Owners Club. it can be confirmed that the
body on this car was from the 1950 Earls Court Motor Show car.
There was a lot of swopping around of drophead bodies on the early
TA21s which has led to a lot of confusion over allocation of body
numbers to the early Tickford bodies. 23871 is one such vehicle.
With this detailed information to hand. it cannot be claimed that
23871 was the actual 1950 show car. but it can be confirmed that it
still has the body used on the 1950 show car. There are no
records as to when 23871 was originally completed or when it left
the Alvis factory but this must have been in 1950. or at the latest
early 1951. The car was converted to lefthand drive. fitted with
the 1950 Earls Court show body and sold to Hauser of Switzerland
(the Alvis Agent in Zurich). There are no records of private
ownership in Switzerland and it is likely that the car remained in
the dealership. It was clearly used for demonstration and
evaluation as the car returned to Alvis in shop-soiled condition
for re-conversation to righthand drive in May. 1952 and sent to
Dunham & Haines of Luton for sale. It was registered on 23rd
February. 1953 and the first registered owner of this car was a Mr.
Lee who owned it until February 1960. It was still in England in
1973. after passing through four more owners but by the late 1970's
was in the USA where the next owner had some work carried out to
the brakes in California in August 1988. The car was returned to
the United Kingdom in 2001. Finished in grey with a maroon stripe. br/>maroon leather interior and matching maroon cloth roof. this TA21
is supplied with a V5 registration document. an Mot test
certificate which expires in August 2015. a Buff log book. br/>Californian Certificate of Title. a number of invoices relating to
when the car was in the USA. a letter from Alvis Owner Club
confirming the drophead body being used at Earls Court Motor Show
and a number of old MoT test certificates. This is a rare
opportunity to purchase a stylish three position drophead coupé
built by one of the most famous coachbuilders in the
World. 

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