Eileen and Terry report from their travels in Ca.
Quite a lot of recent TB 14 activity recently, particularly bearing in mind that only 100 were made.
Barn find, chassis 23590 has now found a new home and moved from Wales to England. A complete car she will now undergo a long term restoration, by a very knowledgeable Alvis owner, to bring her back to her former glory.
A restored and used TB 14, chassis 23551 went up for sale in January in Ireland and was immediately snapped up and has not yet resurfaced.
Like buses they seem to come along in Threes! Now on Car and Classic you will find a very desirable, part restored TB 14 for sale, offers in the region of £25k. A lot of work has already been done and the photos speak for themselves.
Car and Classic is always worth keeping an eye on as many Fourteens show up there. Currently a very nice Carbodies is looking for a new home. In total, 2 Mulliners Saloons, another Drophead and the rare Angel Utility. Not on Car and Classic is the partly restored Mulliners in Sweden, still available – a great opportunity.
Talking of sporty Alvis Cars, Clive Taylor is intending to write about “Alvis Cars in Competition” to be produced in book form for the 100th Anniversary. Details have been put forward about our own Fourteen Racing Car. More about this unique car can be seen under Cars of Interest and under Gallery 1, chassis 20528. Sadly we are not aware that the car survived. Also information about chassis 21458 has been supplied. This is the car owned by Archie Scott Brown, the racing driver although this car thankfully is alive and well. Should you have any knowledge about any Alvis Racing Cars that might be of interest please contact the Clive or leave a comment at the end of the post.
Finally on TB 14s, there is good news that a long term American resident is due to undergo restoration after many years in storage. The car, chassis 23588, was purchased in the late 1960s in England by an American military war hero and taken to America at the end of his duties in Europe. He later commenced restoration of the car but this was not completed. Following his passing some years ago the car has remained in storage but will now be restored and remain with his son and daughter as a family car.
The Museum in Uruguay with the only TA 14 in Uruguay have finally received their much needed Nave Plate, delivered in person by a Member of The Alvis Owner Club. They kindly laid on a 50 person Dinner and made him most welcome. There will be an Article about the visit in a future Alvis Owner Club Bulletin.
For those who pay a visit to Sacramento, The California Car Museum is highly recommended. Whilst most of the cars are American there are some very interesting cars including a Woodie on skis!
‘Pat’, our most helpful guide explained how the early Model T cars were driven. Not a good car to change to if you drive a modern car. Brake pedal on the right, reverse gear pedal in the middle and forward gear pedal on the right. Accelerator on the steering column.
He also explained that in the early days their cars were also right hand drive to follow the system for stage coaches. That system was to allow the shotgun rider to be on the left.
Also in The Museum was a car from The Hudson Motor Car Company, Detroit, Michigan with a Triangle, just not the right one! As the Car Company started in 1909, did this give any inspiration for a neat badge for Alvis? The photo shows 1901 but this is disputed.
The Swedish records are being revised and in due course we may seek help to finalize their records. Already reviewing details of one of their cars has set us off on a search that may explain the unknown identity of chassis 22168 and confusion with chassis 22198 as may have happened in the 1940s. There is occasionally confusion caused by some of the original records so cross checking can be invaluable.
The Swedish owners’ Club by the way has a new Chairman, aged 21 and third generation of a well known Alvis family.
Finally, remember the song with the words, ‘It never rains in Southern California‘? – All lies.
Alvis Fourteen 
if memory serves, Eileen, the song continues ‘…..seems like I heard that kinda talk before, it never rains in California, it pours, man, it pours…..’
Which reminds me to talk to a trimmer soon about a hood for my Carbodies dhc project!
Kind regards, John Witts
P.S. Did anyone else see the TA14 Mulliner Saloon in this month’s (April 2017) “Practical Classics”? Owned by Mr Tom Horner it’s registration is ACN 946. No body, chassis, or engine number are mentioned. The magazine gives a very entertaining account of it’s restoration which looks to have been completed to a very high standard. Is the gentleman a member of the AOC?
Tom Horner is AOC member 11758 but doesn’t appear in the current list.