The Mulliners Saloon, chassis 22709 mentioned in the previous main Post, was sold at Auction for £9 900 + 15% buyer’s premium.

Someone has bought quite a time capsule with only 2 previous owners since new. Still retaining the original cord interior, rare these days but reflected the austere times of the immediate Post War era.

Very nice to catch up with the owner of Carbodies, chassis 22736, now living in Department Moselle, France. The car is yet another one with the colour may be inspired by my Tickford ‘Aunty May’ chassis 21830. When purchased by my father in 1959 she had already been resprayed from Black to Ivory and inspired many similar colour schemes over the years.

Chassis 22736 has been further restored and has won several major prizes on the Continent, well deserved as the photo shows. This trophy was 1st prize at the ADAC Concours d’ Elegance in Saarland 2019, so beating some very stiff competition. The owner is still looking to acquire 2 Nave Plates (Hub Caps)2 end caps for the bumpers and a small alloy end cap for the boot. I can put him in touch with anyone who can help with those spares.

Interesting fact is that the car was restored in the 1990s by none other than Richard Mead who bodied several TA 14s when they were new.

An owner in Charleston is considering fitting windscreen washers to his TB 14. They were not fitted as standard but one or two Fourteens have had them fitted. I did explain that often our rain does the job!

Washer bottles were not the only extras fitted to Fourteens. The Article below shows testimony to the additions that could/can be added.

Should the above offer temptation to fit extras then you have a good range of choices although Item 9h might now be viewed as obsolete!

Restorations of our cars continue apace and the standard is very very high. TB 14 23582 is undergoing a ground up restoration in Austria and should emerge even better than new judging by the painstaking standard of work so far. The car was in good condition and running before the restoration so that should help in the rebuild.

As always there is a good selection of Fourteens for sale advertised on the AOC website alvisoc.org plus carandclassic.co.uk. Mainly Mulliners Saloons but also Carbodies. The unique Saloon, chassis 21060, NSK 779 by an unknown Coachbuilder is up for Auction on carandclassic.co.uk so a good buy for someone wanting an individual Saloon. Our records do not show the car bodied by Mulliners as described in the advert. Evidently the one off body was 2 years in the making.

Just announced is the other Alvis with a forthcoming Auction on carandclassic.co.uk. Underneath the 1930s body is a TA 14 chassis with an Alvis engine. Described as being from a TA 21, the engine appears to be that of a TD 21. Chassis number 23400 was a Mulliners Saloon before its transformation to a Special in the 1960s. The body is described as a 1930s racing shell.

Increasingly owners are considering having metalwork areas rechromed. One Company, Tregunna Ltd is operating in the north London area and provides chrome, nickel and gold plating services to clients including some in Hatton Garden so perhaps we shall see the first TA /TB14 with gold plating? Might get marked down though for non originality. The Company also undertook plating for Mulliners Park Ward. Full details on ‘Suppliers and Services’ together with other Companies as recommended by Alvis owners.

Many owners have come across and dealt with Holden Vintage and Classic, purveyors of Automobile parts and accessories. All stock can be viewed on their website at holden.co.uk and set aside some time to browse the extensive range of new and old new products. You can even ‘virtually rummage’ through their boxes of new old stock. An essential part of a classic car owners ‘go to list’ for spare parts and can be shipped globally. Also it is possible to purchase their Catalogue as an excellent paper copy. Currently they are out of paper copies of the 11th Edition, about 420 pages. The 12th Edition is currently in preparation and should be available in the Autumn, you can put your name down for a copy, there is a cost, my copy of the 10th edition was £6 about 11 years ago so there will be an increase but it is money well spent. For those who like to deal over the phone the number is 01885 488 488 and in person, the shop is based on the Linton Trading Estate, Bromyard, Herefordshire. HR7 4QT.

When our cars were young several owners took the time and trouble to evaluate and give an honest opinion of their cars.

One such owner of TB 14 chassis 23558 was Sidney Collier. His opinions were forwarded to a motoring magazine of the time in the 1960s. We are fortunate to get this information from his son. When working his way through his late father’s papers and photograph albums he came across some photographs and very kindly sent them through followed by the Article and as he progresses through the material there may be more. So very grateful he took the time and trouble to pass this on. The TB was only visiting the caravan as close inspection show no tow bar.

Ron Buck was a very well known Alvis Owner including a magnificent Maroon Carbodies TA 14. Fortunately for the current owner the car has changed from Ron’s very well known personalised numberplate ARB 14 back to her original plate and is she living a cosseted life in the South of England still bearing her extras.

A consummate Engineer and second generation Alvis enthusiast Ron wrote up his opinions of the car in 1955.

Group Captain Edwin Shipley was another owner who wrote up his experiences of a W.H.Gaze & Sons Estate version, chassis 20650, LPF 537, although much is general to TA 14s. He makes refers to the preceding Article by Ron. The management of the tyres shows just how different running a car then as to now. Wonder if any TA 14 ever wears out it’s tyre treads now through use. Now it is usually the age of the tyre that produces the need to replace. Sadly it is likely that this car has not survived. She was last seen offered for sale in 1964 by an advert that showed the then vendor’s priorities.

‘1947 TA 14 Utility, ex Shipley car… wife prefers modern tinware and I like a quiet life. £107 ono.’ Finally do make sure you read through to

‘I agree with Ron and his dealer information- I believe the TA 14 was the best ‘all round’ Alvis product ever produced’.

Still looking for TA 14 pedal rubbers and Nave plates.

Finally our thoughts are with Ukraine and hopes that peace will soon prevail for this beautiful Country. We have no knowledge of any Fourteens living in Ukraine or Russia but one intrepid Mulliners, chassis 23256 SRE 420 did make a tour as described below.

How times have changed.

eileen4ta.tb14s@rocketmail.com