Following the previous Post with the sad announcement of the passing of Richard Williamson I am pleased to confirm that all his cars and spares have found a new home.

A TA 14 owner has purchased everything and the clearance is nearly complete. Good to know everything has been saved.

In due course there will be an addition to the bookshelf for Alvis cars. This will be a book about Alvis cars in Australia and will be in a while. Whilst assisting the author it became apparent that we know very little about the Coachbuilder for the TB 14, some 7 of which were exported new to Australia. They were supplied to Tozer, Kemsley & Millbourne Ltd., of 84 Fenchurch Street, London. EC3. This Company then exported them to Devon Motors of Melbourne, Markwell Bros., Brisbane, Highway Motors, Adelaide plus one private owner.

A.P.Metalcraft were the Coachbuilders commissioned by Alvis to make the 100 TB 14s. They were the successors of A.P.A. Aircraft. The name comes from A.E.Austin and Mr Perks. These 2 gentlemen had been with Cross and Ellis before the War. They were commissioned by the Wartime government to make panels for the Blenheim aircraft during the war. So a parallel to Saab?

The Company was based in Stoke Row, Coventry so convenient for Alvis.

Below is an interesting Article written by an owner in 1967. It should be noted that King and Taylor built the prototype, chassis 22568 that followed the Bidee Bros. Special, both actually being TA 14s

Any more information about A.P.Metalcraft would be appreciated.

Also sought are drawings for the TA 14 that raced at Le Mans. May not exist but just maybe tucked up in a book somewhere?

Staying with TB 14s, a quiet car has just reappeared and is available for sale. Chassis 23598 JGB 56 has spent time in Canada and Alaska following her life in Scotland since 1968.

The advert is shown here to whet the appetite for this ‘Flamboyant’ car with only 35 000 miles on the clock. Will she return to the Motherland?

$45,000

Alvis TB14

Classic. Rare. Exotic.

 “A thoroughbred, with some surprises’’

—Tony Dron, Thoroughbred and Classic Cars

 “’Flamboyant’” is the only word for this British sportscar”

–conceptcarz

Designed by Belgian coachbuilder FJ Bidee, built by former Riley aircraft employees at AP Metalcraft of Coventry in 1950, this Alvis TB14 is number 98 of only 100 ever produced.

The current owner bought this classic in 1968, in Scotland, from the original owner. It’s a roadworthy driver, not a concourse model, and has been taken out on the road every summer for festivals, parades, and special events, to the joy of the local populace in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada.

The Alvis TB14 is as sporty a ride as it appearance suggests. In a test-drive in 1995, Classic and Sports Car Magazine found that “Rolling along, you soon find that the gear change has excellent synchromesh….The cam-and-peg steering…makes manoeuvring fun….[with] its neutral cornering stance and decent radial-aided adhesion, it handles very well.” Tony Dron said “the steering itself…had that ‘true’ feel which one associates with a good beam front axle design.”

Specs and Features

• All-steel shell, welded and riveted in small sections;
• Timber floorboards and dash, aluminum door skins, boot and bonnet lids and hood tonneau;
• 1.9-litre engine fitted with twin SU carburetors offering nearly 70 horsepower;
• Suspension comprised of non-independent leaf springs at all four corners;
• Heavily cut-away door tops, rear hinged doors, long, sweeping front wings and a fold down windscreen;
• 35,000 miles on odometer;
• In good mechanical condition: almost completely original, some professional work done on engine; rebored for oversize pistons, head ground, valve sleeves relined in 2002.
• New vinyl canopy and removable side windows;
• Radial tires have improved driving comfort;
• Tools and some parts come with car, with the original instruction manuals.

For more information please write hectorm@northwestel.net.

• Contact Name : Hector MacKenzie
• Make : Alvis
• Model : TB14
• Year : 1950
• Mileage : 35,000 miles

https://oecc.ca/oecc_listing/alvis-roadster/?fbclid=IwAR3o_FZnZSvgGwH5g51ymgHwidcDBwCMZllMhmyfGlFaj3RFuagoDBek2o8

Recently had cause to advertise one of Dagenham’s finest on eBay and carand classic. Can thoroughly recommend the free advertising service provided by carandclassic, they did what they said on the tin. For anyone advertising with a classified advert on eBay be aware of the following. Within minutes of the eBay advert going live the car was sold at the asking price. Only to find that when we were contacted by the ‘buyer’ it was only to open negotiations for a lower price and we were stuck for 4 days before we could deal with anyone else.

There is still a good selection of TA 14s on carandclassic including a real head turner.

Chassis 22941, FAV 169 could never pass unnoticed and is available for an asking price of £35 000.

Fitted with a 3 litre Alvis engine she is quite far away from our usual Fourteens but does look fun!

Also the unique Car Panels of Nuneaton Saloon was available for Auction today and looking smart in blue. Should she not sell, the Auctioneers are Hampsons Auctions of Northwich, Cheshire.

Also available, a Duncan part restored, should make an interesting project.

The elegant grey Mulliners ‘Doris’is sadly back on sale. Hope she will find a permanent home soon.

Recently a Fourteen enthusiast bought original Driver’s Manual and Spares Catalogue and found a bonus inside. Correspondence between Alvis and Henry Buck concerning his Mulliners Saloon, chassis 22062. So far we cannot produce a link to the Buck family, keen Fourteen enthusiasts including Ron Buck. Also no record that Henry was a Member of the AOC. Does anyone know more? We never knew the registration only that she left the Alvis factory on the 19th May 1948 and was given the Mulliners body no. M431. Henry was her second owner and there the trail goes cold in the 1960s.

Enjoy the rest of the Summer

eileen4ta.tb14s@rocketmail.com