As mentioned in the last Post, there is a green TB 14 looking for a new home after many years in Wales with the same family. Chassis 23518, Registration LLF 999 is a cherished family car and it is hoped that she will find a new home with a caring Alvis enthusiast. Her late owner was well known in the Alvis Owner Club and the car was regularly seen at Club events. It should be stressed that the photo was not taken recently and a family friend is the initial contact. Advisory asking price is £24-£26 000 and a copious amount of valuable spares are included. The TB 14 is an iconic Alvis model and it should be stressed that only 100 were made.
I can put serious interested parties in touch with the vendor’s friend.
Another interesting car that has recently come on the market is the replica Vanden Plas. Originally a Mulliners Saloon the sales information gives the background of the car and contact details on carandclassic.com.
At the other end of the spectrum is this rather sad looking Mulliners. She is available for sale on Facebook Marketplace and I believe the asking price is about £1800. Hopefully she will be rescued and she does look very complete. You can watch a ‘tour’ of the car on the You Tube, Old Classic Car Channel. The chassis number is 21464 and registration JZ 9758 and the car was originally Black. She was originally exported to Ireland and spent years there before coming back to England.
Some items relating to green Carbodies TA 14, EDR 172 have been handed over to the Alvis Owner Club in the hope that they can be reunited with the car. Last heard of in the London area I should be grateful for any information as to her current whereabouts.
Further to previous references to the recent talk given by the AOC Technical Advisor at International Alvis Weekend he recommended getting some sales catalogues from car companies stocking parts and items for cars of all ages. One such catalogue is from Car Builder Solutions. Their website is carbuilder.com and they are based in Staplehurst, Kent. The copious free catalogue can be ordered on line from their website, email, info@carbuilder.com Tel. 01580 891309 or by phone.
Essential when seeking spares is a TA 14 spares catalogue. As production ran for several years some modifications to the design of items were made and the Spares booklet is invaluable to ensure you purchase the correct part. As an example for the Jack there are 2 examples and the book shows which part number relates to your chassis number. For £31-95 or offers or £75 or £37-09 etc. there are a well thumbed paper copies currently for sale on eBay.
I
A safety thought worth bearing in mind for Drophead owners is the hood position known as Coupe de Ville. Anything to do with cars sounds so much better in French such as Carrosserie (Coachbuilder) to us. Anyway less digression. Designed to protect the occupants of the rear seats with the front seats exposed to the elements it might work if the rear compartment is totally enclosed but on TA 14s the air blasts straight onto the back seats thus giving limited protection.
The downside to this is an enormous strain on elderly fittings with the high risk of failure. Many of our cars will still have the original fitments so probably worth keeping the hood fully up or right down. ‘Bluebell’ chassis 22329 was a much younger car when she sported the Coupe de Ville hood position, back in the ‘Good Old Days’.
We know that our cars were exported all over the world when new, Egypt, India, Peru, Australia, South Africa to name but a few, but not to Malta and many have upped sticks and moved abroad over the past 80 years.
One such car is chassis 22753, TMX 156 a really fine Mulliners Saloon who left England many years ago and lives with Marico and his family on the Island of Malta. Despite having 5 other classic cars the TA 14 is his firm favourite.
Marico has come over for several Alvis events including the 70th and 80th Anniversaries of the Fourteen and it was very nice to meet up with him again
So if you happen to be visiting Malta keep an eye open for classic car events and this beautiful car.
We still have a request to find an appropriate jack to put in the bulkhead fittings of Tickford chassis 21571 so this is the earlier version of the jack. As mentioned previously, never rely on these elderly jacks, always add a trolley jack.
Many readers have other Alvis cars and we also have a TB 14 owner living in Charleston, South Carolina, USA who is need of a black stove enamelled rocker cover for a 1953 Alvis. Can you help, is there one tucked away in the back of your garage?
We still have some surplus spares available from International Alvis weekend. Horns, trumpets and trumpet gauze can be purchased from The Alvis Archive Trust with the proceeds going to The Trust.
Also a selection of spares including
Mint oversized light alloy pistons, 60 thou.
Rear Axle by Frazer Nash.
Nave plates.
Leaf Springs front and rear.
Lucas lights.
Steering Marlies Cam and Peg.
Girling double leading shoe, rod operated.
Cylinder blocks were pickled.
Crankshaft 3 60mm white metalled bearings.
Forged steel connecting rods.
Single SU electric pump.
SU carburettor.
So keep cool in the coming heatwaves.
Alvis Fourteen 