Alvis Fourteen

A Fourteen’s life! This new heading has been added to the site. ‘Mavis’ MVX 963, chassis 21785 has records dating back to when she was new and running right through until today. We are going to continue to add records on to show the typical life of a Fourteen through the nearly 70 years since they were produced. This will be a reference point to see what must parallel many of our cars through the years. ‘Mavis’ hopes to attend International next May so we shall be able to see her in the ‘flesh’!

As we approach the 70th Anniversary of the commencement of Fourteen production it is interesting to reflect the early days. The great pleasure of ordering and specifying a new Fourteen was enjoyed by Mr Peter Dixon. He then took delivery of his brand new Tickford and travelled with her on a French holiday, probably in 1949. Look at chassis 22377 in The Gallery to see copies of Tickford’s original receipts plus photos of that adventurous trip.

It all started with chassis 23500 but sadly this rare Charlesworth bodied TA14 was lost to us in 1965 when the last Licence expired. The car had been originally passed to the Alvis Sales Department and in fact only had her first registration on the 1st March 1948.

Earlier this year, eagle eyed AOC Club Members may have spotted that the owner of one of our Celebrity cars has rejoined The Club, still owning the car plus additional Alvis cars. This particular car, chassis 21458 was fitted with a Tickford Dhc. body. Nothing unusual there until you see she was also adapted to take a V8 Pilot 3621cc engine! She was by repute rather fast and one of her owners was the Formula 1 racing driver W.Archie Scott-Brown. Allegedly she would do 120mph. Oh to be alongside one of our bigger Alvis sisters and put a foot to the floor. Not quite our 0-60 in 22 seconds.The good news is that she is in the queue and scheduled for restoration so watch out for a flying Tickford. ‘Aunty May’, Tickford chassis 21830 managed 90mph coming down a long straight empty hill near Glencoe but that was in neutral with the engine off and in her younger days.

Let no one think TA 14s were not given up to date coachwork materials in the 1940s. In October 1969 a mint condition Shooting Brake was advertised highlighting varnished Ash with Formica panels, yours for £150.

There is a type of Workshop Manual that covers TA14,TB14,TA 21,TB21,TC21,TC21/100 Grey Lady and TC108G Graber 3 litre. This was published by Wallage Reprints. Sadly Peter Wallage passed away 3 1/2 years ago and the business has ceased.
You may find copies on the Internet for sale. As stated earlier it is a type of workshop manual and some material overlaps with the Driver’s Manual that can still be obtained. We are looking into the possibility of making it available.

Alvis exported Fourteens to Sweden after the war but could not keep up with demand. Few remain but one that does has had an interesting history. KGD 212, chassis 22583, Mulliners Saloon was exported new to Sweden in 1948. She had fallen into disrepair by 1961. Unlike the fate of so many Mulliners in those days she was rescued by Hans Rainer in 1976 and restored. Later when BAE Systems took over Huggulunds, Swedish Fighting Vehicles, the BAE Directors were met in this TA 14, acquired by the Company using great initiative! Now, BAE have severed the red triangle link. She is currently up for sale in Sweden for about £11500 so should be in good condition. Hans wrote an interesting article about post war Alvis Cars in Sweden, AOC Bulletin 311, January 1980, available on the Alvis Archive disc of old AOC Bulletins.

Again sur Le Continent another TA 14 has resurfaced. A rare one off Worblaufen Dhc. has been seen in Switzerland and a new photo can be seen on The Gallery, chassis 20576. Rather more streamlined than the more popular Dhc. models she has been with her current Swiss owner for many years. Love the whitewalls!

Still a varied range of TA 14s for sale at present. One interesting historical comparison is the advertisement for a Duncan Fhc. Chassis 20602, FWS 962. In 1961 she was up for sale for £275, today £28000 is the asking price! Better than the Building Society perhaps?

We had another very successful International Alvis Weekend and several Fourteens were able to attend. Great to meet up with the cars and their owners. Also it demonstrated the global interest in our cars as we had Fourteen owners from Malta and as far away as New Zealand.
After the red TB14 ‘Ruby’, chassis 23577 at International last year it was a another TB 14 that was the star of this year’s Show. Borrowed from the workshop as the final finishing touches of an extensive restoration  are being put in place, chassis 23579 was resplendent in glossy black. She has been taken back from grey to black as the latter was her original colour. Complimented by a new red interior and hood all that was needed was the famous cocktail cabinet and there it was. By the time her owners of one year were ready to pose with the car in their period outfits there was not a camera left in a case.

The photo competition on the main Archive site will be coming to a close soon so last chance to aim for the top prize of £100 (that would buy some tins of polish and dusters plus other prizes, details on the main site.

An interesting product being demonstrated on the Internet at present is spray chrome and despite serious cynicism the results look quite good. How long it will last is another matter although taps are plated on plastic. Google spray chrome or go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvtRYZ5EasA and watch the demonstration. Boon to the sellers of cars but could also be useful if touching up a little chrome scuff.

Finally thoughts now go forward to the next International Alvis Weekend mid May, 2016. Only just over 8 months to go and we shall be celebrating the Seventieth Anniversary of the commencement of the production of our Fourteens. The Committee are taking a breather  before we start to plan for 2016.

eileen4ta.tb14s@rocketmail.com

Attending our local AOC Noggin and Natter in Chestfield, Kent brought with it the sight of an honest well used and cared for Maroon Mulliners Saloon. Not necessarily the stuff of headlines one might think as she sat basking in the summer sunshine surrounded by other Members of the Alvis family. Dig deeper into her past however and she will reveal that she has had more than her fair share of adventures. For the full story refer to the AOC Bulletin 437, pages 23&24. The potted version is that she did a grand tour of Scandanavia in the 1970s getting as far as Lillehammer and covering about 2000 miles in 22 days. Not content with that, in 1976 she then  undertook a trip to Russia visiting what is now Ukraine stopping at Kiev and carrying on down the valley of the Dneiper river to Zaparozhe. A total of 2650 miles was covered with only a blown cylinder head gasket in Poland. Red Triangle had provided a complete spares kit so the journey continued. The majority of her journeys included towing a Bluebird ‘Europa’ trailer caravan as well! She now lives relative retirement in Hythe with a stable of other interesting cars and has been with the same family since 1983.

‘Ruby’, the featured TB 14 at the last International Alvis Day, has now found a caring new home in the Tirol, Austria and has been zipping around on mountain pass rallies, a far cry from the shires of England.

Drophead prices for Fourteens are particularly strong at the moment. A Carbodies project is now becoming available for those who wish to refurbish a car to their specifications but wish to avoid the dismantling and where do we start emotion. The chassis frame is in primer, lots of new parts are included including new bumpers. Those who read the FBHVC fascinating Bulletins will have seen that China  is looking to relax their import restrictions on historic cars. This could eventually have an impact on the values of cars such as ours as some Chinese people have a great interest in old cars but are currently unable to bring them into the country. AOC Bulletin 364, May 1988 had a wonderful advert for a scarce Airflow Woodland TA 14. Saloon ‘has been ‘resting’ since 1967. Must be fairly knackered by this time as the garage has now collapsed onto the car….’. No ‘estate agency’ wording there! ‘ It is wonderful that not only does this rare Saloon still exist but there are current plans for her restoration. Not only that but her sister car is also in the same ownership and also scheduled for restoration. To see these unusual Saloons look in The Gallery under their chassis numbers, 20804 & 21112. A beautiful period shot of 3 Mulliners Saloons and a 12/70 can now be seen in The Gallery under chassis 20599, a car that is still going strong. Interesting to compare the Fourteen design with the 12/70 in the picture. A wonderful unknown picture of one of the Ice Cream Vans, taken before delivery from W.Wright and Son to the customer ‘Carolis’, has been unearthed, chassis 21103 on The Gallery, if only it had survived. We also have a contact point to the coachbuilders family who were previously unknown as the builders. The grandson of the firm remembers working there as a young man and seeing the rolling chassis drive in. They also constructed a lovely Shooting Brake and again we now have 2 pre- delivery photos in The Rogues Gallery, registration EET 504. Can anyone help with the chassis number or history of this car? Another discovery has been made of a ‘lost’ TA 14 Mulliners Saloon, in good condition that has surfaced in Lisbon Portugal. Chassis 21234 in The Gallery has an interesting modification to the headlights in that they are faired in. Also the bumpers are filled in. Research is being done to confirm if these were later modifications by an owner wishing to modernise the car? It is interesting to compare this car to the 1/4 scale model of a proposed post-war Alvis Saloon made by Vanden Plas Ltd in 1944 and shown under Cars of Interest. This model shows faired in headlights plus sharper edged boot cover, otherwise close to the actual design production of Mulliners Saloons. Happy Motoring and more Ice Cream news next month.

eileen4ta.tb14s@.rocketmail.com

Is it that the weather this year has so far been ‘faltering’ or are we indeed using our cars less? During a two month tour of Scandanavia and the Low countries not one single prewar or prewar style vehicle was spotted. Plenty of 1950s old American cars. 
Some new photos of 21623 on The Gallery and in both photos, two Tickford blondes together with 21830 in each shot.
New photos of 21571 showing 2 owners for a span of nearly forty years for another Tickford Dhc..
It seems we are now in the selling period for 14s and the opportunity to pick up a new 14. A real gem is a part restored RHD Mulliners Saloon, chassis 22560, for sale about 60 miles west of Stockholm, Sweden. The previous owner must have been a perfectionist judging by the rolling chassis and engine restoration to date. Approximately 60% of the work has already been done, the body prepared and box after box of restored items are neatly stacked. The car will be advertised in the July Calendar of the AOC.
Another car of interest, chassis 20532, is just now available in Belgium. One of two believed to have been bodied by Pennock originally. the car is believed to have been rebodied by Veth and enquiries about this are currently being made. View in The Gallery to see the unusual body.
The Alvis Archive photo competition is still in progress with time to enter a favourite photo. Lee O’Brien’s 14, as mentioned last month, is one of the recent entries. The sad remains of the car may be advertised in The July Calendar of the AOC.
A lady contacted The AOC a few weeks ago with enquiries relating to a TD 21. Following this contact we established that she still has her late father’s TA 14 Carbodies, chassis 23366, stored since 1975 and most definitely not for sale. Not only is the car now known to us again but she has kindly dug out the old family photo album showing several pictures of the car. Some will go onto The Gallery next month. How many of us could do the same and pass on photos to relevant Car Clubs?
A new 14 owner has been enquiring about a workshop manual for 14s. The nearest has been the Wallage reprints as detailed under Publications. It now appears that they have ceased trading so enquiries will be made to see if we can reprint this, no guarantees however.
In Denmark a 1950s Volvo slowed down and turned right, at the last minute it was possible to see it’s trafficator with no other turning lights. No problem for us who gave it a wide berth but useful to review just how clear your turning system is to other road users who may not be clued up on old cars.
Happy motoring in the summer sun.

eileen4ta.tb14s@rocket mail.com

They don’t make em like they used to!

The next time you debate whether The Alvis should go and attend an event perhaps take inspiration from past stalwarts?
2nd February 1967 saw three Alvis Cars attend the popular Noggin and Natter evening at The Shoulder of Mutton, Assington. There would have been a forth but for the following.
‘A notable and sadly missed absentee was member ‘X’ who started out in good time in a 3 litre. This caught fire so he put it out and back and leapt into a TA 14. This gave out a blue flash and went dead in another cloud of blue smoke. A 12/70 was the next carriage and it says much for the older cars in that this one did all of two miles before the petrol pump gave up. By the time ‘X’ had got this home he had been pushing cars for nearly two hours and while had not exhausted the supply of Alvis cars, the lack of remaining time made him call a halt. At least he did try.’
Contained within an Article about the rebuilding and restoration of a 12/70 is the following of interest with regards to TBs,
March 1967
‘The next operation was the cladding, which was done with 18 gauge aluminium obtained at a very reasonable price from a local firm of coach body builders in Godalming; here I met again Mr. Kingsmill, the Boss-man of the metalwork department, and a very good friend he proved to be, not only giving useful technical advice, but also lending many of his own special tools and metal snips which made my task much easier. In the course of our conversation, he showed me photographs of the prototype TB 14 of 1948, and it transpired that he was the man who was responsible for making the very first of the rather revolutionary streamlined bodies for that model, working through the night at the end to get it ready for the Motor Show. After that, the Belgians took over. Incidentally, should any TB 14 owners want information about this body, I can put them in touch.’ Author Mr. C.W.Cooper.
Interesting to note, the early pioneers of Fourteen ownership in The Alvis Owner Club included Member 110, a Miss M. Mason of Nottingham. We believe her car was a 1949 Mulliners Saloon but cannot tie her registration of MPJ 178 to a chassis number, can anyone help? As the first lady Club Member with a TA 14 it would be very interesting to know more.
Some owners have been discussing the inner pipe that was sometimes fitted in the past to increase oil pressure to the engine. Oil pressure has always been a topic of interest. In the early 1950s, W.C. was moved to write a brief poem on the topic.

O.P. By W.C.
‘Oil Pressure at two thousand, hot, is forty pounds or so,
And if it is not forty pounds, Your motor will not go’
So spake the learned Makers in their clever little book,
And so to that small instrument, I rarely dare to look,

Sometimes on biting wintry morn, when bitter frost abides,
The needle climbs to shaky ten and, sleepily subsides,
If villain of the piece I be, My Alvis is the Hero,
Have we not gone ten thousand miles, Oil Pressure, hot, at Zero?

Not sure W.C. was a Fourteen owner or he would have been moved to write the poem about 50 pounds or thereabouts.

A nice ‘new’ Article’ this month in The Articles’ Section. A six year labour of love restoring a Mulliners Saloon, LUA 782, chassis 22782, completed in 1983. Sadly she is not in the same condition now but she has had her day in the sun, photos in The Gallery.

Amazing the links we gain looking into the past of our cars. In 1970 a rather wistful sales advert for a Tickford Dhc. appeared in the AOC Sales Sheet.
‘Present owner, since 1953, Dr. H. von Klueber, formerly of Cambridge University, is compelled to part with TA 14 on his return to Germany. Good home is pre-requisite, price secondary consideration. …view at Cambridge Observatories. Google Dr. H. And you will find that he was a most interesting man who was involved with scientific breakthroughs. In his early years, he studied under Einstein and later on spent time determining the ‘Einstein theory of the deflection of stars near to the sun during a total eclipse. His obituary makes mention of the love he and his wife had for their car ‘Always interested in motor cars, his especial pride in Cambridge was an open tourer which he and Mrs von Klueber treated with loving care. So who has this ‘Celebrity Tickford’ now and are they aware of it’s history?

There is now a separate heading on this site for ‘Historic For Sale’ advertisements. This enables the checking of old adverts and in a lot of instances the chassis numbers of the individual cars are known, just do not weep at the prices! As with Snippets and the Articles index these Sections are continuos works in progress. More details can be cross checked against the Alvis Archive stick/ disc available from the Alvis Archive Trust at alvisarchive.com for about £25.
One of the articles on the stick/disc is about the location of numbers. Bulletin 375, 01/07/1989, pages 8-9 gives a guide to the locations of all numbers. As a reminder for 14s,
Body number. Plate on firewall, under bonnet (hood).
Chassis number. Tubular cross member Off Side in front of radiator.
Engine number. Top of timing case housing or crankcase Off side, sometimes obscured by gunge!
For this with other Alvis, their details are in the article.

We are the invited featured centre piece for 2018 international
Alvis Day. A new banner heading will be installed above so there is a central location for all the information for next year’s 70th Anniversary Celebrations and International Alvis weekend.

The name is withheld as the gentleman is still a Club Member.
‘On a cold and wet night on the A1 returning from Crystal Palace
Lady Passenger ‘May we have the hood up Darling?’
John ‘Good Lord, No, you’ve got a hood on your duffle coat Woman-put that up.” Ahhh, romance was alive and well.

The DVLA have a new ‘simpler’ Web site for checking your car’s basic details. Sadly Alvis seem to be a make that they are having problems with. Go to http://www.vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk and when the page comes up put in your registration and then ALVIS TA 14. In the likely event it then says not recognized, phone the helpline and they will sort it out. Be aware that once you can get it to work so can anyone else, it is up to you. The FBHVC are also working to sort out the problems
Also trying to sort things out you may have seen the flash notice that appeared on the top of the Home page and is now below this month’s Post. We are trying to identify if followers are receiving alerts to new material as happens on the main site. In the event that you have already replied, as did the author, confirming you saw this, it is only if the alert came to you by email that you should reply yes to that question, not yes that you saw it on the home page, mea culpa also!
Finally, still time to enter the Photo Competition on the main Alvis Archive site, there are already one or two Fourteen entries including ‘Hot Lips’ so dig out some nice photos and enter, good prizes. In the event that you cannot scan the photos please send them to John Fox, TC 108/Graber Model Secretary, address in The Bulletin, they will be scanned and returned, good luck.

eileen4ta.tb14s@rocketmail.com

It seems not everyone is receiving emails with posts when they are published. So this is a test post, but with a purpose. If you are reading this having received it by email would you please complete the form below which will also help us plan IAW2016? Thank you!

For more information see https://alvisevents.wordpress.com/iaw-2016/

Don’t forget the Photo Competition on the main website – more Fourteeen entries are welcome….

‘Looking lonely’ Taken at Southampton dock August 4th 2008 (Peter Holmes)

All Fourteens and their friends can now look forward to celebrating the Seventieth Anniversary of the commencement of their production in 1946 and yes as a true Fourteen this does include the TB 14s as well. They will be reaching their three score years and ten between 2016 and 2020, what an achievement!
The International Alvis Weekend Committee have been hard at work analyzing suitable venues of sufficient standard and quality to house the Fourteen party on the Saturday before featuring us again on the Sunday at International Alvis Day.
Many hotels have been assessed and rejected. The Ritz and The Savoy were ruled out for limited parking and no area for Driving Tests. Gleneagles could do that but was rather too far north for European travellers. So where shall we go? The decision has been made, Hotel reserved and it is to be Wroxall Abbey Hotel and Spa with 73 bedrooms, 72 now as the author has already reserved a room. Google Wroxall Abbey Hotel and Spa to see all the information plus there is an added benefit that it is close to Kenilworth and Red Triangle. Both the Saturday and Sunday events will be held on site in the beautiful grounds of the hotel. Bookings are now being taken by the Hotel for a £40 deposit and can be cancelled up to 72 hours before the first night’s booking. Telephone 01926 486729 or 01926 484470. The room rate is not yet finalized but there will be a Special Alvis rate so do quote Alvis. Briefly the Fourteen Seventieth Day will be held on Saturday 21st May 2016. Dinner Saturday evening and International Alvis Day on Sunday 22nd May 2016. Non Fourteen owners will be permitted to attend the Saturday event upon confirmation of good behaviour! Rumour has it we shall be able to display 3 or 4 cars in a Marquee by the main building.
There will need to be an overflow hotel for the weekend and a bus service will be laid on between the hotels so the message is get booking now if you wish to be in the main hotel.
We are now going to work on the format of the Day itself with the International Alvis Weekend Committee. Some ideas are already in place but please feel free to come forward with any ideas you have and anything you can volunteer for on the Day. As things fall into place there will be regular updates.
So get fettling and make sure the girls and boys are ready for next May. Our last big event was the Fiftieth Anniversary in 1996 and the next big Fourteen party may be some way off! No excuses, if they are not ready, hire a trailer?
To other matters now, following several weeks of glorious weather touring California not a single prewar or prewar styled car was seen on their roads so no Alvis sightings to report. Like more and more of our cars they are spending increasing time tucked up in garages dozing. Anyone heading for Las Vegas should seek out the Motor Museum/Car Sales in The Linq Hotel, just off The Strip, for a wonderful time gazing at some great cars. Senior Discount on production of I.D. proving age. No Alvis spotted this time but an amazing selection of cars.
Just when we think no more ‘discoveries’ will be made two more pop out. A lady has been in contact with the AOC and confirmed that she has a much cherished Carbodies tucked up in the garage since 1975 and most definitely not for sale. Photos will be coming through in due course. This adds to the Reeve and Kenning Woodie Barn find that is now soon to the the subject of restoration.
Going back to the early days of the AOC, interesting to note that line drawings of TB 14, NAF 1 featured on two of the early Alvistas Bulletins so these will be extracted and put on The Gallery. NAF 1 is still going strong in the south of England.
Also in an early Alvistas is a delightful advert for Tetleys Beer at The Railway Hotel, Wombwell featuring a side view of a red TB 14. Does anyone know who she was. The advert will appear shortly on under a new heading of Advertisments.
Amongst all the Fourteen matters one very sad event to report. We have lost Margaret Fairburn on the 12th April. She was a much loved lady and wonderful support to Arthur who is a past Alvis Owner Club Chairman. Our sympathies go out to Arthur at this sad time. Further details can be found on the main Alvis Archive site.
Finally, can your car be the star? Brooklands are holding a Forties event on Saturday 16th May and are looking for two Alvis to participate in a line up of cars to feature those who appeared in the 1948 Motor Show. The cars do not have to be concours standard as long as they polish up well. The line up will be outside but behind a rope.
Spring has sprung now, cold damp garages are a distant memory, time for fettling, spring cleaning and driving.
eileen@ta.tb14s@rocketmail.com

January sees the start of the New Year and many of us have been making resolutions and our cars will hope that some of these have included them.
Good resolutions to delight Fourteens could include:

1.Always carry a working in date fire extinguisher, know how to operate the extinguisher without glasses or reading glasses! Carry a fire blanket.

2. Acquire the DVD from The Alvis Archive Trust giving access to all all Alvis Owner Club Bulletins since the early 1950s and their technical articles. Probably needs the power of a desk top computer to operate efficiently.

3. Write an Article about cars previously and currently owned for submission to The Alvis Owner Club or The Alvis Archive Trust.

4. Check the age of tyres. They may have plenty of tread but be at risk of failing due to age.

5. Ensure copies of old photographs are sent to the Alvis Archive Trust. Ensure there is at least one photograph of the owner with the car.

6.Supply The Alvis Archive Trust with information about any old car/chassis etc. you might have scrapped.

Anything for the Club/Trust can be emailed to the address below.

After that exhausting list, what has come up over the last month.
The beautiful red TB 14, chassis 23577 that is incorporated in the banner heading of the Fourteen site has now moved to a new owner in Germany near Lake Constance close to the Italian Border. Sorry to see her go as amongst other things, she was the feature car at International Alvis Weekend. Plenty of other Fourteens or chassis still available via The Alvis Owner Club or the Internet.
The Front cover of the latest Alvis Owner Club Magazine has caused quite a stir, around the world of Alvis cars, depicting the beautiful mahogany TA 14 Special, chassis 23206.

Following on the link to the cleverest Society, Mensa, we have a link to the Nation’s most stylish retailer Fortnum and Mason. Chassis No. 23467 was owned by the Company. She was Mulliners Saloon, body no.  M1513. KXN 872. Currently her whereabouts are unknown.
Previous reports of speedy Fourteens are added to by Bill Cooper’s 1964 comments on his 1949 Tickford Dhc, chassis 23163. The TA 14 goes magnificently and has just returned from Land’s End, storming up Porlock on the way down without even raising the water temperature.’
Those who know Porlock Hill will be somewhat impressed by that achievement.
Anyone currently involved with Health and Saftey had better stop reading now! In. 1965 a Fourteen owner wrote in asking if anyone had details of making up a weather shield. Tacked on was the following query
‘what is the best way to pack three small kids (ages 6,3,1), into the back of the same car so they can sleep while my wife and I share the driving overnight to a distant holiday destination? The problem is where to put the baby and I am thinking of some sort of hammock slung close to the roof.’!

Our Alvis Owner Club President Emeritus, Ken Day was General Secretary of The Club in 1965 and was moved to remark on the growing popularity of Fourteens then. ‘Interesting to watch the rising esteem about the TA 14. A thoroughly sound piece of motoring engineering in the proper tradition, the time has come when a really good example will never drop below the £150-£200 mark.’ Today you might get one good quality new cross ply for the money!
Cautionary tale from the mid sixties demonstrated the ‘folly’ of lending an immaculate Carbodies Dhc, chassis 22470 to a friend for a skid pan test. The said friend ‘gaily oversteered it into a nearby tractor tyre.’!
Some more photos have been added onto to The Gallery including more for Doris, a lovely Mulliners, great credit to Paul, her owner, for the beautiful shiny polish she has.
The Fourteen seventieth birthday party is on track for 2016 and details of date and venue may be available, for the next post.
Additions have been made to the Articles and Snippets columns and hopefully the historic For Sale entries will soon have their own separate column.
Brooklands are proposing to try and recreate part of the 1948 Motor Show so if anyone with a Fourteen is interested in being considered for the Stand, please contact me, address at the end. Event takes place Saturday May 16th this year. Google Brooklands Museum May 2015 for more information about the Forties event.
Finally a plea for anyone who has, or has had a TB 14, probably originally red, that was owned by a Mr Kenneth Clegg, of Portland near Weymouth, in the late 1950s. We are trying to reunite the car with the three young ladies who were pictured in her in 1958. We have found the ladies but so far not the car!

Happy Motoring.
eileen4ta.tb14s@rocketmail.co.uk

… or even a Carbodies Special edition!

One Carbodies, chassis 22159, has made an epic journey this autumn under her own steam, with some help from ships. She has driven all the way from England to her new home in Sardinia. To beat the winter blues have a look at her photo in The Gallery, makes you feel warm just looking at her. An most absorbing Article about her and the trip, has appeared in the current Alvis Owner Club Bulletin.

For those receiving the Alvis Owner Club Bulletin, much debate has been generated by the front cover picture and Article about Lady D’Armor, the beautiful French Special, chassis 23206, shown with her proud owner, Jean Yves.

Another Carbodies is continuing to make good progress undergoing her major restoration. You can catch up with the detail and follow her progress by checking out her blog on http://www.wbpippin.blogspot.com and think, yes I have been there. Entertaining and informative.

One son of a former Fourteen owner would be very happy this Christmas if anyone could tell him the fate or whereabouts of his father’s Fourteen She is Carbodies chassis 22156, registration AKS 880, body no.0046/05/8 and was last seen looking rather tired on University Avenue, Glasgow about 1970.

Still with Carbodies, chassis 23082 was a well used car back in the day. Mr R. Whitfield wrote in 1964 of ‘sitting with bated breath while the intrepid Richard (Snell) wound it up hill and down dale, reaching fantastic velocities across the moor. These 14s certainly go when in such good shape as his is.’

Yet another speedy Carbodies was chassis 23188, MUG 80 at the 1964 Midland Sprint, Church Lawford. The report notes ‘Mr Gurney drove his TA 14 faster than anyone thought a TA 14 could go’…and came First in Class.
It almost seems churlish to mention that the Alvis performance figures, now listed under the Technical Section, do not put Fourteens at the top of the performance figures. 0-50 in 15 seconds mean that if we want to mix it we should perhaps look to a Firefly! The TB14s are about three seconds faster primarily due to their lighter bodies, twin carbs and different back axle ratio. Anyway Santa Pod here we do not come…unless you take a look at an eye catching dusky pink pickup, chassis 23110 or the TB with a Chevrolet engine (Cars of Interest). The pickup, formerly a Mulliners Saloon, is now a head turning Special, certainly no shrinking violet and neatly proclaiming her TA 14 identity on her rear. She is also on youtube to see her in full glory, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4zP1obMMqcfor the full version.

Sometimes stories do not always have the best of endings for the cars. In 1980, under the ‘Cars Wanted’ Section of the AOC, an advert was accompanied by the following sad note from the advertiser. She wrote ‘LPK 719 Alvis TA 14 Utility (1947) met her demise in an accident on the 26th of July 1980. Known as ‘The White Admiral’, it is without doubt that her solid chassis saved the lives of her owner and family. The car is in thousands of small pieces… A large and savage Volvo came round the corner on the wrong side and hit us broadside’. What a sad story, the family were not faced with life threatening injuries although her owner was hospitalized with a leg injury. Obviously ‘The White Admiral’ chassis 21118, a Gaze, had been a cherished member of the family. They advertised for a good TA 14 Saloon as a replacement vehicle for their ‘sadly mourned TA 14 Utility. They obviously developed a life long love of TA 14s as they currently have 3!

As we draw to a close and Christmas approaches, we can allow ourselves some moments of congratulations upon our cleverness!
Dr Lancelot Ware was one of the two founders of Mensa and before he passed away in 2000 he had owned 6 Alvis cars in total of which two were TA 14s. The cars were a Mulliners Saloon, chassis 22510  and Shooting Brake, chassis 20977, rebodied in 1963. When the latter car was sold 1981 the new owner noted that Dr Lancelot (Lance) Ware became quite animated whilst driving up a long straight and saying ‘The open road Francesca (his wife) the open road’.
So choosing our interest in Alvis Fourteens we are up with the brightest. An interesting coincidence is that Mensa was also started in 1946!
Finally it is the time of year to wish everyone a Very Happy Christmas and all the best for 2015. Thank you to everyone who has read and hopefully enjoyed the posts this year.

Eileen, Terry and ‘Aunty May, chassis 21830’.

eileen4ta.tb14s@rocketmail.com

Still on the review of early 1960s Bulletins when this charming piece in Bulletin 86 came to light. Written by the then Treasurer of the Alvis owner Club, Arthur W.Cromptom of York who owned a Shooting Brake.
‘Treasurer’s Tales 1.
After meeting with the owner of a very cherished Fourteen Drophead, chassis 23362, who grew one thousand roses, equally cherished, ‘one remark lingers in my ear and I hum it repeatedly’. He said ‘(and I quote)’ ‘Somewhere above fifty she seems to come into her element, and thereafter there is a queer sensation of flight quite unlike the movement of any other motor car I have ever owned.’ That was from a gentleman who had owned a Rolls Royce from new. The good news is that 23362 is still flying high with another long term owner in the West Country.
Sadly we have no trace of Arthur Crompton’s own Shooting Brake, chassis no. 21438, registration DVY 278.
Increasingly our cars are being appreciated by our fellow enthusiasts in Europe but one has recently made the return journey. TB 14 23579  was owned and cherished by the late Melle Visser and his wife Maria for over 35 years in The Netherlands. It was Melle’s wish that the ‘Grey Whale’, as she was then known, should return to the country of her origin. This wish has been accomplished and she now resides in the  West of England, a companion to pre war Alvis ‘OJ’.  Rumour has it her ‘name’ may well change! Now just like buses another beautiful TB 14 is looking for a new home where she will continue to be cherished. Those who went to International Alvis weekend will recall the stunning red TB as the featured welcome car on the front lawn of the hotel. She is GWM 437, chassis 23577, see The Gallery. I must declare an interest as I used to own ‘Ruby’ and she was always a fantastic car. Our family Tickford TA 14 got tired of playing second fiddle when the two cars were out together, hence Ruby moved.
It is a good time to be looking for a Fourteen at present there are some good ones around. Chassis 22829, see The Gallery, is also for sale, a former concours winning Mulliners Saloon who graced the front cover of a TA/TB 14 Register. A good opportunity for those looking to acquire a Fourteen Saloon.
With the winter coming on, always a time to look at tyres and their grip for those who venture out in the rain. In the early sixties a skid pan event was laid on for Alvis Club Members at the Bovingdon Aerodrome. After taking people around the skid pan in the demonstrator A40, the first car on was a TA 14. Try as they might, with the instructor in the passenger seat and going increasingly faster they could not make her skid so the proceedings were halted whilst the skid pan was doctored with additives.
With the lower mileage we all do it may well be that our tyres look like new but they may be up to twenty years old and beyond the recommended tyre life. Looking up tyre prices caused a bit of a gulp. An Avon Tourist tyre, lovely big fat cross ply tyre is now nearly £150 per tyre and the stylish Firestone Whitewall tyres are about £220 per tyre so some considerable money but tyres are important so do check the age of your tyres. Our Tickford will have five new Avon Tourist cross ply tyres next year and her old ones will be going to support a Carbodies before and during her restoration progress so that is good recycling. Also the new electronic tyre inflation valves look interesting as they will indicate in the cockpit any reduction in pressure and hopefully avoid any catastrophic ‘blow out’. They are now mandatory for all new cars so are worth investigating.
Look out for the next Alvis Owner Club Bulletin to see another good example of recycling, in this case a tatty bodied Special with rather a nice outcome. Abbey, chassis 20706 is another tidy Special we now have photos of thanks to her new owner. Anyone wondering about the name, she decided to have an unscheduled stop on the way to her new home in Wales with her new owner and it was Waltham Abbey! A rolling chassis and bulkhead are still for sale in the Midlands for those duly inspired. The ‘recycling’ Article mentioned above will come onto this site later in the year.
Those with long memories of 14 ownership and involvement will recall that we were sometimes viewed in a less than favourable light. In 1963 in a Club Bulletin appeared an appeal for a Fourteen. The owner  drove around in a 1934 Speed twenty, describing himself as an enthusiastic Alvis owner and he sought ‘a Fourteen Shooting Brake for wife and dogs, preferably in good condition’. Needless to say it appears his wish was not granted and he acquired a twelve seventy. One can only hope that his good lady and the dogs got a car in good condition!
Finally Advent will soon be upon us so dust off the decorations and do not forget the garage.

eileen4ta.tb14s@rocketmail.com

It is very good to report that Cyril Abbott’s Carbodies chassis no. 23362, registration FPY 235, that he owned from new, is still going strong with her current long term owner. Her current owner may however wince at the 1954 correspondence from Mr Abbott, ‘how to overcome the problem of ascending a steep hill with a full load of passengers and, when doing 80mph with the boot open, how to avoid damage to the spare wheel cover,’ it was not 01/04/1954! More about Mr Abbott’s ownership next month. 

Now that International Alvis Day 2014 has passed into memories of a very successful event, we might cast our minds back to National Alvis Day 1961.
The proud owner of Tickford Dhc. 22298, KLE 16 was watching his son taking part in the driving tests in the rain. Sadly the wet surface was too much for the Tickford’s tyre grip and she spun out of control into the saftey barrier. One hopes and presumes that Kevin was not hurt as there were no reports of injuries. The car suffered ‘considerable damage’ and ‘Father’s comments were unrepeatable’!

In the early days of the Club, one name was often in the forefront of Alvis matters, ‘Clink’. Otherwise more formally known as Lt. Cdr B.H. Clinkard of ‘Pump Farm’. Clink was for many years the Spares Registrar for the Club and amassed a host of spares supplying them as a business separate to Club affairs. His opinion was very highly valued and his knowledge extensive. His own personal cars were usually the large pre war cars, Speed 20, 4.3 supercharged Special. Until recently, his running of a 1949 Saloon TA 14 was not generally well known. In his article on Towing he wrote ‘I have a very high regard for the model and am quite certain it’s qualities have never been fully appreciated by those who have not owned one. As a very ‘automobilwise’ experienced friend remarked after driving the car-It’s a little Rolls’. Praise indeed for our cars.

Nearly seventy years after the Fourteens commenced, two of the marque were going great guns last month on a tour of France. Accompanied by eight other Alvis the Tickford of Gez Holt and the Duncan of Tricia and Mike Harcourt were touring down to Angouleme to watch Classic Racing. The Tickford was still running her engine in after a major rebuild and sounding good. A bonus, for the Tour members, in La Rochelle was the appearance of Lady D’Armor from Angers, chassis 23206, a stunning TA 14 Special who had all the camera shutters fluttering, she is featured in our Cars of Interest Section.
The Beaulieu sale saw the T.B.Scotney Woodie, chassis 20610 sold for £1500. Looking rather the worse for wear it can only be hoped that she has gone for restoration. Her photos in The Gallery show her in better days.
Finally and rather late, hearty congratulations must go to Dave Mitchell and Malcolm Kindell for coming well deserved third and first respectively in the Julian Collins Awards for best Member Article 2013/2014 in the AOC Bulletin. Both articles about Fourteens were absorbing and well worth a re read. So inspiration for more Fourteen Articles?