Lot Ended
Description
Just two owners in the last 34 years; well-maintained and in regular
use; runs like a sewing machine; just serviced and driven to the sale;
remarkable current owner
Introduced in
October 1953, the Alvis TC21/100 Grey Lady was aimed at the sort of chap who
might also have a Bentley MkVI or a Lagonda 2.6 on his shopping list. A chap
like the Duke of Edinburgh perhaps, or Sir Douglas Bader, both of whom succumbed
to the charms of the Alvis. While a steady chap like the Duke might opt for the
Mulliner Saloon version, a raffish sort like Bader could opt for the Tickford
Drophead Coupe.
With a high compression cylinder head and taller final
drive ratio, the Grey Lady was credited with 100bhp and a headline-grabbing
100mph top speed. Great pains were taken to ensure that the engine was as smooth
and flexible as possible, with a seven-bearing crankshaft and minutely
calculated cam profiles and pushrod damper springs to keep mechanical chatter to
a minimum. The engine proved so successful that it was to power all subsequent
Alvis models until they ceased production in 1967, reaching its most powerful
form in the 150bhp TF21 in 1966.
The TC21 was
only in production for three years, being replaced by the TC108G in 1955 by
which time 757 had been sold, around 600 of them Mulliner
Saloons.
Copies of the factory build sheets show
that this Grey Lady Saloon left the works in October 1954 destined for Alvis
agent James H Galt of Glasgow. The buff logbook shows that the first owner was
Henry Bono Haeffner of Purley, listing two further owners up until the
late-1960s.
In 1990, when it had covered 72,783
miles, it was acquired from Red Triangle by a Mr Williamson of Spalding, the
purchase invoice showing that he paid £11,500 for the car. He was to keep it for
the next 21 years, an invoice for a reground crank and new main and big end
bearings implying that he had the engine rebuilt in 1997.
Our vendor acquired the car from Mr Williamson in 2011. A lifelong
Alvis devotee and a founder member of the Alvis Car Club of Australia, he bought
his first Alvis, a rare 12/40 model, when he was stationed with Bomber
Command in England in 1944 and has rarely been without one since,
including some exotic ones like the 'Mac Job Special' racer, famously the
fastest Alvis in Australia.
Resident in England
since the early 1990s, he has covered some 8,000 miles in this Grey Lady during
his 13-year ownership, the odometer currently showing (1)22,146 miles. He has
looked after it meticulously, a good file of invoices showing regular servicing
and upkeep with various new parts fitted (water pump; clutch kit; shock
absorbers; rear suspension springs; brake master cylinder; radiator rebuilt;
carbs rebuilt by Burlen; front bumper rechromed etc).
Immediately before
the auction, we are told that the car was thoroughly checked
over by Vintage car expert Will Harris, including an overhaul of the
braking system, new ignition parts, fresh engine oil and a new Varta 120Ah
battery. He also drove it some 20 miles to the sale and was mightily impressed
by the way it went.
As you can see in the photos,
this Grey Lady looks most attractive and has been starting promptly and running
like a sewing machine as we have moved her around on site, with good 50psi oil
pressure. She comes with a good assortment of technical literature (parts
catalogues; brochures; period road tests etc) and both rear wheel spats
(currently removed for ease of transport).
Captain of a Lancaster bomber when he was just 19 years old, our
vendor survived 19 sorties over Germany towards the end of WW2, including one
where he lost his entire crew, his own life being saved by an armour plate which
had been fitted behind his pilot's seat just a few days before. The typical life
expectancy of a bomber pilot attacking the heavily defended German heartland was
four sorties.
Due to celebrate his
100th birthday at the end of this month, he recently hung up his
driving gloves for good, hence his Grey Lady appearing in this sale. On offer
here at an enticing guide price, she now needs an enthusiastic
new owner to add their own chapter to her interesting life to
date.
Consigned by James Dennison – 07970 309907 – [email protected]