1940 Alvis 12/70 Special
Seller's description
This sleek, minimalist Special roadster started life as a staid 4-door saloon, with great bones. It received a transformation into a very sporty, very competitive open-two-seater and its owner started blasting happily around European tracks in Historic races. Its 6-cylinder engine, mated to the light body, gives strong, very nimble performance. As a result, it has run the Colorado Grand with admirable grace and stands ready to give the next owner great pleasure, whether on scenic back roads or the track.
The car on offer was originally delivered as a Mulliner coachbuilt four-door sedan on May 15, 1940, nine months after the start of WWII. That was shortly after the British Army had been rescued at Dunkirk, and not long before the Battle of Britain would decide the fate of Western democracy. Registered BRJ 221, #15884 was shipped from the factory at Coventry to Salford, Manchester dealer, Bambers Limited, who sold it to Victor Stanyon of Northwood, Middlesex.
Alvis club records show that Stanyon owned the Alvis as late as 1955, giving his address at Battle of Britain House in Northwood. In the 1950's, the house was a residential college run by Stanyon, but during WWII it served as the headquarters to train American agents bound for Europe. Each room was named after an RAF squadron that served in the Battle of Britain.
The Alvis register for #15884 is complete with factory records, and subsequent owner Chris Compton reported 20 years of happy motoring during his ownership. In the late 1990s, the Alvis was converted into a British Racing Green, boat-tailed, 2-seater roadster, fitted with a 2.8-liter Alvis Speed Twenty 6-cylinder engine, with triple SU carburetors. While the chassis was not shortened, hydraulic brakes were fitted to deal with the increased performance. Weather equipment is limited to a tonneau cover and Brooklands racing fly screens.
This Alvis Special has been owned by a German collector in recent years, and has covered almost 4,000 miles of spirited motoring. In that time it has been a regular competitor in many vintage events for which it is eligible, such as racing, hill climbs and tours, including the Colorado Grand. The rear axle was converted to permit high speeds on German autobahns, and it is reported to run fast enough keep up with modern traffic. As is the case with many correctly-constructed vintage specials, this Alvis can show a clean pair of heels to many classic originals, which is enormously satisfying to the driver.
Alvis was founded in 1919, and is one of the most respected British sports car companies. The firm developed a line of 12/50 4-cylinder cars in the 1920s and gained a reputation for high-revving, durable engines. Their cars were particularly well-known for “beetle-back” and “duck’s back” 2-seater bodywork. The 1930’s 6-cylinder Speed Twenty is renowned today as one of the best pre-war, vintage, thoroughbred sports cars.
The first 6-cylinder was the Silver Eagle of 1928, which was capable of 85 mph when fitted with triple SU carburetors. Meanwhile, Alvis battled valiantly to develop a front-wheel-drive Grand Prix race car in the late 1920s, but success eluded them, and the company’s perseverance almost led to bankruptcy. Fortunately, Silver Eagle sales kept the doors open, and in 1932 the model evolved into the 2.5-liter Speed Twenty, which would cement the company’s reputation. The 1933 Speed Twenty added independent front suspension, and the world’s first all-synchromesh, Alvis-designed, 4-speed gearbox.
With its under-slung chassis, the Speed Twenty was both handsome and effective, successful in sports car competition and favored by a number of custom carriage builders, including Charlesworth, Lancefield, Mayfair and Vanden Plas. Meanwhile the 4-cylinder Firefly and Firebird were successful in a lower bracket, while the 6-cylinder Crested Eagle offered larger, more conservative models.
The Speed Twenty gained a 2.7-liter 6-cylinder engine in 1935, and was accompanied by the new Speed 25, with a 106 bhp, 3.5-liter, 6-cylinder engine. When fitted with the 137 bhp, 4.3-liter engine, the Speed 25 recorded 119 mph on the Railway Straight at Brooklands race track. Meanwhile the 1,842 cc, 4-cylinder 12/70 model was launched in 1937, aimed at the middle-class Rover buyer. Custom body work was available, and the 12/70 had a top speed of 80 mph.
Contact Keno Brothers for future auctions.