Alvis, British motoring heritage at its best. Alvis started out as a small engine factory in 1919, and were well known for producing an aluminium piston engine, so the owner proposed the name ALVIS combining the words ‘aluminium’, and ‘vis’, meaning strength in Latin. Starting with their first model in the early 20s, the company gained a reputation for quality and performance. Following racing success at Le Mans in '28, Alvis produced one of the first front wheel drive production models with overhead camshaft and supercharger. Later cars introduced ‘in true Alvis tradition’ the world’s first all-synchromesh gearbox, independent front suspension and servo brakes. In 1950, a 3-litre six-cylinder engine was announced, which since then became the base engine for all their produced cars. In '53, Alvis agreed to build the Graber coachwork on their chassis, but it was so expensive they only build around 17 examples in three years, before Alvis bought the Graber rights in '55 and struck a deal with well-known Bentley and Rolls coachbuilder, Park Ward, to build the cars. The resultant TD21 was announced in 59 and received excellent press, calling it ‘one of the most enchanting owner-driver cars imaginable’. It was THE success model for Alvis. These cars, TD21 and its later variants, the TE21, and finally the TF21 are known for its build quality, attraction and speed. However, it was clear by the mid-60s that with a price tag of nearly double that of the mass-produced Jaguar, the end could not be far off.
Registered new in 1963, this lovely TD Drophead Coupé was in the same family until purchased by its present owner in 2011. Since that date the car has undergone an extensive program of restoration and improvements; the car received a nuts and bolts restoration and has been resprayed in its original Alice Blue, finished off with a lovely off-white hide interior. Engine and mechanics have been rebuilt to an excellent standard, and the car still looks and drives excellent almost 10 years after its restoration, which really shows the quality of the work done. All this work is fully documented in invoices as well as with hundreds of pictures. Historical documents are present and include old paperwork of the first owner until today.
The press was more than right when stating that this was a superb owner-driver car, with the additional Bentley or Rolls look and feel to it. Gear changing goes as smoothly as the ride. The handling benefits of an electrical power steering upgrade, so driving around town goes as effortlessly as with a modern car. As this is a four-seater convertible, it's a car that can take you and the family out for some lovely country drives. And for its presence it is amongst the finest examples we have encountered, making it fit nicely in any collection.