Today is Day 1 of Richard Edmond Auctions' three- day sale in Chippenham, Wiltshire and the car lots on saturday include several vintage Alvis cars at easily affordable prices. There are six 12/50 models and a 12/40, but let’s be clear – you’ll need a stout heart, a workshop and some spanners.
The cars are from the estate of the late Tony Richardson who had an incurable passion for Alvis cars and we'll start with the 1928 12/50 TG Tourer which he bought in 1968 as his everyday transport. This car easily transported him to Venice and back in 1971 via the lofty Stelvio Pass vindicating the adverts from the vintage period - "The World's Best Light Car" (1921). "The Car of Super Excellence" (1924). "Master of the Kings's Highway" (1927) .
Now we come to the real bargains, the earliest being this rare sidevalve 1922 12/40 with a replica Beetleback body. Bought in 1986 and used on a regular basis, Richardson dismantled it and never completed the rebuild. You will know every inch of your car once you’ve sorted through all the boxes of original parts and rebuilt this beautiful car.
The 1927 12/50 SD Beetleback was bought in 1958 and used throughout the 1960s but Richardson took it off the road to repair the body and this delightful model with matching numbers and big port head will reward the person who finishes the work with a car perfect for touring or competition. The similar 1929 12/50 SD is a rare long cockpit model bought after being spotted from a train lying derelict in a garden in Liss, Hampshire. ( The car, not the train.) Anything missing from this car may well be found in the Alvis spares being sold on day 1 from Lot 313 onwards.
October 1963 was a good month for Richardson because a local naval officer was posted abroad and sold him his 1925 12/50 TE Sports which he ‘used extensively after it proved to be a very strong performer with its engine modifications, SU carburettor and a four point gear box’.
Work was started on the ash frame for this dismantled 1928 Alvis 12/50 TG project but never finished. Will you take on the challenge? All these cars need work, but Alvis is famous for being easy to work on and renowned for reliability, performance and pleasing good looks. Somewhere on our bookshelves is a copy of Fred Basnett’s ‘Travels of a Capitalist Lackey’ where he writes about his 1961 journey of 10,000 miles across the vast Russian heartland, around the Baltic states and back to Blighty in a 1926 12/50 Alvis borrowed from Lord Montagu. Chapter 1 is entitled ’10,000 miles on an overdraft’. So what are you waiting for? There’s a whole world of adventure waiting for you and your Alvis.
Text Robin Batchelor, pictures courtesy Richard Edmonds Auctions Ltd.