1962 Alvis TD 21

[nikman]

Does anyone know about these? I noticed this one coming up for auction at this Sunday's Bonhams auction at the big Beaulieu Autojumble week-end:

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/26811/lot/412/

Just seemed interesting if the 'estimate' proves accurate. Must be quite rare as hard to find comparisons,

But for a Mulliner Park Ward bodied 4 seat convertible from the 60's wih manual/overdrive box, chrome wires and decent history including same owner for last 43 years it does seem a buy if that's your sort of thing!

[Leithen]

No idea, but that auction is a mixed bag to say the least.

[Turbobanana]

Beautiful cars, but eye-wateringly expensive to restore due to their construction. Lovely engines (story goes that you can stand a coin on its edge on the rocker cover with the engine running) but stately, rather than quick. May have a 5 speed rather than 4 speed with overdrive, which was quite rare then.

Estimate on this looks a bit "come-and-get-me" as a decent one will make a lot more than that.

This looks good though, and has excellent provenance.

Stephen Fry is a fan, although his is a later TE21.

[john2443]

50lb/ft is good oil pressure

[Allan L]

Pretty poor description writing I'd say. Leaving aside the mis-spelling of Michael Parkes' name and confusion about whether he was son or cousin of the former owner, what d'you make of oil pressure in lb./ft.?
The Alvis Owner Club is correctly named in the sub-heading but when listing the paperwork it becomes Alvis Car Club.
Nice car though.

[flying-banana]

Alvis' don't go for the huge amounts of money that some other comparable cars from similar era seem to, but they are wonderful cars, and providing it is solid then a bit of a bargain...but as another poster says, expensive to restore, so if it needs too much work then best leave it alone unless you want an expensive project...

[bnseven]

Its quite telling that there is a second one in the same sale with an estimate of 80k plus, admittedly a slightly later car but in what I think a less desireable colour..

[nikman]

Turbobanana said:

Beautiful cars, but eye-wateringly expensive to restore due to their construction. Lovely engines (story goes that you can stand a coin on its edge on the rocker cover with the engine running) but stately, rather than quick. May have a 5 speed rather than 4 speed with overdrive, which was quite rare then.

Estimate on this looks a bit "come-and-get-me" as a decent one will make a lot more than that.

This looks good though, and has excellent provenance.

Stephen Fry is a fan, although his is a later TE21.

Interesting - I thought Stephen Fry had a London taxi. Perhaps just as his daily driver.

The "overdrive" is highlighted in the bullet points at the top of the listing and in one of the interior pictures a "Normal / Overdrive" switch is visible at the bottom of the panel to the right of the steering column.

I would imagine oil pressure in lbs/sq.ft would be only 1/12ths as lubricating as in lbs/sq. inches!

Thanks for all the replies.

[Allan L]

nikman said:

I would imagine oil pressure in lbs/sq.ft would be only 1/12ths as lubricating as in lbs/sq. inches!

Sorry but there are 144 sq. in. to the sq.ft. so 75 lb/sq ft. is 10800 PSI
We aeroplane folk used lb./sq. ft. in lift calculations but not for oil or hydraulic system pressures.

Edited by Allan L on Friday 3rd September 16:29

[Dogwatch]

You'd think a Bonhams site would do better. My father had a TA 21 with an uprated engine about the time this one was manufactured.

[a8hex]

Allan L said:

nikman said:

I would imagine oil pressure in lbs/sq.ft would be only 1/12ths as lubricating as in lbs/sq. inches!

Sorry but there are 144 sq. in. to the sq.ft. so 75 lb/sq ft. is 10800 PSI
We aeroplane folk used lb./sq. ft. in lift calculations but not for oil or hydraulic system pressures.

Edited by Allan L on Friday 3rd September 16:29

I think you've got your lift calculation the wrong way up.
If there is 75 lb of force applied over 1 sq ft, then each square inch is only going to get 8 and 1/3 ounces of pressure.

I'm sure that TD21 would go very nicely in my garage

[nikman]

Allan L said:

Sorry but there are 144 sq. in. to the sq.ft. so 75 lb/sq ft. is 10800 PSI
We aeroplane folk used lb./sq. ft. in lift calculations but not for oil or hydraulic system pressures.

Edited by Allan L on Friday 3rd September 16:29

Mine was an "off the cuff" non-serious remark which is why it was followed by a smiley face

I am 'aeroplane folk' too by the way, but not to the extent that I think I have ever had to calculate lift in terms of lb/sq.ft... . Rather only in terms of how fast I need to travel in order to stretch air, as it passes over the top over the top of the wings, sufficiently enough to create a low pressure area, a centre of lift, to suck the aeroplane up into it and off the ground! I daersay you could calculate the lift so created in terms of lb/sq. ft, but Goodness knows how!

[V41LEY]

The only thing eye watering about this sale are the buyers chargers and premiums 😬

[Allan L]

a8hex said:

I think you've got your lift calculation the wrong way up.
If there is 75 lb of force applied over 1 sq ft, then each square inch is only going to get 8 and 1/3 ounces of pressure.

I wondered if anyone would notice that . . .

[RichB]

Sold for £36,000 - I don't know much about Alvises nor what the pre-auction estimate was but that seems good value to me.

[Mr Tidy]

My Dad's dream car in the late 60s/early 70s was always a 3 litre Alvis "T" series, but sadly one he never realised.

As a result I've got a bit of a soft spot for them although with prices where they are now I can't see me owning one either!