1939 Alvis 4.3 Litre SB — Vanden Plas-Style Short-Chassis Tourer
1939 Alvis 4.3 Litre SB — Vanden Plas-Style Short-Chassis Tourer
Few pre-war Alvis cars combine such imposing presence, exceptional performance and such an intriguing history as this superb 1939 Alvis 4.3 Litre SB.
Originally built as a 4.3 Litre Charlesworth-bodied saloon on 10 August 1939, the car was sold new to a Royal Naval Captain. Its subsequent history is unusually well documented and includes more than a decade in the United States, where it was acquired by an American Morgan specialist and partially dismantled with the intention of restoration.
The car subsequently became part of the remarkable collection of Ed Weaver, comprising more than 300 cars. In 1994, disaster struck when the roof of the building in which the collection was stored collapsed under the weight of heavy snow, causing considerable further damage to the already partly dismantled Alvis.
By 1995 the car had passed to the well-known Alvis enthusiast Wayne Brooks, who described it as mechanically complete, with a good, cleaned chassis and rebuilt engine, while documenting the body parts that were missing.
It was subsequently acquired by the renowned Alvis enthusiast and collector Idris Francis, a well-known figure within the UK Alvis community. Francis undertook a painstaking ground-up reconstruction between 1995 and 1997, with great care taken to make the car as authentic and original in appearance as possible.
The original chassis was properly shortened to 10'4", retaining its original 4.3 Litre chassis and engine, and the car was fitted with a beautifully proportioned Rod Jolley Vanden Plas-style tourer body, originally constructed for another customer whose project was never completed.
The result is a particularly handsome open Alvis, finished in Regal Red with light tan upholstery, capturing the character and elegance of the highly desirable Alvis short-chassis tourers while retaining the superb original 4.3 Litre mechanical package.
Under the bonnet sits the coveted 4,387cc Alvis 4.3 Litre six-cylinder engine, equipped with triple carburettors and producing approximately 137 bhp. Combined with the Alvis synchromesh gearbox, this makes for a remarkably capable and enjoyable pre-war sports tourer. Performance is quoted at over 100 mph, while the car is described as being unusually light and easy to drive for a car of this size and period.
The car also has an impressive screen pedigree, having appeared in both film and television. Its appearances include Nanny McPhee, Enigma, Aces High, Miss Marple and The Clee Chronicles. It is also a well-known car within the Alvis community, with its history and ownership documented in the Alvis Owners' Club bulletin.
This is not represented as an original factory short-chassis 4.3; rather, it is a beautifully executed and highly desirable interpretation, retaining its original 4.3 engine and chassis and benefiting from the later conversion to the 10'4" short chassis and Rod Jolley Vanden Plas-style tourer coachwork.
For the enthusiast who wants the imposing presence, performance and character of an Alvis 4.3, but at a fraction of the cost of a genuine factory short-chassis example, this is a particularly compelling proposition.
A car with a remarkable story
From its beginnings as a Charlesworth saloon in 1939, through its years in America, its survival of the collapse of the Ed Weaver collection building, its subsequent reconstruction by Idris Francis, and its appearances on both the big and small screen, this Alvis has lived a considerably more interesting life than most.
Today it presents as a highly distinctive and very usable pre-war touring car, combining the performance of the legendary 4.3 Litre engine with elegant open coachwork and the shorter, more sporting proportions of the 10'4" chassis.
A particularly handsome and well-known Alvis 4.3 Litre, with an exceptional history, genuine original 4.3 mechanicals, beautifully executed Vanden Plas-style coachwork and an impressive screen pedigree. A very special pre-war touring car, combining character, performance and usability in a highly attractive package.
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