1. automotive and vehicles
2. cars

HOW TO BUY AN…
Deal breaker
An exclamation mark indicates key areas
where you have the greatest bargaining
power. Use them to your advantage.
Market overview
Condition 1 – £25,000
Prices for the TD21 are slowly
on the rise, and dropheads will
be easily twice as much as the
saloons. A really top-notch
example of the latter will cost
around £25,000, but you should
be getting something absolutely
perfect for that.
Condition 2 – £12,000
Condition 3 – £4000
No. 155
BUYING GUIDE
A tidy saloon that’s MOT’d and
ready to use with no major
work outstanding will be in the
region of £12,000. For this
money, you’d want a solid
chassis and sweet engine. The
only possible areas for concern
should be purely cosmetic.
Restoration projects will start at
about £4000, but bear in mind
the costs involved with
rebuilding one of these cars.
Parts are not cheap. You’re
better off spending a few grand
more and getting a solid one.
How to buy an…
ALVIS TD21
Stand out from the crowd with a slice of affordable
British style and performance.
Words by James page Photography by JONNY GAWLER
T
Production
Timeline
Alvis TD21
The Duke of Edinburgh was amongst the famous
names who owned a TD21 when new.
!
he Second World War
marked a turning point
for Alvis. The conflict
saw the company focus
more on their aero engine and
military vehicle businesses, and
although they released the TA14
and 3-litre models after the war,
production had slowed to a
trickle by the mid-50s.
But in 1958, they released the
TD21. Based on the chassis and
engine of the earlier 3-litre
models, the new Alvis sported a
HOW TO BUY AN…
DID YOU KNOW?
more up-to-date body based on
a Graber design that had been
used on the older cars. Park
Ward did the coachwork, and
the TD21 offered the sort of
elegant performance expected
from an Alvis.
It sold well, too, with the
company building about 1100 of
them in Series One and Series
Two form before the TE21 took
over in 1964. Only 355 of those
were built, followed by 106
TF21s before Alvis ceased car
production in 1967. The
economics of low-volume
manufacturing of coachbuilt cars
had finally caught up with them.
The TD21 drophead is now
commanding serious money, but
the saloon offers a more
affordable dose of individual
style, performance and build
quality. It can stand comfortably
alongside anything Bristol or
even Rolls-Royce were making at
the time. Why not grab yourself
a bit of British elegance?
1955
1958
Alvis buy the rights to the
Carrosserie Graber 3-litre body.
Built for three years as the TC108G.
Park Ward build the Graber-style
body for a modified 3-litre chassis.
New car named TD21.
ng
buyiip
t wo can most
es T
The Seri e identified by
easily b ral spot lamps
g
the inte the front.
at
Why you'll love it
● Elegant lines make the car
look lighter than it is.
● Superb 3-litre engine is
smooth and offers strong
performance.
● Good parts backup; rare bits
can be made.
● It’s different. You won’t see
many others on the road.
● Charismatic interior reeks of
good taste.
● Find a good one and the
build quality will be
first-class.
1958
Improved cylinder head introduced
after first 25 cars have been built.
Power raised to 115bhp.
Practicality
What it does well…
Plenty of room in the boot and
comfortable seats mean that the
TD21 is a superb classic GT. Find
one with an overdrive gearbox
and it’s perfectly happy keeping
up with modern traffic on the
motorway. You can either run
the car with additive, or a kit is
available to convert it to run on
unleaded only.
What it doesn’t do well…
Servicing and
maintenance
Every 1000 miles
■ Grease all points (except
wheel hub bearings).
■ Lubricate propshaft UJs.
■ Lubricate rear axle
compensator.
■ Check the battery electrolyte
level.
■ Replenish oil in carburettor
piston dampers.
■ Lubricate distributor by
turning greaser one turn
clockwise.
Every 2000 miles
■ Change oil.
■ Check valve clearances.
■ Check gearbox oil level.
■ Check axle oil level.
■ Check the idle shaft housing
oil level.
■ Check free movement in
clutch pedal.
■ Oil body hinges and locks.
Every 5000 miles
■ Clean the brake servo
breather filter.
■ Renew air and oil filter
elements.
■ Examine brake friction pads.
■ Change gearbox and rear
axle oil.
■ Clean and re-gap the
spark plugs.
■ Check the contact
breaker gaps.
■ Clean fuel pump filter
and sediment
chamber.
■ Clean carb
air cleaner.
Alvis made their last car in 1967.
Common faults
!
■ Ash frame
If water leaks through the
windscreen and gets to the ash
frame, especially around the
A-posts, repairs will be complex
and expensive.
■ Chassis
Check all over the chassis for
corrosion. You’ll need to get the
car up in the air for this, but
you’ll be glad you did.
■ Overheating
The big six-cylinder engine is
tucked tightly into the engine
bay, so keep an eye on the
gauges and look for signs of
water leaks.
TECH SPEC
Alvis TD21
Series One
■ engine 2993cc
straight-six, twin SU carbs
■ power 115bhp at
4000rpm
■ transmission
Four-speed manual, all
synchro, optional auto
■ front
suspension
Independent, wishbones
and coil springs
■ Rear suspension
Semi-elliptic leaf springs
■ BRAKES Drums all
round (discs at front from
1959), servo assistance
■ Economy 20mpg
■ 0-60mph 13.5sec
■ Top speed 105mph
The big boot doesn’t mean it’s
the ideal car to go and do the
shopping in. The steering is very
heavy at parking speeds, and
although power-steering kits are
available, it’ll set you back about
£3500. Also, the fuel
consumption isn’t the best,
although it’ll be much better
than a Bristol 407, which
featured a Chrysler V8. You’ll get
low 20s to the gallon if you’re
careful with your right foot.
1960
Laycock de Normanville overdrive
introduced as an option on the
four-speed manual.
1962
Series Two introduced with disc
brakes all round, five-speed
gearbox and integral spotlamps.
1963
Four-litre Lagonda engine fitted to
a one-off TD21. Link-up between
companies doesn’t go ahead…
1963
Production of the TD21 ends after
nearly 1100 have been built.
October 1955-August 1963
102 CLASSICS MONTHLY OCTOBER 2009
OCTOBER 2009 CLASSICS MONTHLY
103
HOW TO BUY AN…
Alvis TD21
Alvis TD21
Alvis introduced an all-synchromesh gearbox
as early as 1933 for the SB Speed 20.
ng
buyiip
t ill have
Interior
HOW TO BUY AN…
DID YOU KNOW?
!
Engine
21s w
Many TD tored by now,
s
been re g an original
so findin l take time.
one wil
CM says…
Alvis TD21
£4000-£25,000
Practicality
Economy
Spares
DIY friendly
Value for money
Dashboard
Total
Reconditioned
exchange dashes can
be sourced through
Red Triangle. Check all
the gauges work.
Patina is fine – tears and rips
aren’t. The trim is available, but
like most parts for the TD21 it
won’t be cheap.
Wheel
The central boss on the
Alvis’ big, elegant
steering wheel houses
the controls for the
indicators and the horn.
Make sure that both are
working as intended.
Don’t be put off by cars with high
mileages. If it’s been well looked
after and service schedules have
been adhered to, the engine
should last well. It’s a lazy,
torquey unit, so remains
understressed in normal use.
However, Alvis did squeeze it
into the engine bay. There’s not
much room for warm air to
escape, and as such overheating
can be a problem. Many owners
will have fitted a Kenlowe fan to
get around this. If they haven’t,
you’ll want to do it as soon as you
buy the car.
Anything other than smooth,
quiet running needs to be
investigated before you buy. As
well as the temperature gauge,
keep an eye on the oil pressure – it
should be about 40psi at 2000rpm
Safety and security
available, including reconditioned
dashboards. However, a full retrim
will run into thousands of pounds,
so you don’t want to see any tears
or cracks anywhere. If it’s just dirty,
the interior can always be cleaned
up and revitalised without breaking
the bank.
Worthy upgrades
Rare parts
■ A power steering kit has
■ Wings
recently been developed for the
TD21. At slow speeds, it would
definitely help with the heavy
feel. It fits discreetly into the
Alvis with no external
giveaways. Think carefully,
though, because it’ll set you
back about £3500.
■ There was the option of front
disc brakes on early cars, but it’s
possible to convert to discs all
round like on later models.
The famous Alvis badge means you’re
getting something special.
104 CLASSICS MONTHLY OCTOBER 2009
Make sure water hasn’t got into
the cabin via tired seals. Not only
will it ruin the interior trim, it’ll get
to the wooden frame. Check the
aluminium cappings on the doors
– they’re easily distorted if
someone’s carried out any work
on the doors themselves.
■ A Kenlowe fan will help keep
underbonnet temperatures
under control.
These can be made to order, but
they’re a seriously big piece of
metal, and will cost you in the
region of £1500-£1800.
■ Brightwork
Certain chrome items are getting
scarce, so it’ll pay to get the
most complete car you can.
■ Gearboxes
The late Series Two cars gained
the five-speed ZF gearbox
destined for the TE21. That
gearbox is no longer available,
though, and a modern
replacement will be expensive.
The owner
John Marsden,
Dorset
“I’ve owned this
car for 16 years now,
having spent about two years
looking for the right one.
Everything on it apart from the
wheels and the carpets is
original. It’s got a great patina
that I don’t want to destroy by
restoring it to as-new condition.
“They can run a bit hot, so I’ve
fitted a Kenlowe fan. I can’t
understand why Alvis ended up
routing the fuel line next to the
hottest bit of the engine, though.
It can suffer from fuel
vaporisation when it gets really
warm under there.
“I think the chrome wires
really lift the car. It looks ‘dead’
on solid wheels. Wires were an
option when new, but not
chrome ones. It’s the only thing
about the car that the club give
me a slightly hard time about!”
on a warm engine. Be suspicious
if it’s showing any less than that.
On a car that’s been standing
for a while, you’ll want to check
the condition of the exhaust, but
mechanically these are strong,
refined cars. Barring anything
really serious, you can afford to
spend more time looking at the
bodywork and chassis than the
oily bits underneath.
Clubs, specialists
and books
The servo-assisted brakes offer
good stopping power with discs
at the front and drums at the
rear. You can upgrade to discs all
round without too much trouble.
Seatbelts weren’t fitted on the
TD21 when new, and there are
no mounting points for them.
Any system you fit will therefore
have to be bespoke.
■A
lvis Owners Club
www.alvisoc.org
■R
ed Triangle
01926 857303
www.redtriangle.co.uk
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
5
19/25
We don’t like…
The cost of certain parts –
they’re available but very
expensive. The thirsty nature
of that engine.
Or try these…
Rover P5
£1000-£3500
Much cheaper than the Alvis,
but lacks the TD21’s exclusive
air and charisma.
■ C hris Prince Alvis
Boot will hold plenty of luggage.
Bodywork and chassis
These are the two key areas to
concentrate on when buying a
TD21. You must be able to get
underneath the car to have a
proper look around, and consider
getting any potential purchase
checked over by a specialist.
Money spent doing that could
save you a fortune if it turns up
anything untoward. Chassis and
wooden frame repair sections are
available, though.
Corrosion can take hold
anywhere on the chassis, but pay
particular attention to the rear of
the car, where the legs extend to
2
2
2
2
2
We like…
The style and build quality.
The sense of occasion. The
refined but powerful engine.
Will be a good investment,
and you won’t see many
others on the road.
Busy engine bay can
cause overheating.
Leather
The mixture of wood, leather and
sumptuous carpets adds to the
feeling of luxury inside a TD21.
Many cars have now been
restored, which means that what
might be lacking in patina will be
made up for in overall condition.
Everything for the interior is still
1
1
1
1
1
!
form the jacking points. These are
a common rot spot.
As for the bodywork, handbuilt
coachwork doesn’t come cheap,
so you don’t want to be replacing
too many panels. Check the areas
where the body meets the roof,
and look for nice, even panel
gaps around the doors. Anything
uneven points towards sagging
doors – meaning that the ash
A-post is rotting away.
The Series Two TD21 had
aluminium door skins, but check
the steel doors of the earlier
version for rust.
Parts and sales
01939 270662
www.chrisprince.co.uk
■A
lvis – The Story Of The
Red Triangle
Kenneth Day
ISBN 978-1-84425-5245
R-R Silver Shadow
£4000-8000
Roller is a lot of car for the
money. Plenty of luxury but
different image to the TD21.
Thanks to
John Marsden for letting us
photograph his superb original
TD21 saloon.
Tim Greenhill from the Alvis
Owners Club.
Chris Prince for his specialist
advice and information.
Jaguar Mk2
£5000-£20,000
More sporting in nature,
especially the 3.8 version. Bit
‘common’, though…
Turn over to P107 for your ALVIS TD21 quick view checks
OCTOBER 2009 CLASSICS MONTHLY
105
HOW TO BUY AN…
DID YOU KNOW?
Alvis TD21
Alvis was formed in 1919, and produced
their first car the following year.
QUICK VIEW Checks
10
Essential
Reminders
Key areas to inspect carefully. Your final offer price should reflect their condition.
Tick off our vital checks
for peace of mind
A-post
! 2
The ash frame in the
A-post can rot out. Sagging
doors are the giveaway. It’s
complex and expensive to
sort out.
3
Carpet
4
Dashboard
Luxurious when new,
factor in the price of
replacements if they’re
looking tired.
Red Triangle can supply
new dashboards, but it’s
a big panel and not cheap.
5
Brightwork
Most chrome parts can be
replaced, but make sure
your prospective purchase
is as complete as possible.
Headlights
The area around the lights
can rust out. You’ll need to
replace the entire wing,
which is a big panel.
Cut out
this page
1
1
3
9
5
2
7
10
4
6
cut along dashed line and take this guide with you on the daY of viewing
8
6
Rear arches
The lip around the
wheelarch is formed
around wire, which makes
it a natural water trap.
7
Rear wings
! 8
All wings are expensive to
replace, but the rear wings
are especially so.
! 9
Jacking points Radiator
At the rear, these are
extensions of the chassis
and common rot spots.
10
Only real engine problem
is overheating. Check
condition of radiator and
whether electric fan has
been fitted.
Wheels
Wires were an option new,
but not chrome ones. If
retro-fitted, check they’re
not pitted.
OCTOBER 2009 CLASSICS MONTHLY
107
HOW TO BUY AN…
Alvis TD21
Glovebox
Wizard
Our vital, take-with-you guide. It could save you a lot more than money.
Tick off our vital checks
for peace of mind
Overall condition, originality and
completeness should dictate the
price you pay.
Glovebox Wizard is designed
to act as a timely reminder when
viewing, drawing your attention
to areas it’s easy to forget or
which an unscrupulous seller
might try to distract you from.
Begin by judging the overall
appearance of the car. What are
the panels gaps like? Is the
engine original? Resprayed?
Pre-viewing questions
Glovebox Wizard can also be
used to ask questions confidently
whether via phone or computer
before you commit time and
incur costs to view. Knowledge
is power when buying any car so
arm yourself from the start and
get the best deal possible.
Caveat emptor
If the deal is too good to be true
then look carefully for the catch.
Buyer beware.
Fit your garage?
Identification
❏ Length 15ft 2in
❏ Width 5ft 6in
❏ Height 5ft
❏ Chassis ID plate
Bodywork
❏ Front and rear wings
❏ Lip of rear arches
❏ Even panel gaps
❏ Base of A-posts
❏ Jacking points
Interior
❏ Leather – no tears
❏ Dashboard – no cracks
❏ Carpets intact
❏ No evidence of leaks around
windscreen
Chassis, engine and car numbers
are on plate in engine bay,
located on front offside.
Engine
Cold and off
❏ Ask for evidence of servicing
and maintenance
Do
Don't
✔ Be patient and take your
✘ Think that because the Series
time to find a good one. A
bad one will quickly turn into
a serious money pit.
✔ Make the most of the
expertise on offer from the
owners club. These are
specialist cars and their help
will be invaluable.
✔ Ask to see receipts for
servicing and maintenance
work. Cars that have been
looked after by a specialist
will usually be a good bet.
✔ Pay close attention to the
state of the bodywork.
Those panels are big and
expensive to replace.
✔ Try to get under the car and
spend a while examining the
condition of the chassis.
✔ Expect to see upgrades such
as discs all round and power
steering. Cars in original spec
and condition are much
harder to find.
❏ Check for signs of leaks
Cold and running
Long-legged Alvis makes
an excellent GT.
❏ Smooth idle
❏ No rattles
Hot and running
❏ Fan kicks in
❏ Pulls smoothly from low revs
❏ Correct oil pressure
Test drive
The first thing you should notice
about the TD21 is how well
made it is. The doors will close
with a solid ‘thunk’, and the
feeling of quality should shine
through. The 3-litre straight-six
should fire instantly, then idle
smoothly and quietly on the
choke. The gearbox was one of
Alvis’ cost-cutting areas, being
based on an Austin-Healey unit,
but it should engage positively.
On cars without power
assistance, the steering will be
incredibly heavy at parking
speeds but will lighten up once
you’re on the move. The
servo-assisted brakes will feel
remarkably convincing, even if
108 CLASSICS MONTHLY OCTOBER 2009
One used an Austin-Healey
gearbox, you can source one
from there. There were small
but vital differences between
the two units.
✘ S tretch your finances.
Specialist backup is good for
these cars, but it won’t come
cheap. If you can’t afford to
look after it properly, it’ll
soon go downhill.
✘B
e afraid to walk away if you
don’t think the car drives as
well as it should – even if it
looks superficially sound.
✘B
uy a car online without
seeing it first.
✘P
art with any money until
you see the V5, MOT and
service records.
✘ T hink of the saloon as being
second-best to the drophead
version. It’s much better
value and will be a good
investment for the future.
the car hasn’t benefited from an
upgrade to discs all round.
In fact, the whole driving
experience should feel surprisingly
‘modern’. Alvis built their cars well,
so there won’t be much in the way
of squeaks and rattles – it should
all feel solid. If you can hear noises
from the back, it might just be the
springs informing you that the car
hasn’t been used in a while and
they’ve dried up.
The engine will offer excellent
performance while staying quiet
and unobtrusive. Holding its own
amongst modern traffic won’t be
a problem. Keep an eye on the
temperature, though – they have
a reputation from running hot.
The driving experience
should feel pretty modern.
cut along dashed line and take this guide with you on the daY of viewing
Viewing an Alvis TD21