Alvis Speed 25 SC Charlesworth Saloon

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Fast and handsome with tremendous performance and a low, purposeful stance, the Alvis Speed 25 is the epitome of pre-war sporting elegance.

Beautifully made and bristling with technical innovations such as independent front suspension, all-synchro gearbox, one-shot chassis lubrication system, adjustable Luvax hydraulic shock absorbers and four-wheel servo-assisted brakes, the car was capable of a smooth and refined 100mph and is widely regarded as the finest Alvis ever built.

Announced in August 1936, the Alvis Speed 25 was given a new 3.6-litre engine with seven main bearings and a fully balanced crank and flywheel, the silky-smooth unit featuring novel overhead valve-gear using multiple springs for each valve, triple SU carburettors and developed an impressive 108bhp. Despite weighing a hefty 36½ cwts, in Charlesworth saloon form (as here) it could charge to 50mph in just 10.4 seconds and cover the standing ¼ mile in only 20 seconds – remarkable performance for the time.

An outstandingly sophisticated and handsome car, it was also very expensive (stealing sales from both the Bentley 4.25 litre and Lagonda LG45) and just 391 examples were made before production came to an end in 1940.

This late model SC Charlesworth Saloon was purchased by the vendor’s father in 1962. Advertised in Motorsport for just £20, a letter on file from the soon-to-be new owner rather charmingly assumes an error in pricing which is possibly why he ended up with the car – in any event, he managed to acquire it for £100 but whether he paid half the proper price or £80 over it isn't clear!

In running order at the time, the engine was rather tired and as one did in those days, a healthy replacement was found and fitted by the local garage. The car was then used regularly throughout the 1960s before being taken off the road in 1970 for an engine rebuild.

The engine was stripped and sent to JH Richards (now Coventry Boring and Machining) and was fully white-metalled and re-bored, including the rods, and was returned with a new set of pistons. Pressure of work and a growing family meant that the engine was never reassembled, the machined parts being carefully stored. They remain in lovely oily condition, along with numerous other reconditioned parts including a set of tappets supplied by Alvis themselves. As far as the vendor is aware, all components are present, including an excellent water pump and the triple carburettors.

The bodywork will need significant restoration, in particular to the A and B posts, although there has been quite a bit of work done to the doors including new window regulators. The interior appears complete (with the exception of one door card) and the dashboard has the correct instrumentation. The original and very rare Lucas pass-lights are present along with the Alvis mascot.

The car comes with an old style V5, nine old MOTs (some from Cairns of Leigh – the vendor’s local Alvis specialist) and the aforementioned letter to the previous owner. It also retains its original London-issued FXN 610 registration number.

Few cars in the immediate pre-war period had the road presence of an Alvis Speed 25 and they are still most impressive today. Not a project for the faint-hearted, but a most exciting barn-find nevertheless, this sporting Charlesworth saloon offers enormous potential to its fortunate new owner.