Alvis TC 108G

Last updated

Alvis TC 108G
Alvis Graber TC 108 G Special 3 (cropped).jpg
A 1957 car with body by Graber
Overview
Manufacturer Alvis Cars
Production
  • 1956–1958 [1]
  • 35 produced [2]
  • 37 produced [3]
Body and chassis
Body style 2 door saloon
Layout FR layout
Powertrain
Engine Alvis 3.0 L Straight-6
Transmission 4 speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase 111.5 in (2,832 mm) [4]
Length189 in (4,801 mm) [4]
Width66 in (1,676 mm) [4]
Height62.5 in (1,588 mm) [4]
Chronology
Predecessor Alvis TC 21
Successor Alvis TD 21

The Alvis TC 108G is a British sporting car made by Alvis cars between 1956 and 1958. Coachbuilders Graber of Switzerland had produced some bodies for the TC21 that were much more up to date than the standard offering built for Alvis by Mulliners (Birmingham).

Contents

Mulliners production was becoming devoted to Standard Triumph —which purchased them in 1958— and Alvis's body supply had been getting difficult. Alvis's supplier of expensive drop head bodies was Tickford and they had been bought in 1955 by David Brown and his Aston Martin and Lagonda bodies had priority.

New English body

A 1957 car with body by Willowbrook Alvis TC108G Graber (1957) (38332265606).jpg
A 1957 car with body by Willowbrook
1957 Alvia TC 108G by Graber (rear) Alvis Graber TC 108 G Special 1 (cropped).jpg
1957 Alvia TC 108G by Graber (rear)

It was therefore decided to make the Graber style (October 1955 Paris Motor Show car) the basis of a new model and the rights were bought resulting in the TC 108G. A contract to build the new bodies was placed with bus builder Willowbrook of Loughborough. The car was only available as a two-door, four-seat saloon made by forming metal around a traditional wooden frame. Graber later resumed production —probably at the request of Alvis— but modified the shape of their subsequent bodies.

The Willowbrook body proved to be too expensive and few were sold. The deal was terminated and a new contract placed with Park Ward Alvis having bought Graber's drawings, jigs etc. The new car was designated the TD21 and it entered production in October 1958. [2]

The 2993 cc engine was uprated slightly to produce 104 bhp (78 kW) at 4,000 rpm by modifying the cylinder head and fitting twin SU carburettors. Suspension was the same as the TC 21, independent at the front using coil springs with leaf springs at the rear.

Production

Chassis — 31 produced. Chassis numbers 25909-25945 (31 made -- some of these chassis numbers were not used). [2]
Bodies — Willowbrook: 16 [2]
Graber: 8 (1955), 11 (1957) [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvis Car and Engineering Company</span> British manufacturing company in Coventry, England

Alvis Car and Engineering Company Ltd was a British manufacturing company in Coventry from 1919 to 1967. In addition to automobiles designed for the civilian market, the company also produced racing cars, aircraft engines, armoured cars and other armoured fighting vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swallow Doretti</span> Motor vehicle

The Swallow Doretti is a two-seater British sports car built on Swallow's own design of box-section tube chassis using Triumph TR2 mechanicals, made between 1954 and 1955. It was intended for the U.S. market and to be a more refined two-seater than available there at that time.

Lloyd Cars Ltd was a British motor manufacturer, founded by Roland Lloyd (1904–1965), son of a garage owner, and based in Patrick Street, Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England between 1936 and 1951. Two models were made, separated by World War II; the company was unusual for a small manufacturer in making nearly all components in-house. After car production ceased the company continued in general engineering until 1983. During World War II the company made components for Rolls-Royce Merlin aircraft engines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peerless (UK car)</span> Motor vehicle

The Peerless was a British car made by Peerless Cars Ltd. of Slough, Berkshire, between 1957 and 1960, when the company failed. The company was resurrected by one of the original founders, Bernie Rodger, as Bernard Roger Developments BRD Ltd and marketed as the Warwick from a base in Colnbrook, Buckinghamshire, between 1960 and 1962.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bentley Mark VI</span> Motor vehicle

The Bentley Mark VI is an automobile from Bentley which was produced from 1946 until 1952.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaguar Mark IV</span> Motor vehicle

The Jaguar Mark IV is a range of automobiles built by Jaguar Cars from 1945 to 1949. The cars were marketed as the Jaguar 1½ litre, Jaguar 2½ litre and Jaguar 3½ litre with the Mark IV name later applied in retrospect to separate this model from the succeeding Mark V range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Standard Eight</span> Motor vehicle made in England

The Standard Eight is a small car produced by the British Standard Motor Company from 1938 to 1959.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jensen 541</span> Motor vehicle

The Jensen 541 is an automobile which was produced by Jensen Motors from 1954 to 1959. It was first exhibited at the London Motor Show in October 1953, and production started in 1954.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvis TE 21</span> Motor vehicle


The Alvis Three Litre Series III sports saloon or drophead coupé, also known as TE 21, is an automobile produced by English manufacturer Alvis between 1963 and 1966 with a body built by Mulliner Park Ward. It was an updated version of the 1958 TD21.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AC 2-Litre</span> Motor vehicle

The AC 2-Litre is an automobile that was produced by AC of Thames Ditton in Surrey, England between 1947 and 1956. Two and, from 1952, four-door saloons were sold. In addition, as from 1949, a small number of drophead coupés and "Buckland" tourers were produced.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvis TA 21</span> Motor vehicle


The Alvis Three LitreTA 21, is an automobile which was produced by Alvis Cars between 1950 and 1953. It was announced to the British public the day it went on display at the opening of the Geneva Motor Show 16 March 1950.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triumph Renown</span> Motor vehicle made in England

The Triumph Renown is strictly the name given to the Triumph's large saloon car made from 1949 to 1954 but it is, in reality, part of a three-car series of the 1800, 2000 and Renown models. Together with the Triumph Roadster, they were the first vehicles to carry the Triumph badge following the company's takeover by the Standard Motor Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvis TB 21</span> Motor vehicle

The Alvis TB 21 produced by Alvis cars was a two-seater open car based on the running gear of the TA 21 saloon and made only in 1951.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvis TA 14</span> Motor vehicle

The Alvis Fourteen also known as TA 14 was the first car to be produced by major defence contractor Alvis cars after World War II. The entire car factory had been destroyed on the night of Thursday 14 November 1940. Announced in November 1946 it was made until 1950 when its postwar austerity 1900 cc engine was replaced by the 2993 cc 26.25 HP Alvis Three Litre or TA 21.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvis TB 14</span> Motor vehicle

The Alvis TB 14 was a British two seater open car produced by Alvis cars based on the running gear of the TA 14 saloon and made only in 1950.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvis TC 21</span> Motor vehicle

The Alvis Three Litre, TC 21 is an automobile produced by British manufacturer Alvis between 1953 and 1955. An updated version of the Three Litre TA 21, it was available as a 4-door saloon and, in its later TC 21/100 form, also as a 2-door drophead coupé.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvis TF 21</span> Motor vehicle

The Alvis Three Litre series IV, TF21, an updated version of the 1963 TE21, was the last car produced by Alvis Cars, having been announced at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1966 it remained in production until 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvis TD 21</span> Motor vehicle

The Alvis Three Litre TD21 was a British sports saloon or coupé made by Alvis cars between the end of 1958 and October 1963. It was a revised version of the TC 108G, the body was made by Park Ward who were better able to supply them to the quantity, quality, and price required. The cars were slightly taller and a drop-head coupé was added to the range. They were both lighter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armstrong Siddeley Lancaster</span> Motor vehicle

The Armstrong Siddeley Lancaster is an automobile which was produced by Armstrong Siddeley Motors Limited from 1945 until 1952. It was the first post-war sports saloon to be made by the company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graber</span>

Graber was a Swiss coachbuilder based in Wichtrach. Between 1927 and 1970 the firm supplied coach-built bodies for fitting on the chassis of various European and US auto-makers. Graber had a particularly close relationship with the British firm of Alvis, providing the manufacturer with bespoke and elegant if expensive bodies for almost twenty years, mostly during the 1950s and 1960s.

References

  1. Michael Sedgwick & Mark Gillies, A-Z of Cars 1945-1970, Bay View Books Ltd, 1989, page 17
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Kenneth R. Day. The Alvis Car, Lewis Cole & Co., London, 1967, pp.170
  3. Robson, Graham (2006). A-Z British Cars 1945-1980 . Devon, UK: Herridge & Sons. ISBN   0-9541063-9-3.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Culshaw; Horrobin (1974). Complete Catalogue of British Cars. London: Macmillan. ISBN   0-333-16689-2.

Further reading