Breathe in deeply. Hold it in. Okay, let that breath out slowly through your nose. Now try exhaling through only one nostril. There, now aren’t you feeling relaxed? No? Well then watch this soothing video of a 1961 Alvis TD21 and feel the stress melt away.
Alvis was one of a number of auto makers to spring up in Great Britain shortly after WWI and their products quickly became known for their quality and sporting intentions. One of Britain’s most innovative auto makers, Alvis introduced features such as independent front suspension, synchromesh gearboxes and power assisted braking years before they would become common. The company expanded its portfolio to aircraft and armoured vehicle production in 1936, a prescient move in light of the conflict shortly to come.
The TD21 was introduced in 1958 as an evolution of the prior TC108. It featured a 3-litre inline six and an available four-speed manual gearbox. The stately bodies were the work of Park Ward and at the time the Alvis went for nearly twice as much as a Jag. That led to financial difficulties and an eventual sale in 1965 of the auto works to Rover. Armoured vehicle production would continue on through various owner changes and mergers until just about a decade ago when an agreement between British Aerospace (BAe) and a group of investors led to the resurrection of the venerable marque as an auto maker. That has resulted in new editions in their “Continuation Series” including the TD21 which they call the Park Ward series.
Source: YouTube
Because it's Monday: Let's Take In The Zen Garden That is This 1961 Alvis TD21 Drophead
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7 responses to “Because it's Monday: Let's Take In The Zen Garden That is This 1961 Alvis TD21 Drophead”
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More car reviews should follow this example, more pictures of the car cruising down the road, nice music and less talking.
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There was nearly another Alvis car after the Rover takeover. The Rover P6 based hatchback Coupe that became the designer, David Bache’s, personal transport for quite a time.
Nick-named ‘Gladys’ the sole car made is currently in the British Motor Heritage Museum and was to have been marketed in the early seventies as the Alvis GTS, but got cancelled in the whole Triumph merger/British Leyland/BMC debacle.
It would have had a 4 litre version of the Rover V8 that finally turned up in Range Rovers and a Getrag five speed. This car would have pre-dated the BMW 3, 5, 6 and 7 series.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/f7/bc/ff/f7bcff91c171bd2a544a79d2d582c66d.jpg
https://spct2000.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/big-1170715cf6-forum-auto.jpg?w=840
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8358/29180345744_88c914586a_b.jpg
http://www.reallyloud.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/gaydon_rover_p6_coupe.jpg
https://68.media.tumblr.com/4a584b4e0eac556a5f26c840d0525ff8/tumblr_o748zdfe0X1ti77kbo3_540.jpg-
Like so many of the cars of the era, the overall tyre diameter really could stand to be increased 20%
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Wire wheels were almost out of date by the time this was shown. Many P6s have 15″ or larger wheels now to fit later lower profile tyres now that good quality 14″ tyres are harder to get.
17″
http://kingofwallpapers.com/rover-p6/rover-p6-025.jpg
16″
http://thumbsnap.com/s/bfqcncI7.jpg
15″
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/fc/f2/99/fcf2994958070f501bbaa0fcb31ecc2b.jpg
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/cb/7c/25/cb7c250ad3d5782122f7de2633b3bb93.jpg-
Do the tyres on the concept look like a smaller size/profile than a standard P6? They are pretty narrow.
Personally I’d stop at 16″ on a car this age. Lower profile tyres can bring issues with suspension geometry that has a lot more camber change with travel than modern setups.-
The running gear and whole underbody were the actual 10th P6 2000S( of 15 made) and so were the standard 14 inch wire wheels that were an early option on P6s. 4.5 inches wide is narrower than later wheels fitted to P6s.
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I like how the center badge of the steering wheel stays stationary while you turn the wheel.
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