VotW – 1961 Alvis TD21 Convertible

Our video this week is oo a much lesser known but highly desirable car, Alvis. In this case, the specific car being test driven by Super Car Classics is a 1961 Alvis TD21 convertible.

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.

Car manufacturing ended after the company became a subsidiary of Rover in 1965, but armoured vehicle manufacture continued. Alvis became part of British Leyland and then in 1982 was sold to United Scientific Holdings, which renamed itself Alvis plc.

The Alvis Three Litre TD21 was made 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 drophead coupé was added to the range, they were both lighter.

Alvis TD 21

The 2993 cc engine was again uprated, now producing 115 bhp (86 kW) mainly by an improved cylinder head and increasing the compression ratio from 8.0:1 to 8.5:1. A new four-speed gearbox from the Austin-Healey appeared and Borg Warner three speed automatic transmission was offered. Overdrive was available on the manual transmission from late 1960 to 1962. The suspension was similar to the TC 21, independent at the front using coil springs with leaf springs at the rear but the track was increased by 1 in (25 mm) to 55.5 in (1,410 mm) and a front anti-roll bar added. Wire spoked wheels became an option. From 1959 the all drum brake set up was changed to discs at the front retaining drums at the rear.

If you are interested in Alvis cars, check out The Alvis Register – The Club for the Vintage Alvis Enthusiast or even the newly revived Alvis Car Company.

Staff