Description
H&H Classic Auction @Pavilion Gardens | Buxton, Derbyshire
26th July, 2023 13:00
1936 Alvis Speed 20 SC Charlesworth Saloon
Estimate: £45, 000-55, 000
Registration No: EZ 1047
Chassis No: 13038
MOT: Exempt
1 of just 131 Charlesworth-bodied Speed 20SC SaloonsTreated to a 'chassis up' mechanical and cosmetic restorationSaid to be 'very suitable for long distance touring'2. 7 litre OHV straight-six engine and four-speed all-synchromesh gearboxA true Post Vintage ThoroughbredIntroduced at the 1934 London Motor Show, the Speed 20 SC was among a new breed of Alvis cars that combined high performance (long a recognised marque virtue) with luxury and refinement. Based around a sturdy cruciform-braced ladder-framed chassis, the new model came equipped with sizable fourteen-inch drum brakes and 'jelly mould' wire wheels. Boasting such technological novelties as independent transverse-leaf front suspension and synchromesh on all (four) forward gears, it was notably more sophisticated than rivals such as the Bentley 3. 5 litre and Lagonda M45. Powered by a smooth but free-revving 2762cc OHV straight-six engine featuring dual magneto / coil ignition, triple SU carburettors and an aluminium crankcase, it was reputedly capable of 89mph. A corollary of its low-slung stance and long bonnet line, the Speed 20 SC proved an ideal canvas for the coachbuilder's art.
