Lot Ended
Description
1936 Alvis Silver Eagle
Loads of history;
driven 30 miles to the sale; well sorted and delightfully original; synchro box;
easy car to own and drive; powerful with a good turn of speed;
lovely!
Car number 18044 (Chassis number 13425) still carries
its original engine and left the factory on 14th March 1936 according to the
Silver Eagle Register.
It was first registered on 21st March 1936 to its
first owner, a prosperous butcher, William Hal of Dalkeith. Three years later
the car passed into the hands of a local mines manager, a Mr White who kept the
car until 1961, selling it to a student architect, WHM Small who in turn sold it
to Mr Searle from Essex. By 1964 the car was in the hands of Mr Molyneux who
took it to Devon where, later that year, it was bought by Phill Robertson of
Cowbridge, South Glamorgan in whose hands it remained for a period of over
53 years. Sold by ourselves in 2018, it has been well cared for since, in the
hands of a local collector who has come to the conclusion that he has too
many cars, hence its inclusion in the sale.
It's previous owner
acquired the car in a semi-derelict state and spent the next four years
restoring it. There is a thick file of paperwork from this period, including
much correspondence with suppliers and enthusiasts. In its first year back on
the road, the car covered 12,000 miles, a sure sign of a good
restoration.
He used the car over the following years – including
trips overseas - to such an extent that, by 1995, it required further
rejuvenation and the car spent another four years in the workshop. The work done
in these two periods and during Mr Roberston’s ownership, can be judged from the
invoices on file, which make wonderful reading: a 1971 receipt for a 1’6” piece
of 2” x9” mahogany supplied by J. Brace & Sons, Timber Merchants of Ongar,
Essex. Price? 72p!
This 1936 Silver Eagle is now in the perfect condition
– that sweet spot between concours and ‘oily rag’. The paintwork has a beautiful
understated appeal – not too glossy but certainly not flat - and the leather
seats exude a welcoming air the moment you open the door. Performance from the
triple-carb straight-six 2,362cc engine is equally impressive – bags of torque
and a top speed of over 75mph and a full syncho gearbox to make life
easy.
Recent maintenance has included an ignition service, minor repairs
to the in-built DWS jacking system (complete with original operating handle),
correcting tracking and a major steering overhaul. The suspension was overhauled
in 2019 including reconditioned springs by Jones Springs in Darlaston. It has a
manually operated electric cooling fan and the vendor has pointed out two
useful tool boxes (with some contents) in the rear floor either side of the
transmission tunnel. He also reports that even the 8-day clock works well if
regularly wound.
The Silver Eagle is always been a top-quality car that
is smooth, powerful and disarmingly discreet. This is a lovely mellow example
that shows the love and care that has been lavished on it for over half a
century. Nice...
For more information - contact matthew.parkin@brightwells.com