54
I
t’shard to finda badangle on the 1961 Alvis TD21 Drophead.
After years of elegant but very conservative designs
culminating in the Mulliner-bodied TC21, Alvis adopted a
farmore modernstyle created by Swiss coachbuilder Graber
forthe 1956 TC108G.Bodies were built by Willowbrookin
Loughboroughuntil 1958 , when Alvis switched to ParkWard
andthestylingwasfurther refined to create the handsome
TD21. The fr ontis a confluence of wonderful curves,
highlightedwithchrome trim. The side is neatly punctuated
byremindersofanold-fashioned separate wing, and from
thebackit lookssuaveand stately. It’s the same story inside.
Installedinthedriver’s seat I’m faced by a big Bakelite-
rimmedsteering wheel with wire spokes, and a hub bearing
theAlviseagleandredtriangle motifs. Behind it there’s a timber
dashboard faced in fine latte-hued Walnut, split into three
sections.Thepassengergets a lockable glovebox, while directlyin
fr ontofmethere’sanopencubby hole, and below that the ignition
switch,choke,andanAlvis-badged cigarette lighter. In the centre,
afinecollectionofwhite-on-black Smiths dials – 6000rpmrev
counternearestthepassenger, 120mph speedo close to the driver,
withfuel,amps,temperature and oil pressure in the four corners
ofthepanel.Heatercontrols and the radio sit in the middle.
Underneath there’s horizontal control which at first glance
lookslikeit might besomething to do with the ventilation system,
butit’ sactually the gear selector for the four-speed automatic
transmission– a conventionalPRND321selectorlaidonitsside.A
‘Hold’leverunderneathprovidesa Sixtiesequivalentofa modern
automatic’sdrivingmodes.Pushtheleverleftto the‘Min’ position
andthe transmissionchangesupearlyforminimumnoiseand
fuss,butwiththeleverpushedright tothe‘Max’positiongears
areheldlongerformaximumperformance– andtheaccelerator
pedalweightingisreducedfor speedierresponse.It’sinfinitely
variable,soyoucanchoosethepositionthat perfectlymatches
yourdrivingstyleoryourmood.
TheTD21carriedoverthe3.0-litresixfromtheTC108G,itselfa
development oftheengineAlvishadreliedonsince 1950 ’sTA21.It
producedjust83bhpinitsoriginalform,butby thetimetheTD21
appearedbetter-qualityfuelwasavailableandthecompression
ratiohadbeenraisedto8.5:1,whichtogetherwithanimproved
cylinder head design and the adoption of twin carburettors
liberated115bhp. Maximumpowerisat 4000rpmsoit neverneeds
torevveryhard,butit spinswithasilkensmoothnessassured
byitsseven-bearingdesignandthere’sa culturedtimbretothe
exhaustnote that suitsthesuavestyleoftheAlvisperfectly.
TheengineisflexibleandwhiletheTD21isnoperformancecar
itisbriskenoughnottobeanembarrassment intoday’straffic.
Outhereonthemoorstrafficisn’ta problem,andI canslidethe
gear-holdcontroltowardsits‘max’settingtohangontolower
gearsandsavour thestraight-sixmusic.ThisisaFiftiesdesign
ridingontall,narrowtyressothecornering limitsaren’thigh,but
theAlvisfeelswell-balancedandcossetswitha composedride.
The Alvis has all the grace of a Rolls of the era,
but with all of the pomp shrugged off
Modestpowerat
115bhp, butthesixis
sonorousandflexible
Gear-holdsensitivitylever
transformsthecharacterof
theAlvisattheslideof a lever
[The Big Test] Top Cabrios
