Alvis TC 108 / G

Alvis
Alvis TC 108 / G
TC 108 / G
Production period:	1956-1958
Class :	Upper class
Body versions :	Limousine , cabriolet
Engines:	Petrol engine 3.0 liters
Length:	4801 mm
Width:	1676 mm
Height:	1588 mm
Wheelbase :	2832 mm
Empty weight :
Previous model	Alvis TC 21/100
successor	Alvis TD 21

The Alvis TC 108 / G (alternative spelling: TC 108G ) is a luxury class vehicle from the automobile manufacturer Alvis Cars , which was produced in small numbers in Great Britain and Switzerland from 1956 to 1958 . The design of the body went back to the Swiss bodybuilder Graber . It belongs to the three-liter model family, which is also summarized as the Alvis T-Series 21 .

History of origin

The Alvis T 108 / G was a further development of the TC 21/100 model presented in 1953 .

The three liter family

Before the Second World War , the Coventry-based company Alvis was located in a similar market segment as Aston Martin or Bentley . After the end of the war, Alvis made its debut with the so-called Three Liter Series , a range of sporty sedans and convertibles with a 3.0 liter in-line six-cylinder engine, the first version of which was sold as the TA 21 . Similar to other British luxury manufacturers, Alvis limited itself to producing chassis, engines and transmissions, while the superstructures were supplied by independent coachbuilders. Alvis obtained the open bodies (TB 21) from AP Metalcraft , while the superstructures of the closed models (TA 21) were manufactured by Mulliners of Birmingham . The successor model TC 21/100, which differed from the TA 21 in technical terms mainly through a more powerful engine with now 100 bhp and was nicknamed the Gray Lady in a further evolutionary stage , was factory-made with closed bodies from Mulliners or as a convertible with Tickford -Body delivered. However, from 1954 onwards, the Swiss Alvis importer was already dressing individual TC-21 chassis with an independent body at the customer's request.

The connection between Alvis and Mulliner ended in the summer of 1955 when Mulliner was taken over - initially in part - by the British high-volume manufacturer Standard Triumph . Standard Triumph will in future utilize the production facilities in Birmingham with series bodies for its own models. The last TC21 with a Mulliner body was completed in the summer of 1955. Since Tickford was taken over by David Brown and connected to Aston Martin at about the same time, Alvis no longer had a body supplier from the summer of 1955. After the Alvis TA 350 , a technically ambitious sedan with a self-supporting body and eight-cylinder V-engine, which had been developed by Alec Issigonis since 1952 , had to be abandoned at the trial stage for financial reasons, the company management considered permanently discontinuing automobile production in the summer of 1955.

New start with Graber and Willowbrook

Graber lettering on an Alvis

After Alvis had not sold any new vehicles for several months, the company exhibited two vehicles with Graber bodies at the Earls Court Motor Show in London in October 1955; one vehicle was a two-door saloon , the other a convertible. The exhibits were still based on the TC-21 chassis. After positive reactions from the audience, the company decided to resume automobile production with bodies in the style of Graber; Alvis took over the rights to the Graber designs. The new model was given the designation TC 108 / G, with the “G” referring to Hermann Graber. The technology was largely unchanged from the TC21.

For reasons of capacity, Graber was not able to produce the bodies of the TC 108 / G in series. Alvis therefore split production. Willowbrook , a Loughborough- based manufacturer of bus bodies, was commissioned with the production of the closed standard body based on the Graber model . Willowbrook, however, was not allowed to manufacture open models. Hermann Graber's company was also authorized to provide TC-108 / G chassis with independent bodies at the customer's request. These models, sometimes referred to as Graber Special , also included some convertibles.

Production of the TC 108 / G ended prematurely in 1958. In the course of that year, Willowbrook was taken over by its previous competitor Duple . According to one source, the Duple management canceled the contract for the production of the TC 108 / G, so that Alvis again needed a new body manufacturer. Other sources assume that the connection between Alvis and Willowbrook was only designed for the production of 25 vehicles from the start and that Alvis terminated the contract prematurely due to qualitative defects in the Willowbrook bodies. The successor model Alvis TD 21 , also designed by Graber, received bodies that were assembled at Park Ward .

Model description

drive

The TC 108 / G was powered by an in-line six-cylinder engine with a displacement of 2993 cm³. It largely corresponded to the drive unit of the predecessor. Only the cylinder heads were slightly revised. It was equipped with two double carburettors from SU and made 104 bhp (74 KW). The engine was installed in the front and drove the rear wheels via a manual four-speed gearbox.

landing gear

The chassis of the TC 108 / G completely corresponded to that of the TC 21/100. The wheels were individually suspended at the front and fitted with torsion bar springs , while Alvis used a rigid axle with leaf springs at the rear .

Standard body

Standard body with indicated panoramic rear window

The TC 108 / G was only offered as a four-seater saloon with two doors. The individual body components consisted partly of steel, partly of aluminum. Willowbrook mounted them on a frame made of ash wood, in keeping with traditional body construction. The negative molds for the body parts were supplied by Graber.

The standard body of the TC 108 / G was based on a design by Hermann Graber. Unlike the superstructures of earlier Alvis models, it followed the pontoon line . Stylistically, they meant a considerable further development for Alvis, whose last models had been perceived as old-fashioned and "downright antiquated". The belt line ran horizontally, the flanks were smooth and largely dispensed with chrome ornaments. The standard body included a narrow, upright radiator grille with vertical struts. The front fenders ended in individual round headlights. The lower part of the C-pillar was inclined forward, the outer parts of the three-part rear window protruded into the sides. This gave the impression of a rear panoramic window. The standard bodies also had Graber lettering.

Willowbrook modified Graber's design in some details. The shape of the front fenders was changed to accommodate Lucas headlights . The frame of the windshield has also been redesigned. While Graber had used taillights from the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud on his two prototypes from 1955 , Willowbrook installed cheaper taillights from the Rover P4 on the production bodies .

The standard body designed by Graber was largely praised in the British press. The reports on the presentation of the model in Earls Court in 1955 described the Alvis as "one of the most attractive and best-proportioned vehicles in the exhibition." Later reports named the 108 / G among other things "elegant and perfectly formed".

Alvis' competitor Bristol adopted the basic features of the Graber design for its 1958 406 and its successor.

production

The production of the series models at Willowbrook was problematic. The TC 108 / G was the first passenger car manufactured by the company, which was founded in 1920 and specializes in bus bodies. The car was created entirely by hand; the work process dragged on. Willowbrook repeatedly failed to meet delivery deadlines, and Alvis management found the quality of the finished bodies to be poor.

The production volume of the TC 108 / G is small compared to previous Alvis models. While more than 750 copies of the predecessor TC 21 were built in three years, the production of the TC 108 / G from 1956 to 1958 only reached a double-digit figure. Details are not fully clarified. All that is certain is that Graber in Bern clad 22 chassis with individual special bodies. On the other hand, there are uncertainties, particularly with regard to the standard bodies manufactured by Willowbrook.

Some sources assume that Willowbrook only produced 15 or "16 or 17" standard TC-108 / G in two years, although these sources do not differentiate between vehicles sold and prototypes. Another source says that Grabers Special's share of total production was “22 out of 41”, meaning that Willowbrook produced 19 vehicles. This should contain the two prototypes from 1955, which were still created on a TC 21/100 chassis, as well as two prototypes for the TD21 from 1958. If the total of four prototypes are excluded, the number of TC 108 / Gs with standard bodies that went on sale is also 15. According to these sources, other sources speak of 30 vehicles without differentiating the origin of the body. The Swiss author Roger Gloor, who has 58 cars, gives completely different figures.

With one exception, which was for export to Canada, all Willowbrook built cars were right-hand drive.

Prices

The Alvis TC 108 / G was a very expensive car when it started production. In 1956 the selling price was £ 2,776; a year later it had risen to £ 3,451. This made the TC 108 / G twice as expensive as its predecessor, the Alvis "Gray Lady". It was roughly on par with a Bristol 405 and was £ 500 more expensive than an Aston Martin DB2 / 4 or Lagonda 3 liter (£ 2,999). A Jaguar Mark VIII cost only £ 1,998.

On the classic market, the TC 108 / G are the most expensive closed models in the three-liter family. A saloon in excellent condition is quoted in continental Europe at 87,500 euros in 2017, an example in average condition costs 37,500 euros. Prices on the British classic market differ significantly in some cases.

Graber specials

With its own roof line: Alvis TC 108 / G Special from Graber

In addition to the standard superstructures that were built at Willowbrook, Hermann Graber manufactured a total of 22 special superstructures based on the TC 108 / G. This does not include the two exhibits that were shown at Earls Court in 1955. The Graber Specials were mostly unique items that were developed in consultation with the respective customer. They differed in details from the British standard structures. Some of them did without the high, chrome-plated radiator grille and instead had horizontally oriented radiator openings. Most of the special bodies had their own roofline that followed the trapezoidal shape. Usually there was no panoramic rear window here. At least one vehicle was a convertible. Hermann Graber attached great importance to the fact that his specials were individual cars. There were no completely matching copies.

Individual Graber models also experienced technical changes. In some cases the engines have been redesigned to increase performance and in some cases the suspension has been modified.

Technical specifications

Data sheet Alvis TC 108 / G
Engine:	6-cylinder in-line engine (four-stroke)
Displacement:	2993 cc
Bore × stroke:	84 × 90 mm
Performance at 1 / min:	78 kW (104 bhp) at 4000
Max. Torque at 1 / min:
Compression:	8.0: 1
Mixture preparation:	Double carburetor SU
Valve control:	1 underlying camshaft
Cooling:	Water cooling
Transmission:	4-speed gearbox, stick shift
Front suspension:	Independent suspension, trapezoidal wishbones, coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers
Rear suspension:	Rigid axle, leaf springs, telescopic shock absorbers
Brakes:	Drum brakes
Body:	Steel on a wooden frame
Wheelbase:	2830 mm
Track width front / rear:
Dimensions:	4801 × 1676 × 1588 mm
Empty weight:	1380 kg
Top speed:	165 km / h

literature

• David Culshaw: Alvis three liter in detail: TA 21 to TF 21 1950–67. Herridge and Sons, Beaworthy, Devon, England, 2003, ISBN 0-9541063-2-6 .
• John Fox: Alvis Cars 1946-1967: The Post-War Years , Amberley Publishing Limited, 2016, ISBN 9781445656311 .
• Rainer W. Schlegelmilch, Hartmut Lehbrink: English sports cars . Könemann, Cologne 2001, ISBN 3-8290-7449-2 .

Web links

Commons : Graber TC 108 / G  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• History of the Alvis 3 liter models on the website alvisarchive.com

Remarks

1. ↑ The allocation of these prototypes is handled inconsistently. According to the chassis, some sources assign them to the TC 21/100 series, others see them as part of the TC-108 / G series. The determination of the scope of production of the individual series ultimately depends on this assignment. The same applies to the prototypes created in 1958 for the successor TD 21. Cf. David Culshaw: Alvis three liter in detail: TA 21 to TF 21 1950–67. Herridge and Sons, Beaworthy, Devon, England, 2003, ISBN 0-9541063-2-6 , pp. 64 f. one- and John Fox: Alvis Cars 1946-1967: The Post-War Years , Amberley Publishing Limited, 2016, ISBN 9781445656311 , p. 45 on the other hand.
2. ↑ Roger Gloor: All Cars of the 50s. 1st edition. Motorbuch Verlag, 2007, ISBN 978-3-613-02808-1 , p. 57: According to this, 17 coupés with Willowbrook superstructures, 13 convertibles without a detailed designation of the body manufacturer, 8 Graber coupés and 20 Graber convertibles were made, so in total about 58 vehicles of the type TC 108 / G.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b c d} Rob de la Rive Box: Encyclopaedia of Classic Cars: Sports Cars 1945–1975. Taylor & Francis, 1999, ISBN 1-57958-118-8 , p. 26.
2. ↑ ^{a b c} David Culshaw: Alvis three liter in detail: TA 21 to TF 21 1950–67. Herridge and Sons, Beaworthy, Devon, England, 2003, ISBN 0-9541063-2-6 , p. 64.
3. ↑ Nick Walker: A – Z of British Coachbuilders 1919–1960. Herridge & Sons, Shebbear 2007, ISBN 978-0-9549981-6-5 , p. 150.
4. ↑ ^{a b c d} Dieter Günther: Swiss Connection . In: Oldtimer Market. Special issue no. 14: "Luxury, performance and four seats: Gran Turismo - the big coupés". 1994, p. 17.
5. ^ Rainer W. Schlegelmilch, Hartmut Lehbrink: English sports car . Könemann, Cologne 2001, ISBN 3-8290-7449-2 , p. 23.
6. ↑ ^{a b c d e f} John Fox: Alvis Cars 1946-1967: The Post-War Years , Amberley Publishing Limited, 2016, ISBN 9781445656311 .
7. ↑ ^{a b c} Roger Gloor: All cars of the 50s. 1st edition. Motorbuch Verlag, 2007, ISBN 978-3-613-02808-1 , p. 57.
8. ↑ Nick Walker: A – Z of British Coachbuilders 1919–1960 . Herridge & Sons, Shebbear 2007, ISBN 978-0-9549981-6-5 , p. 204.
9. ↑ ^{a b c} History of the Alvis 3-liter models on the website alvisarchive.com (accessed on July 25, 2017).
10. ^ ^{A b} David Culshaw: Alvis three liter in detail: TA 21 to TF 21 1950–67. Herridge and Sons, Beaworthy, Devon, England, 2003, ISBN 0-9541063-2-6 , p. 65.
11. ^ Also John Fox: Alvis Cars 1946-1967: The Post-War Years , Amberley Publishing Limited, 2016, ISBN 9781445656311 , p. 45.
12. ↑ Jonathan Wood: The Enthusiast's Guide to British Postwar Classic Cars . 1st edition. Osprey Publishing, London 1980, ISBN 0-85045-377-1 , p. 88.
13. ↑ Andrew Whyte: The Aston Martin and Lagonda. Volume 1: Six-cylinder DB models. Motor Racing Publications, London 1984, ISBN 0-900549-83-1 , p. 39.
14. ↑ Oldtimer Market. Prices 2017, p. 68.
15. ^ David Culshaw, Peter Horrobin: The Complete Catalog of British Cars 1895-1975, Veloce Publishing Ltd, 1997, ISBN 9781874105930 , p. 40.