1940 Alvis Speed 25 Charlesworth Saloon

‘EVC 564’, a Speed 25 SC Charlesworth Sports Saloon finished in Cranberry Red and black, is the very last Alvis Speed 25 built. Despatched on the 18th of October 1940, the factory was a victim of the devastating Coventry air raid a month later.

Its oxblood leather interior is offset by a new fawn headlining, and the seller describes it in glowing terms: “The final Speed 25 completed and thus benefiting from the 'short stud' cylinder head and dual exhaust system, it has been uprated with a 3.8:1 final drive ratio for more relaxed high-speed cruising.

“Purchased by a friend of mine upon its return from Europe in 2018 for the princely sum of £60,000, it was subsequently treated to £58,000 worth of mechanical work over the past six years by marque specialists Earley Engineering and Fisher DES. As a result, the car needs nothing doing to it and is ready for any long-distance touring, cruising happily at 65-70mph on motorways all day.”

It is only being offered for sale because the seller has need of the garage space.
 

The Cranberry Red and black coachwork looks stunning, doesn’t it? But then that’s what you get when you combine handbuilt craftsmanship with 90 years of dedicated curation.

It has changed colour a few times in that time and its current colour scheme has been refreshed in recent years.

For example, the bonnet and windscreen panel were painted in February 2020, and the offside front wing had some remedial work to let in new metal seven months later. Given the two bills only came to £715, we can’t imagine either problem was extensive.

This work builds on earlier fettling to tweak the doors, during which new door and window seals were installed.

The result is nothing short of magnificent. Stately and imposing, the quality of the preservation work is such that you wouldn’t know anything had been done, which is about as good as it gets, isn’t it?

The seller tells us that Dave Wilson of Fisher DES has compiled an independent engineer’s report on this car. Available direct from them, it “defines the coachwork on this car as the strongest and tightest on the road that they have come across in the last 30 years.”

It’s had a little chromework over the years too, and the chrome works in conjunction with period features like the enormous headlamps, working trafficators, and ornate door hinges to create one of the most extravagantly engineered and beautiful cars we can recall seeing.

The 19-inch centre-lock wire wheels are in a very good condition with no scrapes or dinks, but this isn’t too much of a surprise given they were fully rebuilt only recently. Painted black, they’re fitted with a matching set of Excelsior tyres.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

As for flaws, there are some bubbles on the roof above the driver’s door, the nearside rear quarter, the offside rear corner below the boot lid, and the nearside windscreen pillar.

The paintwork has also cracked on the trailing edge of the offside front wing near the latch for the driver’s door and the chrome is coming away from the rear bumper.

Oh, and the fuel filler neck has a worm-drive clip around it; we’re confident a neater solution could be found.

 

The Alvis’ multi-function steering wheel contains controls for the ignition advance, throttle, horn, and lights. It therefore predates the current obsession with cramming as many controls on the wheel as possible by a good three quarters of a century – and it does it with considerably more style than anything you can buy new.

In fact, it does everything with considerably more style than most; if you’ve ever yearned to live in a world that Agatha Christie would recognise – and who hasn’t – then this is the car for you.

Look at the pedal rubbers, for example, which have the Alvis name on them. And the gaiter for the wand-like gear lever, which is as simple as it is elegant.

The leather covering the seats actually looks like leather too. It also has a plain rather than pleated finish, something that was used on many ’39-40 motorcars, including the Bentley 4¼, to give a clean, modern appearance.

Chrome was clearly used for longevity and its tactile nature rather than because the marketing department insisted on adding a bit of bling for showroom appeal.

As for the wood, it has a heft to it that a thin veneer of walnut burr can never hope to emulate.

The instruments are comprehensive and relay information on engine revolutions, speed, distance covered, time, oil pressure, fuel level, and coolant temperature.

The controls are just as impressive and even include a switch to set the rate of damping from the Luvax shock absorbers, moving them between minimum, medium, and maximum.

The front seats might look as flat as the sort of thing you’d find in an early Land Rover but closer inspection reveals a surprising amount of lateral back and hip support as well as fore and aft adjustment and an uncommonly sophisticated design that includes carpet on the rear to prevent them being damaged by errant feet.

Their design is echoed in the rear too, with padded wheelarches mimicking the hip-level support of those in front.

The headlining has been replaced only recently with a synthetic alternative to the woolcloth that has a tendency to mildew and discolour.

The photos do not make it obvious that the new headlining extends to the sunshine roof, which is a period feature of the late 1930s. We are told that this opens and closes as it should after having been fully rebuilt and is now “100% watertight, which was not the case five years ago!”

It goes without saying that everything is in an excellent condition, including the carpets, which look virtually new.

The boot is as well-trimmed as it is voluminous. It also contains a starting handle, meaning flat batteries need never cause fear again.

 

The work that was carried out by marque specialists Earley Engineering and Fisher DES included:

•    A full engine rebuild including a rebore, a new aluminium cylinder head, fresh big-end bearings, pistons, and rings, etc. for a solid five-figure sum.
•    A rebuilt replacement gearbox was fitted at a cost of more than £4,000, along with a taller 3.8:1 rear axle ratio for more relaxed high-speed cruising at a cost of £2,297.
•    The front suspension was also rebuilt, and the cooling system received attention too, with the radiator being rebuilt with a new core. 
•    A new stainless-steel exhaust was fitted.

All invoices are on file, and if you tot them up you should arrive in the region of £58,000 in the past six years.

Truly, a money-no-object maintenance record.

As you can see, it starts on the button, idles nicely, and revs well – and it does it all with good oil pressure and a charming exhaust note.

The centre-hinge bonnet gives unparalleled access to the (very clean) straight-six engine, which would make maintenance a doddle if you fancy taking care of the routine servicing yourself.

And, just like everywhere else, charming details abound like the ‘Serck Radiators Ltd’ brass plaque – and the ‘Asquith & White’, ‘Star Engineering’, and Northern Radiators Ltd’ ones below it that confirm later repairs.

A brass plate shows the lubrication schedule; another shows the valve clearances; copper pipes feed the twin SU fuel pumps and triple SU carburettors; and a mallet and grease gun are clipped on the bulkhead.

This is the antithesis of today’s if-it-fails-just-bolt-on-a-new-component attitude.

The underside looks strong and solid and is neatly protected by underseal.

Of course, there is a little work to do: a few of the rubber suspension bushes have perished, for example, and some of the wooden frames, such as those in the doors, are showing their age.

Regarding this last point, the seller points out that the report from Fisher DES we mentioned earlier makes it clear that they “are in good structural order and tight” and that the problem is cosmetic rather than anything more serious.

This sort of maintenance and refurbishment is part and parcel of life with a ninety-year-old car and is all part of the joy of owning one.

 

A total of just 391 cars are thought to have left the Holyhead Road factory with final chassis batch bearing the chassis numbers 14549–14689. This one, chassis 14689, was fitted with engine #15173 and clothed as a Sports Saloon by Charlesworth using body #14748.

The Alvis’s full ownership history from new is known, including the time it spent in the United States and Sicily.

Alvis may have used it as a works car for a while before selling it to a Mr. E.G. Smith of Rotherham, the car’s first registered keeper.

Mr. Smith kept it for decades, eventually selling it to a Mr. Bruce L. Earlin of Milford, Pennsylvania. He changed the colour from a metallic green to a two-tone silver and loved it so much he ranked his Speed 25 as his favourite Alvis, even placing it ahead of a 4.3-litre short-chassis Vanden Plas Tourer.

Mr. Glen W. Cameron of Chesapeake, Virginia bought it from him and there are photos online of him with the car at Hershey at the annual swap meet in October 1979.

It then passed to Mr. Jerry W. Brimberry (Albany, Georgia) and Mr. Graham Bowkett (Wilmette, Illinois) before moving to a Mr. Fred Jenns of Amersham and J. McGill of Beaulieu. It also spent time in the hands of Ing Francesco Criminna in Sicily.

The recent RAC Vehicle History Check is clear bar the marker for having a change of colour and the history file includes wiring and lubrication diagrams, the Instruction Book, and a wealth of paperwork confirming the work that has been carried out.

 

Said to have been quicker than a Bentley 4.25 Litre or a Lagonda LG6 in period, this Speed 25 SC Charlesworth Sports Saloon has an estimate of between £50,000 and £60,000 – or around half what it cost the seller to buy it and bring it to the standard you see here.

It’s got a fascinating history too, comes with an impeccable provenance, and is on the button and ready to thrill and delight its new owner.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am- 12pm or 2pm-4pm. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.