1947 Alvis TA14

Believed to be one of only two Knibbs-bodied drophead coupés left, ‘JMB 933’ is a 1947 Alvis TA14 that’s finished in green with a red leather interior.

Renowned marque specialists Red Triangle restored/refreshed in 2002, with the seller’s father buying it seven years later. His daughter remembers he was especially proud of his car’s rarity, and also enjoyed its simplicity, which allowed him to tinker with it whenever he felt the urge or something needed repairing.

He sadly passed away, and his beloved Alvis is now in his daughter’s care. It had been standing for a few years, so she honoured him by having it lightly recommissioned in July 2025. As a result, it now starts and runs, but it would benefit from being further fettled. 
 

As Phil Spencer might say, the Alvis has good bones but is in need of updating; while the paintwork is a bit scruffy, the underlying panels look pretty good overall, and they still fit well.

As you’d expect of such a well-regarded firm, Red Triangle’s wok is holding up.

The folding roof rises and falls as it should too, and we can’t see any significant damage other than the expected overall wear ‘n’ tear.

The steel wheels have been painted to match the bodywork. They’re in a decent condition and are enhanced with a set of good chrome Alvis hubcaps. The Avon tyres are old though, so you should budget for new ones.

The extensive chromework, which includes an imposing radiator grille, is in a decent condition, albeit with light tarnishing and rust spots. We suspect a lot of it would polish out but if you’re looking for a concours finish then most of it will need to be replated.

Other noteworthy items include a bonnet ornament, one period and one modern badge on the badge bar, two auxiliary driving lights, a hand-operated spotlight on the offside A-pillar, wing-mounted mirrors, front and rear indicators, twin chrome horns, and a Knibbs build plate on either sill.

As for work to do, there are plenty of bubbles and flaws in the paint, some of which have rust underneath them. Extensive bodywork will be needed, but the car’s coachbuilt status means restoring it and painting it would be more straightforward than it would be on a more monocoque car, so it should be within the capabilities of a talented home restorer.

The windscreen rubber is old and brittle too, as is the fuel filler neck. The side windows have also deteriorated to the point they will need to be replaced. 
 

The interior is as patinated as the coachwork but that’s okay because few cars were a patina better than an old Alvis; if it were ours, we’d be tempted to give the leather a good clean and a feed but leave it otherwise untouched.

But YMMV, so here’s a rundown of its condition.

The front seats are heavily creased and a bit grubby. There is also a rip in the base of the driver’s seat but as the stuffing and springs on all the seats appears be resilient your problems may just be cosmetic – if you decide they are indeed problems.

The rear seat is in a better condition but still features creases and scratches. The fold-down armrest still does all that is required of it though, and the rear bench seat offers good legroom.

The door cards and rear side trim panels are in a good condition with no obvious damage or faults.

The carpets, which are tan with red edging, look more recent than the rest of the interior. All are in a very good condition with the exception of the piece that covers the transmission tunnel.

The woodwork, which includes the dashboard and door cappings, really needs sanding down and revarnishing. It all seems to be complete too, bar the glovebox handle, which doesn’t look original.

The ivory-faced Smiths instruments, controls, and steering wheel are all fine though, and could be placed near the bottom of your To Do list.

The boot trimming is rudimentary, and we can see the car’s new owner will probably want to redo it. But, as it’s going to be hidden from view most of the time, it too could probably wait. 
 

The centre-hinged bonnet gives unrivalled access to the engine. Which is handy because, as we mentioned, while it starts and idles, it doesn’t run as well as it might.

The underside is solid and so simple that anyone with a rudimentary understanding of a car’s mechanical components would have no trouble in working on it, and the exhaust is in good shape.

The chassis look pretty good too, with what looks like only surface rust in the parts we examined, although the wheelarches look a bit rustier. 
 

The recent Vehicle History Check has a marker for the car having been written off or scrapped at some point. We have no further details, but it may be related to the rebuild by Red Triangle in 2002.

The history file also includes the buff logbook, plenty of old photos, a bunch of expired MoT certificates and tax discs, parts catalogues, and the Alvis ‘Manual of Instructions’.

It also holds a Red Triangle maintenance record booklet, plus many invoices and bills, many of which come from that very firm and date back to 1970.

These invoices include what looks like a pretty through restoration/refresh by them in 2002, and the bills run to an easy five-figures.

The Alvis also comes with some spares. Please see the photos at the very bottom of the gallery, but note that they are at the seller’s father’s house, so the winning bidder will need to liaise with her to collect them in person.

The Alvis doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have it MoT’d at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MoT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic vehicle, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies… 

Interestingly, we believe the other Knibbs-bodied TA14 is deconstructed, and has been for some years, making this the only one that’s actually running. We are aware of this because the seller’s father explained to her how the other owner had visited him in recent years, to view his car in its complete state. 

The Alvis world is a small and charming one – and with a very reasonable entry fee.

Because we estimate this one will only fetch somewhere between £5,000 and £8,000, but as it is being offered with no reserve, it’s going to sell no matter what.

Post-war motoring has never been more affordable. 

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 ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.