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1931' Alvis 12/60
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£49,000Published 12 February 2022ID: PMfo0m
Expired
2 years, 10 months ago
2 years, 10 months ago
Information from the owner
Body: Sports Car
Age: 91 years
Seller's comments about 1931' Alvis 12/60
1931 Alvis 12/ 60 “Beetleback” Two-Seater Sports
Coachwork by Carbodies
Car No. 13721
Chassis No. 8881
Engine No. 9079
Registration No. VC 8422 (UK)
Following on from the enormous success of the Alvis 12/ 50 and the relative commercial failure of the front-wheel drive model, demand was such that Alvis re-introduced the 12/ 50 in 1931. Alongside the “revival period” 12/ 50, Alvis offered a sportier model, namely the 12/ 60. Fitted with twin carburettors and a high compression engine the 12/ 60 was good for 80mph. In 1931 Motorsport magazine noted that 30mpg could be achieved even when driven hard. The Alvis 12/ 50s and ‘60s are rightly regarded as one of the most reliable and popular of all 20s/ 30s sports cars. They have been one of the “mainstays” of the Vintage Sports Car Club since its inception in 1934.
Copy factory records on file indicate that the Alvis 12/ 60 “Beetleback” offered for sale here, chassis no. 8880 was dispatched from the factory on the 25th May 1931 and was fitted with two-seater sports coachwork by Carbodies (Body no. 3835). The first owner is noted as a Mr. James Wallace Macfarlane of Glasgow. Well-known to The Alvis Register, the early history is not noted beyond the original owner, but certainly by the 1960s , this 12/ 60, registered VC 8422, was owned by Mr. McCosh so it seems likely that the car remained in Scotland for most of its early life. McCosh competed in the car and at some stage (most likely the 1960s) a hydraulic brake conversion was engineered by Herbet Niven of Glasgow. Furthermore the pedal configuration was altered such that the brake pedal is in the centre with the throttle on the right – all features that remain on the car today.
In c1965 Mr. McCosh suffered a road traffic accident in ‘VC 8422’ that caused quite extensive damage to the body, wings , headlights and radiator and the car was taken off the road. According to The Alvis Register census records the damaged 12/ 60 was viewed by a Mr. Wetherall in 1969 but at that time it was not economically viable to repair the car. He re-visited ‘VC 8422’ in 1972, having heard that some repair work had been carried out and decided to purchase the car and restore it for the road. In the Alvis records it is noted that by this time ‘VC 8422’ had been fitted with engine no. 9079 (the original engine supplied was no. 9441) but it is not known exactly when this happened. Initially the car was restored to running condition with a complete overhaul taking place during the 1980s and ‘VC 8422’ was finally returned to the road in the spring of 1990 – a detailed account of the works carried out are included in the accompanying history file. Mr. Wetherall should certainly be given some considerable credit for having the bravery, patience and tenacity to rescue an original bodied car and return it to the road when it would, of course, been so much easier to turn it into a special or simply butcher it for parts.
‘VC 8422’ changed hands in 1991 and has since resided in Essex with two separate owners since. The history file offered with the car contains invoices amounting to c£5, 000 for works carried out since 2010, with noted restorer Jonathan Wood being responsible for much of the work. Also included are the aforementioned copy Alvis records, a current V5C together with current and past MOT certificates.
During my ownership the car has had a Kenlowe fan fitted and has had regular maintenance with CPE Engineering located at Bicester Heritage.
Coachwork by Carbodies
Car No. 13721
Chassis No. 8881
Engine No. 9079
Registration No. VC 8422 (UK)
Following on from the enormous success of the Alvis 12/ 50 and the relative commercial failure of the front-wheel drive model, demand was such that Alvis re-introduced the 12/ 50 in 1931. Alongside the “revival period” 12/ 50, Alvis offered a sportier model, namely the 12/ 60. Fitted with twin carburettors and a high compression engine the 12/ 60 was good for 80mph. In 1931 Motorsport magazine noted that 30mpg could be achieved even when driven hard. The Alvis 12/ 50s and ‘60s are rightly regarded as one of the most reliable and popular of all 20s/ 30s sports cars. They have been one of the “mainstays” of the Vintage Sports Car Club since its inception in 1934.
Copy factory records on file indicate that the Alvis 12/ 60 “Beetleback” offered for sale here, chassis no. 8880 was dispatched from the factory on the 25th May 1931 and was fitted with two-seater sports coachwork by Carbodies (Body no. 3835). The first owner is noted as a Mr. James Wallace Macfarlane of Glasgow. Well-known to The Alvis Register, the early history is not noted beyond the original owner, but certainly by the 1960s , this 12/ 60, registered VC 8422, was owned by Mr. McCosh so it seems likely that the car remained in Scotland for most of its early life. McCosh competed in the car and at some stage (most likely the 1960s) a hydraulic brake conversion was engineered by Herbet Niven of Glasgow. Furthermore the pedal configuration was altered such that the brake pedal is in the centre with the throttle on the right – all features that remain on the car today.
In c1965 Mr. McCosh suffered a road traffic accident in ‘VC 8422’ that caused quite extensive damage to the body, wings , headlights and radiator and the car was taken off the road. According to The Alvis Register census records the damaged 12/ 60 was viewed by a Mr. Wetherall in 1969 but at that time it was not economically viable to repair the car. He re-visited ‘VC 8422’ in 1972, having heard that some repair work had been carried out and decided to purchase the car and restore it for the road. In the Alvis records it is noted that by this time ‘VC 8422’ had been fitted with engine no. 9079 (the original engine supplied was no. 9441) but it is not known exactly when this happened. Initially the car was restored to running condition with a complete overhaul taking place during the 1980s and ‘VC 8422’ was finally returned to the road in the spring of 1990 – a detailed account of the works carried out are included in the accompanying history file. Mr. Wetherall should certainly be given some considerable credit for having the bravery, patience and tenacity to rescue an original bodied car and return it to the road when it would, of course, been so much easier to turn it into a special or simply butcher it for parts.
‘VC 8422’ changed hands in 1991 and has since resided in Essex with two separate owners since. The history file offered with the car contains invoices amounting to c£5, 000 for works carried out since 2010, with noted restorer Jonathan Wood being responsible for much of the work. Also included are the aforementioned copy Alvis records, a current V5C together with current and past MOT certificates.
During my ownership the car has had a Kenlowe fan fitted and has had regular maintenance with CPE Engineering located at Bicester Heritage.
