Alvis Speed 20 SB Vanden Plas 'Flatback' Coupe

The Speed 20 SB with Vanden Plas 'Flatback' coachwork is among the best-looking closed Alvis bodies of the 1930s. This car, chassis 11288, is one of only eight known survivors from a run of 36, and the dealer describes it as the most original of them.

It left the works on 8 March 1934, finished in black with brown leather, and was supplied new to Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster. After a handful of owners it passed into the current family's hands in 1961, and the car stayed with them for 61 years. The family chose to conserve it rather than restore it. Chassis, body and engine numbers are stated to match.

Work on file includes a refurbished BTH magneto (1973), a refreshed gearbox (1974), a new radiator (1980) and an overhaul of the straight-six with a new crankshaft (1991 to 1993). Light recommissioning followed in 2020. In 2021 the rear wheels were reconditioned, new tyres fitted, the clutch relined and the engine tuned. The interior has been re-coloured and conserved, with its original headlining. The exterior has had a recent repaint in black with green sides, and the brightwork has been rechromed. An original instruction book and a history file dating back to 1961 come with it. The page shows the price marked "Accepted", so an offer appears to have been agreed.