1938 Alvis Speed 25 SC Roadster

Coachwork converted from standard Charlesworth body

3,571cc OHV 6-Cylinder Inline Engine
3 SU Carburetors
106bhp at 3,800rpm
4-Speed Manual Transmission
Independent Front Suspension - Live Rear Axle
4-Wheel Drum Brakes

*Great looking pre-war British sportscar
*In Frank Spain's collection for 30 years
*Potential to be a good touring classic

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

Wayne Brooks has kindly provided a comprehensive record of the history of this car, confirming that as new it was the second of eight Charlesworth Tourers built along the same lines as Cross and Ellis cars had been. The car left the works after war had commenced being dispatched to Liverpool agents William Watson & Co. Ltd on February 27, 1940. As new, it was painted black with red trim and would be registered on the UK license 'GKA 22'. Watson's sold the car to Lt. Col. R. H. Gregory of Messrs. Gregory's of Liverpool. Ltd., Speke in Lancashire. Records show that it was in the Works in 1942 for a major overhaul, but Gregory kept the car throughout the war. After this in 1946 it passed Jack Taylor in Tiverton, in the 'West Country' of the UK. 8 years later and a move came again, this time north to Scotland, when the car was bought by A. Graig of Edinburgh. Its last British owner was Bernard Hutson, of London, SW10 in the late 1950s. At this point, the car migrated across the Atlantic to Ballard J. Crooker, Jr., of Bon Air and later Sandston, Virginia, this being roughly 1959. Crooker Jr. did not hold onto the car for long, being it passed to Joseph D. Bye, of Sebring, Ohio, in 1960. On arrival in the US photos show it to have been light metallic green, but a repaint in a deep maroon color was carried out in this period.

In 1965, ownership changed again to George L. Horn, Jr. who was based in Baltimore and then Randallstown, Maryland in the mid-1960s. A longer term custodian was Ira Conkling who kept the car for the next decade or more, first at his place in Philadelphia and then in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where when he elected to part with it, he auctioned the car in 1976. The buyer was one Gene Rubeck who had participated from Bloomington, Indiana. It would seem that this was either speculative, or the car didn't appeal to him as much as he'd hoped as by August 1977, the Speed 25 was offered at another auction at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival. The car would then stay local for a while with D. Feagler of Plymouth, Indiana, before moving west to two keepers, Lt. Col. John C. Bergh, Ret. of Sun City West in Arizona, who kept her through most of the 1980s. Frank Spain purchased the car at the annual Scottsdale auction in January 1989.

To judge from its looks, the original Charlesworth body has clearly been customized at some point in its career, with cut down full length fenders and a roadster style tail, with rear mounted spare tire. The front of the car is adorned with an eagle hood ornament atop the radiator and large high quality French Marchal headlamps. Mr. Brooks charts this conversion to be most likely to have occurred prior to its arrival in the US as it has always taken this guise since here. The conversion is unquestionably a success and whilst it may not be a car for the purist, it must be lighter than standard coachwork and when combined with the appealing characteristics and refined engineering of the Speed 25 model, it would no doubt provide a great touring car.