1938 Alvis Speed 25 Cross & Ellis Tourer
- Engine
- Inline six-cylinder, upgraded SC variant, aluminum head, dual exhaust
- Colour
- Ivory
A 1938 Alvis Speed 25 four-door Tourer bodied by Cross & Ellis, one of only 39 such open cars built and one of seven fitted with the upgraded SC engine. Delivered new to a Yorkshire dealer in May 1938, the car passed through several notable American owners after being brought to the United States, and underwent a comprehensive restoration in Napa, California, during the 1990s. It carries CCCA full-classic status and is accompanied by original accessories and Alvis Owners Club documentation.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$115,500
- 1938-05-01 →Factory deliveryWaterhouse & Sons (Yorkshire dealer)full documentation
Initial retail distributor in Yorkshire; car left the factory finished in black with green leather trim.
- → 1975Private saleBallard Crookerpartial documentation
Virginia-based Alvis enthusiast who bought the car from Bond for continental driving, then brought it to the United States; exhibited it at two American shows in 1965 and 1975.
- 1975 → 1979Private saleJohn Grotzpartial documentation
Wallingford, Pennsylvania collector who held the car for approximately four years before selling it on.
- 1979 → 2007Private saleJames Hammerspartial documentation
San Jose, California collector who owned the car for nearly three decades; commissioned a comprehensive restoration in Napa during the 1990s, changing the finish to ivory, and later had the engine upgraded with an aluminum head and improved lubrication and exhaust systems.
- 2007-08-01 →Private saleCurrent consignorpartial documentation
Maintained the car in good order and entered it in a concours event in 2009.
- Date unknownUnknown first private ownernone documentation
Identity not recorded; car passed through at least one unidentified hand before reaching Bond in the mid-1950s.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownJack Bondpartial documentation
London-based owner who displayed the car at Silverstone in mid-1955; subsequently sold it to an American buyer for European touring use.
Competition
- 1955-07-01Silverstone exhibition
Car was displayed rather than raced; shown by then-owner Jack Bond at the Silverstone venue.
- 1965-10-01New Hope Auto Show
Exhibited by Ballard Crooker at this American show.
- 1975Buck Hill Falls show
Displayed by Crooker approximately ten years after the New Hope appearance.
- 2009-09-01Palos Verdes Concours d'Elegance
Entered by the current consignor; no award result mentioned in the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- —Restoration
Comprehensive full restoration carried out in Napa, California, including a repaint to the current ivory colour scheme replacing the original black finish.
Work took place during the 1990s; precise year not stated.
- —Engine rebuild
Engine upgrades completed a few years after the restoration, comprising a new aluminium cylinder head with hardened valve seats, an internal full-flow oil filtration system, and a stainless-steel dual exhaust system.
Carried out sometime after the 1990s restoration; exact date not recorded.
- —Service
Ongoing care and maintenance as required during the current owner's tenure since August 2007.
Are you the owner of this car?
This car's public record is built from its auction and competition history. Register your ownership and privately add your own records to make it a verified Legacy Metrics passport — provenance that backs your car's value at sale and gives your insurer evidence to price against. Roy reviews and verifies every registration personally.