1940 Alvis 12/70 two-seater sports
- Engine
- 2.8L (Speed 20 2.7L bored out) inline configuration, rebuilt
A 1940 Alvis 12/70 fitted with a bespoke two-seater sports body on an unmodified original chassis, powered by a Speed 20 2.7-litre engine bored to 2.8 litres and equipped with a high-speed rear axle and hydraulic brakes. The car passed through German and American ownership, accumulating modest mileage in pre-war-style events and touring before receiving a documented $40,000 engine rebuild by Autosport Designs of New York using a new block supplied by UK specialist Red Triangle.
Ownership
- —Auction saleEstimate £130,000 – £150,000
- Date unknownGerman enthusiastpartial documentation
Used the car in pre-war motorsport events including races and hillclimbs, as well as vintage touring. Approximately 6,000 km accumulated during this period.
- Date unknownPrivate saleCurrent vendorfull documentation
Acquired from the German enthusiast; added roughly 800 km of touring before shipping to the US. Commissioned a major engine rebuild by Autosport Designs costing around $40,000, with invoices retained.
Competition
- 20152015 Colorado Grand
Car sustained high-speed touring in excess of 90 mph for over an hour during this rally while owned by the current vendor.
- —Pre-war races
Multiple pre-war race entries by the German owner; no specific event names, dates, or results recorded in the prose.
- —Pre-war hillclimbs
Several hillclimb appearances by the German owner during the pre-war period; no further detail provided.
Maintenance & restoration
- —Restoration
Car was comprehensively restored to its current form, including fitting a custom two-seater sports body, retaining the original unmodified chassis, and installing a high-speed rear axle, hydraulic brakes and a bored-out 2.8-litre Speed 20 engine.
Restoration carried out under the previous owner's tenure; documentation is held covering this period.
- —Modification
An auxiliary cooling fan was added to improve performance in low-speed urban and motorway conditions.
- —Engine rebuildAutosport Designs
A thorough engine rebuild costing approximately $40,000 was undertaken, incorporating a new block sourced from UK specialist Red Triangle; the block was line-bored and honed, all worn components were replaced as required, and the cylinder head and valves were fully serviced.
Workshop located in Huntington Station, New York. Supporting invoices are on file. Following completion, the engine has accumulated only run-in mileage.
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