Model: SA 25.63: Car #: 18039 — Chassis #: 13105 — Engine #: 13547
Despatched to: London Agent — Chas. Follett Ltd., London, 31 March 1936
Additional Notes: Polished show chassis; Extra spare wheel; 4.3-litre engine fitted W.R.2849 – 9.1.37
The chassis was prepared by the Alvis Works as a show chassis and exhibited at both the Paris Motor Show in October 1935 and the Scottish Motor Show the following month. After those exhibitions, the chassis was bought by Swedish racing driver Per Lars Henrik ‘Henken’ Widengren whose most notable success was finishing 5th in an Aston Martin at the 1932 Le Mans 24-Hour Race.
Henken was keen to have unique coachwork and commissioned a body by Bertelli Ltd., Feltham, Middlesex which was owned by Enrico ‘Harry’ Bertelli, the brother of ‘Gus’ Bertelli of Aston Martin.
Widengren and Bertelli worked together on designing this stunning 2-door ‘Airline’ saloon. When Alvis announced the new 4.3-litre engine, Henken had the engine brought up to that specification; he also had fitted a rear differential with a higher ratio of 3.8:1.
When war broke out in 1939 the car was put into storage until it was bought by Walter Lindquist in 1947. It was then purchased by Tommy H. Brahmer from Rotebro, near Stockholm, in 1953 who undertook a re-build of the engine and repainted the body-work in white over black.
In 1955 the car was sold to Hans Fellenius, an artist — but unfortunately he allowed it to deteriorate somewhat. In 1969 Jarl Östensson from Länghen, Sweden purchased the car and began a slow restoration. The car was purchased by the current owner in 2009 and has since been restored by Red Triangle to its current condition.
The Alvis Car Company now offers this breath-taking coachwork as one of the options on its new Continuation Series.
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Displayed courtesy of The Alvis Car Company from Monday 14th October to Sunday 20th October 2019.