1937 Alvis Silver Crest Drophead Foursome Coupe

This car was delivered to the dealer Charles Follet on 31st March 1937 and supplied new to H.G. Regnart of London N21.

This particular example has been extensively restored to a very high standard over the last decade or so, and has been living in the Republic of Ireland.

It has been brought to us by the son of the late owner.

It is really very hard to fault in any meaningful way.

It presents exceptionally well from every angle and has clearly been maintained, cared-for and cherished with enthusiasm, commitment and expertise in equal and abundant measure.

The car starts, goes, runs and stops and you would hope and expect, and once you’ve got your head around some of its 1937 starting procedures and protocols, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the relative modernity of the driving experience.

In short, it’s as wonderfully well-preserved and conditioned as it is vanishingly rare and undeniably elegant.

It really is quite a thing and we like it a great deal.

This car’s decidedly stately presence is leant an entirely appropriate and fitting touch of gravitas and class by the two-tone grey and black paintwork.

The swooping curves of the body are a joy to behold.

You can still get a real sense of the exceptional build quality of this car from operating the doors, which open and close with the kind of weight, precision and certainty we’ve come to expect from more recent Teutonic offerings from Stuttgart or Zuffenhausen.

The paintwork, too, is glossy, shiny and lustrous.

All of the brightwork - from the lights, bumpers and grille to the trim and landaulette arms - is gleaming and free of foxing or pitting.

The wire wheels are in fine fettle, aside from a few streaks of surface rust here and there on the grey-painted spokes.

The black fabric hood, which looks virtually brand new, goes up and down as it should and is bereft of any nicks, rips, holes or splits that we can find anywhere.

The running boards are reassuringly firm and solid.

There are a few scratches and scuffs on the inside face of the o/s/f wing where the adjacent bonnet door has made its mark, plus some scratches atop the n/s/f wing.

There is a split in the paint and a small spot of nascent bubbling at the base of the n/s/r wing behind the bumper, and one or two scuffs and minor scratches on the wing above it.

We also spotted a tiny dink to the bodywork adjoining the lower boot compartment on the nearside, and some scratches on the upper boot compartment door.

Basically though, it’s all very good indeed.

The interior is in more or less time-warp condition and it’s hard to believe that you’re sitting in something that started life in the year Amelia Earhart went missing, the Hindenburg went up in flames, J.R.R. Tolkien published The Hobbit, and the Golden Gate Bridge opened.

The grey leather upholstery is buttery-soft to the touch and untroubled by anything as vulgar as creasing or other signs of wear.

We were particularly taken by the carpeted backs to the front seats which, by the way, are very comfortable and supportive.

The carpets and rugs are in first-class order, as are the door cards.

The hood lining, which is a Jacquard-like pattern in beige, is fine.

The various wood inserts on the dashboard, door cappings and elsewhere are very good.

All dials, knobs, instruments, levers, switches and controls look fine to us and, as far as we’re aware, everything works.

The boot is equally impressive, with the upper half containing a tonneau cover for the hood, and the lower half a spare wheel.

The engine bay is impressively clean and tidy and everything appears to be in its right and proper place.

The car’s undersides look equally good and appear to have plenty of structural integrity.

We saw nothing whatsoever to make us raise an eyebrow or tut.

This car comes with very little history at present, aside for a copy of the original Alvis record.

When or if more paperwork comes through we will, of course, post photographs of it on this site.

Alvis was a very important, influential and much-missed manufacturer of some exceptional cars.

Mercifully, there are people out there preserving, restoring, curating and cherishing them.

We’ve never encountered one of these before and we know it’s highly unlikely that we’ll ever see one again.

Even less likely are the chances of it being anywhere near as good as this one.

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £40,000 - £45,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.