This is Cal Swank's 1952 Alvis TA21. The model TA 21 Alvis three position drop head coupe was first shown in 1950 at the Earl's Court Motor Show and went into production as Alvis' first three liter car in January of 1951. This particular vehicle, a 1952 Tickford-bodied car, is a very rare left-hand drive model and was completed a year later in January 1952. It was dispatched from the Alvis works in Coventry to Fergus Motors in New York City and still carries the original Fergus Motors ID plate on the firewall.
The original purchaser was D. Camron Peck of Chicago, a well-known car collector of that era. Mr. Peck collected many unrestored cars of the late '30s and '40s to avoid having them be scrapped in the war effort. By the early '50s, near the time he purchased this vehicle, his collection included roughly 175 restored cars, including the Bugatti Royale Berline and Gary Cooper's Duesenberg.
When Peck's collection was broken up, the Alvis went through four or more owners, primarily in the Northeast. It was eventually brought to Florida and passed through three or more owners. Cal Swank is the tenth owner.
This car has undergone extensive cosmetic restoration but still retains all original parts, drivetrain and engine. It reflects the true flavor of an English gentleman's car of its era and is a prime example of such vehicles produced by the English in the early postwar years.