1933 Talbot AV105 'Coupe des Alpes' Coachwork by Vanden Plas

Chassis Number: 35243

Registration Number: 598 UXY

As a Swiss, Talbot Chief Engineer, Georges Roesch, designed his cars with Alpine motoring in mind. With their combination of a strong and powerful push-rod six cylinder engine, powerful brakes, light and accurate steering and a compact, light yet sturdy chassis it is no surprise that Talbots excelled in the Alpine Trials of the 1930s, then undoubtedly the foremost long distance rally and an incredible test for both car and driver. Coupled with their successes at Le Mans, Ards and Brooklands the Talbot AV105 was clearly the most effective British sporting car of its size in the period. These successes culminated in the 1932 and 1934 Alpine Trials where the famed Talbot Team of specially prepared cars, got through these most arduous of events without losing a single mark on both occasions. This success has been echoed today and Talbots have been hugely successful in rallies such as the Flying Scotsman, 1000 Mile Trial, Alpine Trial and countless others.

‘UXY’ has been fitted since new with the attractive "Coupe des Alpes" style coachwork by Vanden Plas, one of the most renowned coachbuilders of the inter-War period. Named in honour of the company’s Alpine successes, this is one of four different styles (and to our mind the most attractive) they made for this chassis, of which they bodied eighty in total. Relatively light, with elegant looks, full width mudguards a reasonable sized windscreen and effective doors, coupled with the ultra-user friendly pre-selector gearbox and all the usual AV105 qualities, this makes an exceptionally effective pre-War car.

Talbot records show the car to have been ordered in February of 1933 and despatched to Vanden Plas for bodying on the 7th April, delivery being made on the 5th May. Vanden Plas records show the car to have been fitted with body number 1930, however the cars body displays stampings of 1985 which is listed in the Vanden Plas ledgers as being fitted to another identical Talbot, bodied almost simultaneously. Given there proximity in build and the Antipodean solitude that ‘UXY existed in throughout its life, it is very strongly believed this is simply an administrative error by Vanden Plas and body number 1985 has been on this chassis from new.

The records show that ‘UXY’ was delivered once completed to Talbot export shippers Tozer, Kemsley and Millbourn where all cars going abroad were sent, the car is also fitted with plates to the door shuts displaying “Supplied by George Miller” of St James Piccadilly, presumably the dealer through which the car was ordered.

Nothing is known of the first few years of this cars life, but it almost certainly went to Australia from new the only Vanden Plas bodied Talbot to do so. The first known Australian owner of the car was John Keating in New South Wales in 1953, followed by Ian McDonald in Melbourne in 1955, before passing to Peter Richards of Adelaide in 1961. See sundry invoices and purchase receipts on file, detailing this period of the cars life. Whilst owned by Richards in 1961 ‘UXY’ was the first Roesch Talbot seen by the founder of our sister restoration company Talbot specialists I.S.Polson, Ian Polson and it was this cars innate quality and performance relative to local vintage Bentleys that inspired Ian’s lifelong devotion to the Talbot marque.

Peter Richards was to use the car very actively for the first few years of his ownership before going to work in Hong Kong, the Talbot being put into store in Australia at this point. On his return in 1975 a restoration was embarked upon which would gradually proceed until being virtually completed in 2005, at which point the decision was taken by Mr Richards to sell the car.

The current owner acquired ‘UXY’ in 2006 and immediately dispatched it to highly respected marque specialist the late much missed Arthur Archer, at this point it became clear that although ‘UXY’ presented very well and looked striking freshly painted in what is believed to be its original shade of red, mechanically the car was very tired.

As such the owner decided to have Archers go through the car completely mechanically to ensure it drove as an AV105 should. To this end the car received a full engine rebuild, including fitting a good second-hand cylinder head and a fast-road camshaft, brake system rebuild, front axle rebuild, preselector gearbox rebuild, radiator rebuild and rear axle/torque tube rebuild, together with a host of other mechanical work, see copious invoices on file. Around this time the period correct registration number ‘598 UXY’ was acquired since the car had never previously been UK registered.

Since completion of the last of this work in 2014, the current owner has greatly enjoyed using ‘UXY’ on the road, revelling in its performance and ease of use and is only reluctantly offering it for sale due to advancing years.

This is a fundamentally very correct and rare "Matching numbers" (chassis/engine) example Vanden Plas bodied Talbot, benefitting from a thorough recent mechanical rebuild by one of the leading marque specialists. As when new these are very effective long distance tourers, easily keeping pace with modern traffic, ‘UXY’ would be particularly suitable for continental touring and long distance rallies.