1933 Talbot AV105 ‘Ulster Coupe’ Coachwork by Vanden Plas
Chassis Number: 35209
Registration Number: TAS 354
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, the Ulster TT and Brooklands the Talbot AV105 was clearly the most effective British sporting car of its size in the period. These successes culminated in the 1934 Alpine Trial where the famed Talbot Team of specially bodied and prepared cars, registered BGH 21, 22 and 23, got through this most arduous of events without losing a single mark. 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.
Inspired by Talbots success in the Alpine Trials and in the famed Ulster TT races renowned coachbuilders Vanden Plas unveiled two new designs on the AV105 chassis a tourer the ‘Coupe des Alpes’ and a sports saloon the ‘Ulster Coupe’ as offered here. These were exhibited at the 1932 Motor Show where they caused a great deal of interest, HRH Prince George put down an order for a Coupe for example.
These cars were bodied in aluminium, with a sunroof and as a 2-door, close coupled 4 seater were the most sporting of closed bodies offered on the most sporting car Talbot made the AV105. As such in the words of The Autocar magazine who enthusiastically road tested them they were ‘a sports car with a roof’. Ever since they have been regarded as the most desirable of Talbot saloons.
The car offered here Vanden Plas body number 1874 was delivered in early 1933 as confirmed in the sales ledgers of both Talbot and Vanden Plas. Of the three known surviving Ulster Coupes this car has a roof line 1-inch lower than both of the other survivors, since it is said that Prince George objected to not being able to get in the car without removing his top-hat and he returned his car to Vanden Plas to have the roof-line raised, all subsequent Ulster Coupes followed this example. ‘35209’ managed to escape this fate and as such the lower roofline makes it in our eyes a much more elegant car and indeed in our opinion the best looking of all Talbot saloons.
Little is known of the cars early history until it was purchased by Ian Polson founder of our sister restoration company Talbot specialists IS Polson in the 1980s, as a dismantled restoration project from a firm of modern racing car preparers who had somehow ended up with it.
The car remained with Ian in store until sold by him still in need of restoration to the current deceased vendor in 1997, for whom he embarked on a complete and painstaking restoration as shown by invoice on file, with trim carried out by John Foy.
Following completion in 2002 the car was used with great enthusiasm for high-speed touring exactly as the manufacturers had intended, with tours being completed throughout Europe and the UK including to the Alps, culminating in a trip to New Zealand in 2019. His use is typically thoroughly documented in a notebook kept in the cars glovebox.
Indeed the late owner simultaneously owned an M45 Lagonda tourer and although he loved the effortless power of the Lagonda, the Talbot was used far more regularly due to being easier to drive, more comfortable and indeed faster point to point then the Lagonda.
Throughout this period the car was regularly maintained by IS Polson an enormous amount of invoices on file testify to the fact that ‘35209’ has wanted for nothing throughout the current ownership. This included an engine rebuild in 2015. Most recently the car had a thorough going through both mechanically and bodily following the 2019 New Zealand tour.
Sadly following the return from New Zealand the owners health declined and he was unable to use the car, so it remained in good storage.
In preparation for its reluctant sale the late owners family have had IS Polson service and re-commission the car and it is now offered for sale as a most elegant ‘Sports Car With A Roof’ ideally suited to tearing up Alpine passes in superb elegance and comfort.