1936 Alvis Speed 20 SD

I took this photograph on 9 May 2014 during a parade at the annual Liberation Day festivities in Guernsey marking the liberation of the Channel Islands from Nazi German occupation in 1945.

It's a 1936 Alvis Speed 20, one of 1165 that were produced between 1932 and 1936. The SA and SB models had a 2,511cc 6-cylinder inline engine which was increased to 2,762cc for the SC and SD models. BYK 196 is one of the SD models.

1936 Alvis Speed 20 SD

I photographed this car in one of the car parks at the Vintage Sports Car Club's Hawthorn Memorial Trophies race meeting at Oulton Park in June 2008.

It’s an  Alvis Speed 20 SD Drop head coupe car with bodywork by Vanden Plas. The chassis left Alvis on 31st October 1935, was completed by Vanden Plas on 1st March 1936, and was sold in April 1936.  It is one of 5 produced as a Model SD with drop head coupe body design by Vanden Plas. Its chassis number is 13013, one of probably only three that remain, and is the only car of its type registered in the membership list of the Alvis Owner Club. Mechanically the Speed 20 SD was one of the most advanced cars manufactured in the pre war years, having independent front suspension and a gearbox with synchromesh on all gears. The 2,762cc straight-6 engine was extremely powerful giving the car a top speed of over 90 miles per hour and it is fitted with a high ratio differential which enables it to cruise comfortably in modern traffic.