A holiday in Wyoming can be relied on to include great things by the roadside. Such as bears, moose, elk and buffalo. But a 1926 Alvis?
Yes, a 1926 Alvis 12/50, and still registered and taxed in the UK. Only 3,700 were built.
And a 1935 Alvis 3 1/2 litre. This was a larger engined version of the Speed 20 and Speed 25 – and only around 1,100 of all verisons were built.
Alvis was a relatively new company, formed after WW1. It never achieved the volume of Rover, but competed at that point in the market, with a range of sporting saloons, alongside light military vehicles. Eventually, in 1965, Alvis was absorbed into Rover, and the car brand died. The military business was sold to an independent Alvis plc, which passed into British Aerospace in 2003.
The 12/50 had a 1645cc engine, and this one has Alvis’ distinctive ‘duck’s back’ body, seating three.
They were driving across North America on an epic endurance trip, accompanied by a Lagonda that CC’s European Editor Roger Carr believes is a 1933-35 M45, powered by a 4.5 litre OHV straight 6.
Lagonda was one of the most prestigious of the British sporting / luxury cars of the period, and only 410 M45s were built – so finding one one anywhere is remarkable, in Yellowstone NP even more so.
These brave adventurers were supported by what we must now call a mark one Forward Control Land Rover from 1977 (the mark 2 Landie having been announced that very day!), fitted with the famous Rover V8.
And, yes, it’s a bit chilly in Wyoming in September. Minus 3 degrees Celsius at 8am, according to my Mustang.
Sorry, Kia Soul.
Didn’t deter these guys though.
Elsewhere in Yellowstone National Park, we encountered the relatively normal sight of 4 Austin Healey 3000 mark 2s, on the return leg of a road trip from San Francisco to North Dakota for the Austin Healey Club annual conclave. Rotten job, but someone had to do it.
Is the yellow original?
I’m not qualified to guess the age of this Beetle, but it was a long way from home – Georgia.
And does anyone know what this is?
Vixen, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vixen_(RV)
I forgot to mention that this summer I got a text of a picture of a Vixen that my friend had seen in MN, asking me if I knew what it was.
Thanks to the decals under the window and google it is a Vixen.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vixen_(RV)
You found a Vixen!! They were a cool, space efficient minivan built from 1986 to 1989 in a defunct GM plant I believe. The founder wanted to create fuel-efficient motorhomes, worrying that fuel prices would rise again after the 1970s oil shocks. They were powered by the BMW turbo diesel that was also sold in the Lincoln Mark VII.
They were inspired by the GMC Motorhomes but were much smaller and could fit in garages. A few years ago I saw a video presentation of the history of it by the founder at Vixen owners’ association event. He had his daughter, a designer, create a shower enclosure where you stand sideways to minimize space. They used to advertise in the back pages of Automobile Magazine at the time. Like the GMC, perhaps too far ahead of its time and not large enough for mainstream RV customers.
http://www.vixenrv.com/History.php
So it’s built to fit into a garage, but the owner shouldn’t be taller than 5ft. Maybe this explains why only so few of these were sold.
Clever longitudinally hinged tilt up roof allowed taller folks to stand up, at least on side opposite hinges.
Standing sideways? Not quite sure how to do that without falling over……
I really think that buffalos are aware of street rules. Once we drove trough Montana and they were using the side strip on the right. Another time they crossed the road very commendable, one after the other, no buffalo stopped while crossing. Then again some buffalos just stood there, but that was a at parking space /picnic area.
The Beetle is most likely a ’72. It has the wider rims introduced in ’72 and doesn’t appear to have the round taillights (with fender bulges) introduced in ’73.
Great to see this assortment! No Jordans there, but I couldn’t help but think of “Somewhere West of Laramie.”
When I lived in SE Idaho, we preferred to visit Yellowstone before Memorial Day or after Labor Day. Some roads likely still/already closed due to snow, but far fewer tourists.
Photo 65-ish years earlier has a different auto population:
Wow, that’s extraordinary. From what I can tell from the triangle-shaped placard on the 12/50’s side, these folks are driving from Nova Scotia to Alaska. Though the route shown on the placard doesn’t seem to include Yellowstone, so maybe the changed their route? Regardless, that’s an incredible feat, and makes the Austin-Healey’s California-to-North Dakota trip seem unadventurous.
I’d love to know more about these folks and how their trip went. After all, the logistics in executing such a trip is mind-boggling (for example, I wonder how the vehicles all got back home from Alaska?) And that Land Rover support vehicle is rather amazing.
I’m glad the Yellowstone scenery was so rewarding for you, in an unexpected way!
I thought that about Nova Scotia – Alaska the long way round too – but the badge dates that as 2017-18. This must be round 2!
My goodness… they’ve done this sort of thing last year too?? These folks must have some great stories to tell.
I’d love to ride in a car like this sometime… but maybe not 4,000 miles at once!
We were in Yellowstone when those Healys were visiting. Saw some of them earlier at Mt Rushmore as well. Missed the Alvis, sadly.
Little known fact: the Alvis is named for Alvis Prasley, the famous rack and roal singer.
I like his song “A Bag Hunk O’Lava”.🎵
Vixen? When I hear that name, I immediately think of this:
+1
Oh, I’ve been after them CC rabbits again, thankyou very much, Mr Paws.
Specifically, down the tunnel with entrance marked “”Alvis 12/50”. There’s something permanently appealing about these, especially as an alloy duck’s bum model. There’s a few in Australia, from new, and I’ve had a good look at them before. They’re great and eccentric lookers, and in their day, fast: more than 80 mph for the ducky one, for example. It wouldn’t be going at buffalo pace. Yes, please.
But not at minus 3. I’d seek solace in the souless Soul till a bit of sun melted things a bit. The sort of midday sun these mad Englishmen SHOULD be going out in, even if without mad dogs.
How cold is -3° C in fahrenheit?
(Can you translate next time for us 🇺🇸exceptionalites🇺🇸, please.)
Wyoming is beautiful. I’ve been there many times. Clearest skies I ever saw. We jumped off 30′ (10 meter) cliffs into the Shoshone River outside Cody when me and Mrs.TheMann were young and awesome. The water is super-cold from mountain snow runoff and seemingly endlessly deep. A lake inside Yellowstone has a white rock bottom, and is perfectly clear and drinkable. Also, blah blah animals and such if you’re into that. 😉
-3 C is about 26 degrees Fahrenheit, not really cold but a fine brisk morning nonetheless.
As someone who lives fairly close to Yellowstone I visit it a couple of times a year and it is usually a car-lover’s treat as you are very likely to see some interesting cars being driven by rich tourists. In years past I saw a Rolls Royce Camargue and a Lamborghini Espada being driven through the park, the only time I’ve ever actually seen either car.