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| Kenilworth heritage company Alvis making new cars with old parts | Kenilworth heritage company Alvis making new cars with old parts |
| (5 days later) | |
| The Alvis Graber Super Coupe is one of the models featured in the Continuation Series | The Alvis Graber Super Coupe is one of the models featured in the Continuation Series |
| A 103-year-old car company says it is making brand new vehicles using parts and blueprints from models produced 70 years ago. | A 103-year-old car company says it is making brand new vehicles using parts and blueprints from models produced 70 years ago. |
| Alvis started making cars in Coventry in 1920 but stopped in 1967, leaving only a company that serviced and repaired classic vehicles. | Alvis started making cars in Coventry in 1920 but stopped in 1967, leaving only a company that serviced and repaired classic vehicles. |
| But it has restarted the production of some of its most iconic designs from a base in Kenilworth, Warwickshire. | But it has restarted the production of some of its most iconic designs from a base in Kenilworth, Warwickshire. |
| The cars are not reproductions, says company owner Alan Stote. | |
| "We've just picked up where the last cars were made and produced - you could just say it's a long time between orders." | "We've just picked up where the last cars were made and produced - you could just say it's a long time between orders." |
| The cars carry Alvis chassis numbers and engine numbers which follow on from the last in the model sequence. | The cars carry Alvis chassis numbers and engine numbers which follow on from the last in the model sequence. |
| Peter Crowley started as an apprentice at the company in 1960 | Peter Crowley started as an apprentice at the company in 1960 |
| The company is producing a limited number of its famous models as the Continuation Series, using the same blueprints and manufacturing techniques as on the originals. | The company is producing a limited number of its famous models as the Continuation Series, using the same blueprints and manufacturing techniques as on the originals. |
| The engines have been updated to satisfy modern performance and emissions criteria, says Mr Stote. | |
| Peter Crowley, who started as an apprentice at the company in 1960, offers advice to current apprentices. | Peter Crowley, who started as an apprentice at the company in 1960, offers advice to current apprentices. |
| He said the rebirth was "remarkable". | He said the rebirth was "remarkable". |
| "I'm one of the last people alive who worked on the Alvis car production and then this job became available here and I thought 'wow, that's my job'," he said. | "I'm one of the last people alive who worked on the Alvis car production and then this job became available here and I thought 'wow, that's my job'," he said. |
| Mr Crowley said he was one of the last people alive who worked on the Alvis car production | Mr Crowley said he was one of the last people alive who worked on the Alvis car production |
| Mr Crowley said going back to the company 40 years on made him feel "quite emotional". | Mr Crowley said going back to the company 40 years on made him feel "quite emotional". |
| "I was actually taking engines to pieces that I'd probably assembled back in the 60s," he explained. | "I was actually taking engines to pieces that I'd probably assembled back in the 60s," he explained. |
| The Vanden Plas Tourer was manufactured from the original drawings | The Vanden Plas Tourer was manufactured from the original drawings |
| The company archive, purchased by Mr Stote, includes hundreds of thousands of original Alvis parts and more than 50,000 works drawings, technical data sheets and correspondence files. | |
| "Without the drawings and archives it would be virtually impossible," he said, "but we're just doing what Alvis have always done." | "Without the drawings and archives it would be virtually impossible," he said, "but we're just doing what Alvis have always done." |
| He added that he had been "pleasantly surprised" at the interest in the cars, with customers in Japan and the UK. | He added that he had been "pleasantly surprised" at the interest in the cars, with customers in Japan and the UK. |
| "They're essentially people who are interested in motor cars, they like things that are individual to them and they like the involvement with the manufacturing process," he said. | "They're essentially people who are interested in motor cars, they like things that are individual to them and they like the involvement with the manufacturing process," he said. |
| The firm says there is a two-year wait for the hand-built vehicles which start at about £300,000. | The firm says there is a two-year wait for the hand-built vehicles which start at about £300,000. |
| Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk | Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk |