1933 Talbot AV105 Alpine Team Car Replica

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 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, Shamrock Rally, Alpine Trial and countless others. 

As such we are pleased to offer this example, which we have known and been involved with for many years and which unlike many replicas of the famed ‘BGH’ Team cars is based on the correct AV105 model and therefore is identical mechanically to those famous cars from 1934.

Original Clement Talbot Sales Ledgers held by the Talbot Owners Club show that ‘AGC’ was delivered to main London Talbot dealers Warwick Wright in March of 1933, it is believed to be the second production Talbot fitted with a preselector gearbox, Warwick Wright had the car bodied as a Tourer by Vanden Plas. 

Little of the cars early history is known, but records held by the Sunbeam Talbot Darracq Register show the car to have been owned by a Mr A.E Daniel in 1963, he would sell the car to Alan Chambers of Ohio USA in1965, it passed in turn to David Stewart in 1967. ‘AGC’ would remain with Stewart until passing to Robert Follows in Canada in 2001. He would in turn sell it to the current owner in 2006.

A great fan of Roesch Talbots and at that time owner of two AV105 Vanden Plas Tourers, he wanted a competitive rally car for events such as the Flying Scotsman and decided the ideal choice for this as in period would be an AV105 fitted with the lightweight and purposeful BGH type Alpine Team car coachwork, requiring restoration by this point, complete but having not run since the 1960s ‘AGC’ was the ideal choice.

Wanting the most potent and effective car possible but also something that was the most accurate replica of a ‘BGH’ type Talbot, he selected the best specialists possible for the project- front axle and steering box were rebuilt by the late Bill Barrott, a new lead coated steel fuel tank to the correct ‘BGH’ pattern was fabricated, body frame to the correct ‘BGH’ pattern made in Ash and panelled in aluminium by Nick Jarvis, engine (the original to the car) rebuilt with new sump- starter motor type, forged high compression pistons, competition crankshaft, competition camshaft, competition connecting-rods and twin-downdraught SU carburettors by Pace. The preselector gearbox was rebuilt by expert Cecil Schumacher.

Our sister Talbot specialist IS Polson, rebuilt the chassis, fitted a new aluminium cylinder head, rebuilt the rear axle/torque tube, manufactured correct type front and rear wings, louvred bonnet in aluminium, wired the car and did much related detail work- including fitment of an alternator, made the windscreen, aero-screens and hood frame exactly to ‘BGH’ pattern, made new correct type front and rear seats, fabricated rear footwells exactly as per the ‘BGH’ cars these are extremely time consuming to make in the correct way which is light yet strong and often corners are cut on these, painted all aspects of the car and were responsible for the final assembly of the project along with countless other detail jobs which go into making the best car possible to use and enjoy.

Besides this new wheels were fitted, new road springs and new rear hubs, in what was a most thorough rebuild, as evidenced by ample invoices on file.

On completion the cars original UK registration number ‘AGC 482’ was re-claimed.

Used sparingly by the current owner since completion, ‘AGC’ has been in dry storage for several years so would benefit from a thorough service/re-commission, but on recent road test the car had all of the performance and agility one would expect from these terrific cars.

Representing a hugely capable and potentially competitive entry to long distance events such as the Flying Scotsman, Shamrock Rally , Mille Miglia retrospective (subject of course to the organisers discretion) etc, as well as being potentially suitable for a whole host of racing events or indeed more relaxed touring, the AV105 represents the most useable and effective of 1930s British sporting cars.