Many of the 12/40 models that used these chassis’ were apparently exported to Australia
– presumably because problems caused by any inherent weakness in the design would
be less likely to be publicly aired if they were 12,000 miles away. Indeed, the
bantam-
As well as the liberal provision of holes of up to 2” in diameter in the web of the main chassis members, cross members and sub frame assembly; the front cross member was moved back some 6” and the engine 4½” to redistribute the weight more evenly. The chassis number, stamped on the rear nearside (left) dumbiron is not duplicated on the front, leading one to speculate that the car was never intended to remain outside Alvis’ possession and why it did so I will hypothesise upon later. In common with a number of early cars, No.1 also bears the scars of a nearly complete crack through the web of the nearside main chassis member close to the scuttle. This had been roughly welded and a fillet inserted into the web to reinforce things. The fit and gauge of the fillet, and the design of one of the cross braces between main member and sub frame would appear to indicate that this probably happened early on during it’s career before passing into private ownership.