Tag Archives: graber

Graber-Bodied TC 21/100

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1955 Alvis TC 21/100 Coupe by Graber

Offered by Bonhams | Cheserex, Switzerland | June 18, 2023

Photo – Bonhams

Another Thursday, another Graber-bodied Alvis. Some of the Graber-bodied cars from Alvis looked pretty much like their factory counterparts. But this car is a far cry from the stock and stodgy TC 21/100 “Grey Lady.” The TC 21 went on sale in 1953. The TC 21/100 was introduced in October of that year.

It featured an updated exhaust system and and an increased compression ratio over the initial model. The engine was a 3.0-liter inline-six that made 100 horsepower initially, but with the changes, the updated model could hit 100 mph.

Only 11 TC 21/100s were bodied by Graber (only five of them were coupes), and this one was sold new in Switzerland. It was restored in the last few years and has an estimate of $90,000-$110,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $104,814.

Alvis TD 21 by Graber

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1959 Alvis TD 21 Coupe by Graber

Offered by Oldtimer Galerie Toffen | Lucerne, Switzerland | June 3, 2023

Photo – Oldtimer Galerie Toffen

Alvis’s TD 21 was produced after their TC 108G and before their TE 21. Sold between 1958 and 1963, the TD 21 was split between two series, with this example being one of 784 cars produced in the Series I range between 1958 and 1961.

“Factory” body styles were actually produced by Park Ward and were styled as a four-seat coupe our a four-seat drophead coupe (convertible). Except when they weren’t. Graber, a Swiss coachbuilder, bodied about 50 examples of the TD 21 (along with other Alvises).

This one received coupe coachwork by Graber, and it was restored around 2011. Power is provided by a 3.0-liter inline-six that made 115 horsepower when new. The cars were capable of just over 100 mph. This one has an estimate of $115,000-$125,000. Click here for more info.

Graber-Bodied Delahaye

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1946 Delahaye 135M Cabriolet by Graber

Offered by Bring a Trailer Auctions | March 2023

Photo – Bring a Trailer

Delahaye’s 135 debuted in the mid 1930s and would remain in production for almost another two decades until Delahaye ceased to exist, and after, you know, taking a pause for the war. The slightly upgraded 135M was released in 1936.

It featured a higher-compression version of the 135’s 3.6-liter inline-six, which on this car is fitted with three Solex carburetors. Output was about 115 horsepower. This car was purchased new by a Swiss banker who had it bodied in his native country by Graber, perhaps Switzerland’s best-known coachbuilder.

This is a post-war body, and it’s a little more restrained than something you may have seen in the late 1930s. It’s still pretty and indicative of the type of coachbuilt classic that would likely be found in a European collection. But! It’s in St. Louis after having been restored in Florida. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $180,000.

Alvis TC 21 by Graber

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1953 Alvis TC 21 Cabriolet by Graber

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | December 16, 2020

Photo – Bonhams

In the line of Alvis cars, the TC 21 slots in between the TA 21 and the TC 108G. The TC 21 was produced between 1953 and 1955. The standard body was a four-door sedan, and the factory did not offer a convertible like they did with the TA and would do so later on with the TD and TE.

Power is from a 3.0-liter inline-six rated at 100 horsepower, and that six could push this car to 90 mph. Only 757 examples of the TC 21 were produced, and just six of those were bodied as cabriolets by Swiss coachbuilder Graber. This particular car was displayed on Graber’s stand at the 1953 Geneva Motor Show.

Sold new in Switzerland, this car has been with its current owner in the U.K. for 35 years. This is not a car that comes up for sale often, as evidenced by the long-term ownership of this one, which should sell for between $160,000-$190,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $188,358.

Alvis TC 108G

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1957 Alvis TC 108G

Offered by Oldtimer Galerie | Gstaad, Switzerland | December 29, 2019

Photo – Oldtimer Galerie

The Alvis TC21 was a sedan and convertible produced by Alvis in the early 1950s and it carried a very old-school-style body. Swiss coachbuilder Graber designed an updated body for the TC21 that was very different and much more modern than what Alvis was offering. Alvis liked it so much that they decided to make it its own model.

Just 35 examples were produced between 1956 and 1958. Power is from a 3.0-liter inline-six that made 104 horsepower. Though the body was designed by Graber, Alvis outsourced some of the production to Willowbrook of Loughborough, though 19 of the cars were still bodied by Graber.

The entire ordeal was just too expensive, hence the low build number. Alvis canceled the Willowbrook contract and pivoted to Park Ward, who tweaked the design, which was then built as the TD21. You can read more about this Graber-bodied coupe here and see more from this sale here.

Aston Martin DB2 by Graber

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1952 Aston Martin DB2 Vantage Drophead Coupe by Graber

Offered by Bonhams | Newport Pagnell, U.K. | May 19, 2012

The Aston Martin DB2 went on sale in May of 1950 and was produced through 1953. It features a 2.6-liter straight-six. In Vantage spec – which included larger carburetors and a higher compression ratio – it made 125 horsepower. The car on offer here has had a little engine work done during restoration and is currently producing 140 horsepower.

“Vantage” was an upgrade on many early Astons (through the 1960s) before it became a stand alone model. The DB2 was the first Aston with such an option. This model was also one of only a few Astons that were sent out to coachbuilders. The factory offered a Drophead Coupe starting toward the end of 1950 – 102 were built (there were 411 DB2s produced in total). Three were sent out to Carrosserie Graber in Switzerland for custom bodywork. Of the three, this is the only survivor. There are some marked differences between the Graber Drophead Coupe and the factory Aston. The biggest of these is the grille which is more rectangular than the traditional Aston three-part grille. It’s also lighter.

Ownership is known from new and the car has undergone a lengthy restoration and refurbishment. All issues have been sorted out and this beautiful car is ready to be driven and is eligible for a number of historic events. The pre-sale estimate is $420,000-$490,000. For the complete catalog description, click here and for more of Bonhams’ Aston Martin sale, click here.

Update: sold $427,000