By Irma Heger THERE are thousands of people who enjoy tinkering with their car at weekends.

But the members of Bolton Old Wheels take it all a step further.

Take Rachel Green, from Hollin Acre in Westhoughton.

She is the proud owner of an Alvis TA14 drop head coupe - which is about to celebrate its 50th birthday.

The car has an amazing history and her family has spent £10,000 to get it in such a tip-top condition that it is now a sure prize winner at car shows. Irma Heger reports. OWNING a car like this is a passionate hobby and one day, Rachel hopes to pass on the big, shiny vehicle to her children.

"It's very elegant, although it's big and bulky - it's very classy," she said.

"I want to keep it for my kids, it won't be sold, that's for sure!

"My dad says: 'They are only on loan until the next generation'."

The magnificent Alvis has had a rough ride during its half a century, though.

Built in Coventry, it left the factory for Edinburgh with a brand new body on September 20, 1949.

In those immediate post-war days, only essential users - such as doctors - were allowed to buy new cars, which were allocated by the government. As a result, most Alvis' went abroad, but the general manager of the Scottish Special Housing Association became the lucky owner of one when he was allocated the HFS 433.

This civil engineer and architect was directly responsible for building half a million homes in Scotland after the war. And when he moved to Kent, the car moved to the village of Pembury with him, where to this day there is a brass plaque in the church in Mr Findlay's memory.

Mr Findlay then died in 1971, leaving his wife the car, but she was unable to drive it and exchanged it for a new Triumph Herald.

That was the Alvis' downfall - the fuel crisis meant the car remained unsold and eventually it was pushed into a field at a garage and left to go to rack and ruin.

BUT, in 1973, it was rescued by two enthusiasts, who sold it to Patrick Garvey, leading flutist with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

He spent thousands of pounds on the car, but never completed the work and that's how Rachel's family came to buy it on September 3,1987, for £2,800.

The Alvis was in a sorry state, left as a shell in a barn in Wales, without any interior or hood, but with a good engine and body.

The inside of the car had to be specially made, and after three years of restoring by her father and brother, it was ready for the latter's wedding and is now worth £17,000 - stealing the show wherever it goes.

Just eighteen months ago, Rachel decided to paint the car half silver and half blue, because it looks "regal".

She often has near accidents as people pull out and slow down to gawp at the car and its "flip out" indicators. This causes problems, as the old Alvis isn't as quick to stop as the the latest models on the road.

Rachel admits the two tonnes-weighing car is heavy to drive - it has no hydraulics - but she enjoys taking it for a spin and believes it will withstand an accident better than any new car. There are now only a few cars like hers left in the world, with just a couple in the same condition in the UK.

Interested in older vehicles? Bolton Old Wheels can be contacted by phoning Rosemary on Bolton 412313.

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