Alvis Stalwart

Last modified 15 Apr 2010

Alvis Stalwart

The "Stally" today known as "Stolly" was designed in 1959 and was put in action in the mid 1960's. It is a reliable workhorse that was designed to cross rough English countryside terrain at a maximum 65 km/h or traverse a water obstacle at around 6 knots. Advancement in helicopter design and the military change of mind to an all diesel fleet put an end to the life span of the workhorse.

Picture shows the chief designer of the Stalwart (with the flat cap on) in the back of Dave's Stalwart on a local river.

David Deaville send me a picture that is better than Madonna in the flesh:
(When she was younger 2)

Exlosive view of a Stolly.

Engine, Rolls Royce straight eight B81 water cooled petrol
6516 cc's 220 bhp @ 4000 r/m 335 lbs/ft @ 2500 r/m
Gearbox: 5 speed primary.
Transferbox: single speed with reverse and "lock" differential
to centre wheel bevel boxes from there to bevel boxes at each front and rear wheel.

It got a second life as a tour vehicle.
It is a highly specialised offroader and was never designed to run on asphalt.
that is why it has only one differential (left and right). That means that the 3 wheels on each side rotate at the same revolutions like a catapiller track and that gives a lot of winding up. So on asphalt something will break or even one of the bevel boxes will give in.

That combined with higher safety demands by the US Cost Guard brings an end to that second life.

Bruce on the Stolly mailing list said:

240 hp dry sump engine with twin plate clutch,
all wheel drive,
twin circuit brakes with dual servos,
disc brakes all round,
alloy wheels with 14" wide tyres,
central driving position,
hand built,
limited rearward visibility.
Ł 15,000 (reputedly) when new in the mid 1960s and probably Ł 250,000
or more if they were built today.
Fuel economy - "If you have to ask, you can't afford it sir"

Very sporty sounding!
Or is this close to the description of a LARGE tractor?

Bruce

This is Simons mk1, at this moment al that is missing is the swim board but the restoration/rebuilding is complete with badging etc.

Below is an Email of the Stolly mailing list by Simon.
I think it more a poem than a mail. :)

This wonderful green six wheel monster.

Weather it be:
replacing wheel stations,
replacing main gearboxes,
repairing transfer box seals,
lifting the engine out and back in again,
matching up tyres,
replacing the exhaust systems,
changing gearbox oil,
watching wheel wind up.

What ever it may be I will always love my stolly.
I knew what was involved
when I bought it and I can say:

I have enjoyed every minute working on it.
Come on guys its a Stalwart,
you either love it or you don't.

There is nothing more exiting than dropping in to a nice calm lake engaging the jets and pulling that hand throttle back to 3000 rpm and listen to it sing.

Simon

This vehicle will never die, if will sail into a never ending sunset.

The 4th, 6th and 8th pictures on this page are made by David Deaville
The 7th is made by Simon
The 5th must be made by Richard Notton
but I think that I'm in error there.

Pictures send in by Jaap Rieuwerts and Frank Craig (Toms Stolly) and pictures of Movie & Advert-Star Stolles and some pictures where I do not know where they came from.

Are below this line.

____________________________

Even in PINK she looks good!