Alvis Archive

As more Alvis cars reach their centenary, we look back at some notable events.

1926 saw the first Alvis “TEN” developed into the 12/50 as the four cylinder model to have. A new page has been added 1926 12/50 .

The young Hermann Graber started work in Wichtrach in Switzerland as a carrossier after his father’s death.

In the following 25 years the range of cars offered expanded to include six cylinder models culminating in the 4.3 litre before World War Two changed production from cars to defence equipment. The destruction that followed meant that when car production resumed it was an update of the outgoing four cylinder 12/70, the Fourteen.

1951 saw the first Three Litre sent to Switzerland to be clothed by the then renowned coachbuilder, Graber. The Alvis Owner Club (AOC) was formed and began to gather members who used their Alvis as every transport. The Alvis Register had already been formed for the vintage cars in 1948.

1976 – The event of the year to celebrate 25 years of the AOC was the 1976 Tour of Britain.

2001 – The 50th AOC Anniversary was celebrated in style at Oxford and Blenheim Palace. Many overseas members attended including several Graber owners who drove from Switzerland. A professional video was made to cover the event, see 2001 Blenheim Palace AOC Jubilee

2026 – The 75th is being marked by International Alvis Weekend in Warwickshire, June 20-21. For a calendar of our meeting dates, click Events

If you are in need of a Manual of Instructions for your Alvis, we have a collection already digitised, click Handbooks and Model Registers

Seasonal additions are on the TA21 page and the Speed 20 SA page

Alvis historian, Dave Culshaw, has written at length about Alvis and its connections, sometimes quite tenuous. His piece published in 2002 relating to Jaguar has been added to P P S by Dave Culshaw

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Nick Simpson, a significant contributor to Alvis literature, passed away in August. Well known as an enthusiast for all Alvis models, especially Grabers and the SA Speed 20, he restored many cars. At first it was as a side line in Bryn Engineering and later as a specialist in Wales trading as Earley Engineering. He wrote Technical Compendia for the Alvis Owner Club, provided technical advice to members and was latterly the Patron of the Club.

Nick’s article on Three Litre history can be read here TC108G -Rara Avis

Some TC108Gs have emerged from hibernation. A contemporary press report from Loughborough has been added to Willowbrook

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Steve Horne’s report has been added to the NEC Classic Car Shows page.

On 13th September the Graber Friends met in Toffen to visit the Galerie Toffen and the Graber Sportgarage where a glittering array the finest classic cars are to be found. After a scenic drive in the Bern-Mittelland we descended into Wichtrach, the home of Graber, to find a TD21 cabriolet under restoration in the workshop where it was originally built. The restorer also worked there in the late 1960s. The car belongs to the Transport Museum in Lucerne which is funding the restoration of the car it has owned for many years.

For photos of some the cars attending click Swiss Meetings

After the Treffen we also visited the Swiss Car Register Archive in Safenwil. We met with Urs Ramseier and Dieter Steiger to discuss how best to celebrate the 2026 Centenary of Graber and the ongoing digitisation of all the accumulated information we all hold. We were pleased to receive a donation of some technical drawings held by Graber that originated from Alvis Limited in 1959 for TA14 and TD21 engine assembly stands.

Some cars have been added to the page Cars seeking new custodians including a Graber TD21.

An article in “Conrod”, the magazine of the Lincolnshire Vintage Vehicle Society, contained some perhaps surprising news of Alvis usage in the county, reproduced here with kind permission….

In 1967 I attended the Skegness Rally in my Crested Eagle.

The National Motor Museum ventured north for the second time, partnering with Bowcliffe Hall for “Masters of Motoring 2025” on Thursday 31st July. We were privileged to attend with five Alvis and to follow NMM with a talk on Alvis, Engineering, Innovation and Elegance. For photos click Events and for last year’s event Beaulieu + Bowcliffe

The talk from Lord Montagu and Guy Loveridge on the expansion plans for Beaulieu reminded us that since it started the museum in 1952 much more history of motoring needs recording. This needs to be reflected in what the museum provides. Alvis only made 22,000 cars. Their history is hard to compress into a 30 minute talk (yes, we did overrun by quite a bit) but we shall continue recording it. Beaulieu only has one Alvis in its collection and we hope to remedy that.

Among our donated archive items is the 120-page 1965-6 Pictorial Guide to the Montagu Motor Museums. The other museums were Measham and Brighton which closed after only a few years. The current expansion is planned on the existing site at Beaulieu.

Sorting through a box of ancient publications, I discovered this painting in an Autocar article. No mention was made that the car is an Alvis 4.3 Vanden Plas pillarless saloon, one of 17 made. It had been mistaken for a Jaguar. However the artist was mentioned and with the wonders of the interweb I was able to make contact and obtain permission not only to reproduce it but also to receive a full colour version. For a photo of the actual car, click here. For more about the artist, click Henrietta Manning, now resident in Tasmania.

In the same box was the 1998 Brooklands magazine, The Spirit, featuring Roy Nockolds’ painting of the 1927 Grand Prix car. For the Alvis article penned by Ken Day therein, click 1999 Brooklands Exhibition

More of APSLEY’s work has been scanned and some further images have been added to APSLEY

In the same box is a full colour bound photo album of the restoration of this car completed by the late Barry Ward. Anyone interested is knowing what horrors might lie under the skin of a Park Ward should peruse this album.

Following the refurbishment of the Bowcliffe Drivers Club, Alvis has been added to the ceiling lights.

Members and guests meet monthly for lunch. To join us, leave a comment.

Click Events for other news.