Author: alvisarchive

We were delighted that so many of the Alvis owners attending the International Weekend chose to visit us with their cars.

First in from the Netherlands was Coen van der Weiden in his TE21 drophead who helped guide visitors into Hycilla

Some 65 visitors from England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, France (Patrick Rollet, President of FIVA), Germany, Austria, Norway, Florida and New Zealand then kept us busy answering questions for the rest of the day.

Photos Coen van der Weiden, Chris Taylor, John Fox

More photos on 2019 Alvis Day at Elvington

We look forward to welcoming visitors to our Hycilla office at Bowcliffe Hall on Saturday 15th June. Our postcode is LS23 6LP and, just before Bowcliffe Hall gates, please follow Alvis Archive Trust signs turning right a few yards down the hill to our parking area in the direction of Bramham Park.

On Sunday 16th June the Alvis Owner Club will be displaying members’ cars at the Elvington Air Museum http://yorkshireairmuseum.org/events/ near York. Members who have not pre-booked can still attend either in their Alvis via the Alvis entrance, subject to sufficient space, otherwise by the public entrance as can non-Alvis cars.

If you have not visited alvis14 lately there is plenty of interest as Eileen travels the world in search of Fourteen stories. Enquiries continue for news of cars once owned such as this one, 22761

Steve Horne has reviewed a new Alvis book by Matthew Vale – see Book Review

Amongst some donated material were eleven early copies of “Alvibatics” – part of a copy is reproduced below: Thanks to Chris Bluer for scanning all eleven copies.

Does anyone recognise this shirt…..?

Tudor Francis writes:

It is with great sadness that I have to report the death of Tony Phillips-Smith. He died on Sunday 26th May, in a nursing home at Mullion, Cornwall. His funeral will be held on Monday 10th June at :

Camborne Crematorium Puggis Hill, Reskadinmick,TR14 0BL  at 2.00 pm.

Tony was perhaps better known as Apsley (APS…) and was a talented artist. His drawings and cartoons were a regular feature of the Calendar (of which he was an editor for many years), and he produced Christmas cards for both the Alvis Owner Cub and Coast Watch. He also authored several books. In October 1998 he co-organized the first Remembrance of Maurice Harvey event on the 75th anniversary of Harvey’s Brooklands victory, and this became an annual event that he organized up until last year. He organized an annual summer picnic and for  many years organized the far South  West Christmas lunch. When the SW Section hosted the IAW in 2013 Tony produced the programme, complete with his line drawings. For all his talents he was very modest and a delight to work with.

A gentle giant of a man, softly spoken, a mischievous sense of humour and such a broad smile.

I am sure that you join with me in sending our sympathies to his wife Jane.

funeral notice

Motoring Art

On Saturday the Graber Freunde met in the Jura for their annual Treffen, more details and photos in Swiss Meetings

We shall be open to visitors this coming Saturday, 18th May, while we continue our cataloguing, and also on Saturday June 15th when AOC members taking part in the Longstone Run during the York based International Weekend will be making a pit stop. Our regular open Wednesdays continue in other weeks.

We are pleased to announce that Chris Taylor has secured some magnificent safes to house our treasures which will be stored off site.

A link to 1933 film clip of a Speed 20 can be found on ALFLIX

Several Graber Alvis will be gathering as part of the display at Bicester’s Super Scramble on Sunday 23rd June and tickets are now on sale here.

We always appreciate prior warning of visitors to ensure you have easy access to our offices, so please leave a reply if you are planning to drop in.

A couple of Speed model photos came our way from past owners seeking news of their fate

and a story told by a past owner wondering why the unknown new owner does not appear to have an interest in learning its history, see the story of 24169

Details of the proposed Alvis Centenary celebration in Germany are here – Frankfurt Exhibition 2020

A fabulous period photo from AOC Bulletin 446 shows a car we know is still in good hands in Yorkshire

As well as appointing a new Trustee last month, Chris Taylor, I am pleased to welcome a new assistant proofreader, Lottie, who has the role previously held by the lovely Samantha

From the April 1994 AOC Bulletin, number 415….

John Wheeley wrote on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of Alvis which as a valuable reference for current writers is reproduced in 100 Years.

Michael White of Kerikeri, New Zealand, hankers after his 1928 14/75 which he owned in 1950 – bought for a bargain £100 and sold at a £15 profit. The registration was TV 4933, chassis 6984,  last heard of more than 20 years ago in the hands of V F Fisken of Forfar.

Alvis are continuing to acquire new businesses and have recently bought Unipower of Watford for an initial £2m. Unipower own some of the former assets of British Leyland’s heavy truck division, Scammell, whose wheel nuts were greatly admired by aficionados. The company have a £30m. order book for tank transporters etc.

Congratulations to Chris Podger and his navigator on obtaining a class award in his 4.3 Alvis during Britain’s latest historic rally, the Lands End to John 0′ Groats “Le Jog” Chris was the only one of three Alvis starters to finish. Much appreciated, I understand, were Arthur Fairburn’s efforts in providing sustenance at a freezing Scottish check point (another opportunity to open the bottle Arthur?)

John Hay of Abergavenny has recently bought the ex-Stan Hicken Duncan-bodied TA14. At some time its registration number was changed. Originally it was FGD 666; John wonders of any member remembers it, and if so he would like to hear from them. (Is it true that the DVLC will not issue 666 numbers because of devilish connotations?)

All the mentioned members and cars are still around twenty five years later. TY 4933 has recently returned to the road in the hands of Dan Geoghegan at Bicester Heritage. In 1994 Dan was Speed 20 SC Model Secretary and still owns one.

Also on a vintage theme was….

415 also included the Celebrity Register compiled by Dave Culshaw which ran to several pages in preparation for the “International” organised by the Northern Section of the AOC, see below. A much expanded version is in the process of preparation to be published later this year. to…..  Plymouth Ho! a Speed 20 SA special and the story of Henry Williamson’s car which is now included on the  Silver Eagle  page.

Also included were