Author: alvisarchive

Driving Alvis cars since 1964 and the website since 2012

Remembering Julian Collins

Twenty years ago today the AOC lost the Bulletin Editor, at the all-too-early age of 60, after a sudden and deadly resurgence of the hepatitis that he had first contracted, and seen off, several decades earlier. Cruelly, this came at an exceptionally productive time in his life, when he was within sight of a much-deserved partial retirement that would have allowed him to spend more time on his varied interests and projects. With Alvis his first love among cars, he was fascinated by the vision and application of the founders and engineers T.G. John, Capt. Smith-Clarke, W.M. Dunn , and the works driver Maurice Harvey.

New pages have been added with a compilation of his work in 1997. Click Julian Collins

Contributions received

Several car stories have been received – click on the links The story of 9913

The story of 14147

The story of 15459

Some photos sent in by Ian Allman (former AOC member 2089M) – “while I was having a nostalgic wander around one the Alvis galleries I came across the picture of my old car and another one with the same bodywork. In both cases it was recorded as the only one built by each coachbuilder. There must have been a set of drawings available for anyone to use.“

I bought KUB on 4/12/1960 at 78580 miles and sold it to Jim MacQueen 6/4/1965. I think he came from Bristol. A few years later I telephoned him to see if he might consider selling it back to me but sadly he had taken it to a scrapyard a few months earlier with a “collapsed back axle”. On 14th May 1962 at Assington Comm. Clinkard had fitted new king-pins and bushes which transformed the general handling.

The TJ 12/50 came from Ken Ledbrook in 1963 very soon before his tragic death.
I can’t find the name of the chap who bought the working chassis from me but I do remember he had a jolly nice Speed 25 towing his trailer ! I would like to know if he made a successful restoration.

Another photo of KUB at the Works.

Adrian Padfield published his book on Smith-Clarke some while ago and he has since compiled addenda and errata which now can be found on a new page Captain G.T. Smith-Clarke together with an article on the his “blue plaque”.

Arthur Varney‘s grandson sent photos of a tankard he inherited with an interesting back story on another new page Arthur Varney

Photos of recent meetings can also be found on Events in 2026 together with a reminder of future events including Tatton Park this weekend where Chris Taylor is hosting the AAT’s stand of Alvis cars.

One of Martin Wickham’s donations to the Trust is a collection of Alvis Regalia, ties and badges.

An invitation to contribute

Much of the material on the website has been written and photographed by Alvis owners over many years. If you have a story to tell about your Alvis or association with the company you can become a “Contributor” with access to the website facilities to write a post or page and upload your photos or documents. Just leave a comment and we will do the rest.

The last post generated a surprising number of views on the page of answers to the Highway Code questions. You can download the current version, all 236 pages, here.

We are on a mission to trace all the 106 TF21s to update the Model Register and any information you may have on the following cars will be rewarded with a £10 voucher for one our books.

27374 saloon auto, registered GF 6

27387 saloon auto EKW 800D

27440 saloon auto RLC 767E

27452 saloon auto GCL160F

27460 saloon zf VBY 60E

Fifty years ago, the last hot summer in the UK, there was an Alvis Tour of Britain, reported in “The Field”

To read the full article, click 1976 Tour of Britain

Martin Wickham writes:

The Coventry Apprentice Association staged an annual bedstead race around the Mallory Park Circuit. Alvis Apprentices built a very sporty bedstead and won it at least twice in succession, thought to be 1964 and 1965. The photograph shows the winning team, probably from the second occasion:

Back Row (Left to Right): Jack Banks; Eric Howell; Graham Loach; (Name uncertain); Dave Kemble; Les Aston; Dennis Morgan; Ted Banks; (Name uncertain); (Name uncertain); Front Row (Left to Right): (Name uncertain); Alan Stoicks; Bob Goodwin; Bob Stevenson; Phil Avery
Derek Williams; (Name uncertain); Joe Sage; Eddie Richardson; Colin Reay
Driver: Bob Wharton


(Martin Wickham assisted by Ted Banks June 2026)

See also Apprentices