Category: News

Thirty-five years ago Alvis invited car owners to attend an event at the Works to mark the closing of the old factory at Holyhead after seventy years. Clive Taylor was there to capture the images, some of which appeared in the Bulletin. A comprehensive selection is now in a new gallery on the page 1989 – Coventry and Duxford together with the contemporary Bulletin report.

From the Roy Probert Collection a new gallery of the photos recording the building of the aero engine facility completed in 1956 can be found on the new page Baginton.

A Handley Page Herald fitted with Leonides engines in 1954.

On Yorkshire Day, 1st August, the National Motor Museum went on the road for the first time and partnered with the Bowcliffe Drivers Club to showcase the work and aspirations of the oldest and best known car museum established by Lord Montagu.

The Masters of Motoring 2024 Concours included many unique and rare cars and Alvis was represented. Being shown for the very first time was the “Gloworm Special” based on a Firefly.

Owner Thomas Martin discusses the finer details of the project with Gary Pellow – Trevor Hirst, Tim Walker, Bicester Heritage apprentices and Richard Geater were all involved with a custom design and a Speed 20 engine.

Three other Alvis complemented the Firefly and the gallery below includes some of the other entrants. Click photos for full resolution.

The completion of a restoration is an achievement but often often takes longer than anticipated. When it is of a rare car it is all the more satisfying to see the result.

Graber built cars to order and the client for this one preferred a traditional wooden dashboard to the usual continental painted metal. For a gallery of photos of this car click Graber.

Two Park Ward TD21s are offered for sale, one partially restored and another preserved in one family for over fifty years, click Cars seeking new custodians for more details.

We were saddened to learn of the passing of Ron Walton, a Life Member of the Trust. His Alvis life is recorded in his book.

See also The Cape Engineering Company.

The last weekend of May saw Kent hosting International Alvis Weekend while in France the annual Fougères rally attracted a significant proportion of Alvis cars. Edmund Waterhouse attended the Kent gathering with his new camera recording those attending. Click on any photo to start the gallery of photos…..

On Wednesday June 19th at Duxford, H & H are auctioning six Alvis..

As well as adding contemporary photos to the archives we have scanned some from 1985 of East Anglia Alvis Day which never appeared in the Bulletin at the time.

“Trader Bill” Fryer was then the club photographer and in his last year of ownership of 1246 PK won a prize or two.

We have also created a Year Book for 1985 which combines the six issues into one, which you can download. Click on 1985 Year Book

The monthly noggin and natter at Rothwell in Lincolnshire attracts a wide variety of cars and many of them are owned by current or former Alvis owners. N & Ns have always been the best place to find expertise and exchange ideas – you never know who you are going to meet. Just a taste of what has attended in recent months….

A series of Harry’s Garage YouTube videos features the creation of an updated Stalwart by a serial Alvis owning family, best known for the TVR range of cars. The subject is the amphibious Scamander but fleetingly mentions the Silver Eagle still held in the collection.

To view the first video click here

Photos from the Fougères rally can be found here

….. the AOC conducted a Membership Survey and published the results.

The Bulletin for May 2004 ticked all the boxes to satisfy most members, covering the vintage period, overseas activities, an abundance of correspondence and archive items. Another Julian Collins masterpiece to enjoy once again…..

This month Alvis publicised the latest Continuation Graber cabriolet on show in Japan.

More details of its unique features are awaited.

Most Alvis cars were delivered with Lucas products to light the way and power the sparks. Some had elegant Marchal headlamps. The Three Litre models were Lucas equipped, except for some of the Swiss bodied versions by Graber. He fitted Marchal headlamps, which are slightly larger in diameter than the Lucas ones and look better for it. At the back, Graber was able to use the rather elegant Lucas light units first fitted to the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud.

He continued to use them while RR were building the Alvis Park Ward bodies from 1958 with a different Lucas unit, previously seen on Humbers, Aston Martins and Continental Bentleys. At some point, before the Silver Cloud III received larger units, whether by choice or necessity, Graber restyled the car to include a new set of lights which were also made in the UK.

The make is Yeadon, and was used as side markers and for trailers. The red lens came in two types, one with a reflector and the other plain like the amber one.

If you know a source of such lenses, please leave a reply.