Category: News

Our websites – Vehicles, Fourteen, 4.3 and events

Thanks to the initiative of our Stalwart enthusiast, Mark Ellis, we are pleased to announce a new sister website on the WordPress platform which is dedicated to Alvis Vehicles other than the cars.

With the help of Martin Wickham, who donated and catalogued much of the material, Mark has spent many hours digitising and captioning over 700 photos which are now available to view on Alvis Vehicles.

Two Trust members also act as “Model Secretaries” for the Alvis Owner Club.

Following the inception of this Archive Trust website in 2012, another project started in 2013 was the “Fourteen” website, hosted by Eileen Goddin and supported by husband Terry. After eleven years of posting data, articles, photos and regular news updates www.alvis14.com is essential viewing for anyone interested the most accessible model in the Alvis range of cars.

It includes a database which is updated as new information is received.

In 2014, Wayne Brooks, 4.3 and TB21 Model Secretary, hosted another new website, Alvisfourpoint3 dedicated to the 4.3 with the same aim.

This website covers all the other models, and includes registers of cars in pdf format prepared by Wayne, published in 2021, and which can be downloaded. Thousands have already been downloaded including over 3,000 for the TD21.

We completed the project of digitising the AOC Bulletins in 2014, following the example of the Register. This was made available on DVD and also on memory stick. Another ten years of Bulletins have since been published and some of the newer ones are available on the AOC website, members only section, as well as those from 1953 to 1968. AOC members can download the 2019 to date issues from the AOC website here.

If you purchased the DVD or stick and would like the later Bulletins in pdf format, we can now send them to you by WeTransfer. If you would like the DVD contents sent to you click Publications

The AOC held its AGM remotely on “Teams” on 20^th October.

Ann Bradnum was elected as the new Chairman, and Tim Brown was co-opted as Vice Chairman.

Treasurer, Lucy Davies, General Secretary, Gary Pellow, and International Director, Jan-Peter Eichhorn, were re-elected.

Mike Davies was awarded the Shenton Cup for his work during the year on the Members Survey and taking the editorial helm of the Bulletin.

As there was no Graber Treffen in Switzerland this year, some Graber Alvis convened at Graber House on 17^th October to welcome a new arrival to the UK, a TD21 Special coupe now in the custody of AOC member 9500. During recent years three UK resident Grabers have returned to Switzerland. See also Cars seeking new custodians

During 2025 we shall be organising some events and details will be posted on our website, Alvis Events  first used for IAW in 2014. You can subscribe to that website separately to be kept informed of the details as they are announced.

If you would like to be added now, just leave a comment below.

….and what to buy in 2024? On September 11th at Brightwells, four cars for auction also on carandclassic, and elsewhere. More information on all the models can be found by clicking the links or from the Index, Speed 25, Crested Eagle, TE21 and TD21

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