Thanks a million

Yesterday, the WordPress statistics page showed that one million “views” were clocked up since the website went live in 2012, so thank you for being a visitor and viewing the material. Looking back over the years the highest number of views on a day was 4,951 after publishing the Albums kept by the Alvis Owner Club in the 1950s. Taking a photograph and seeing it developed then was far more involved and expensive than it is today.

We have made it a little easier to view the Albums on line and invite you to browse these historic photos again (or maybe for the first time) just click ALBUMS .

Photo library additions

Following the last post of Alvis success in Switzerland we received a further hundred or so photos from Arie Wubben who clearly has an eye for detail in his subjects. Some of these photos have been added to the page Swiss Meetings.

This one captures the unique roof line of this Graber:

25936 – 1957 TC108G Graber coupe – photo Arie Wubben

Another Graber entered its first National U.S. Concours, Radnor Hunt, and won first place in their “Debutante” class – cars shown for the first time at a major concours –

1961 TD21 Graber super coupe 26605, photo Ken Swanston

A downloadable Register of TD21s as they left the factory has been added to the page TD21 : 1958-1963

In the UK, Pre-War Prescott attracted some thirty cars and these photos from Edmund Waterhouse give a taste of the event

13644 – 1937 4.3 litre Cross & Ellis Tourer
14386 – 1937 Speed 25 Charlesworth Dhc
1939 12/70 Mulliners; 1937 Speed 25; 1953 TA21 Tickford
1932 Speed 20 SA Cross & Ellis KY 5089
1927 12/50; 1930 Silver Eagle; 1937 Speed 25 Charlesworth

Meanwhile the September Diners at Bowcliffe joined the usual car park.

We were also able to test drive our “new” Standard 8 Projector kindly donated by Norman Silk so we can view our old films.

If you have any Standard 8mm films that need converting to digital technology, we can now help!

Swiss success

A Graber TC108G Special has won the public vote in the Zurich Classical Car Awards on 18th August.

Peter Stierlin with his 1957 TC108G Special 25934 – photo Iris Henseler Stierlin

Also receiving a Special Prize of the Jury was the TC21/100 Tickford…

25526 TC21/100 Tickford AL28 of Leo Schmid – photo Arie Wubber

Twenty years ago the Swiss Graber contingent came to Blenheim Palace to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the AOC and the report of their attendance was included in Bulletin 471 which is available to download, and also in more detail on 2001 Blenheim Palace AOC Jubilee

1958 TC108G Graber Special 25930 attending the August 18th lunch at Bowcliffe Hall – see also 3rd Wednesday Dining Club

For more on the TC108G model, click TC108G – Rara Avis

A new normal

While many large events continue to be constrained by the dreaded virus, new smaller gatherings of friends on a less formal basis have returned to fill the social calendar. Our first Dining Club meeting got off to a perfect start making the most of our base at Bowcliffe Hall and its Drivers Club which has returned to normal with a full menu, excellent service and magnificent surroundings catering for the petrol head. For a report of the first meeting and dates of future meetings, click Dining Club.

Robert Blackburn, former owner of Bowcliffe Hall with the second of his three Speed 20s

Another very pleasant event this weekend in memory of Barry Ward, a serial Alvis restorer, brought together several Alvis owners, past and present, in a field in Lincolnshire, organised by Julian Brown Classic Car Commissions who is handling the sale of Barry’s Atalanta collection.

13313 Speed 20 SD Charlesworth BWK 779