The Alvis Car Club of New Zealand – A Brief History

The inaugural meeting of the Alvis Car Club of New Zealand was held on 13th September 1969 at Avondale Primary School, Auckland – just two years after the last Alvis car rolled out of the factory at Coventry.

The meeting was described as being “attended by rather less than expected Alvis owners”, but what it lacked in numbers it made up for in enthusiasm. Mr. Keith Dorkins was elected as the Club’s first President.

One of the first tasks for the new committee was to define the aims and objects of the Club. They were listed as:

A. To foster and preserve the name and reputation of Alvis cars.
B. To restore and maintain Alvis cars.
C. To compile a register of Alvis owners.
D. To run a spares service and advise members of the availability of spares.
E. To promote technical knowledge.
F. To hold rallies for members throughout the year.
G. To hold outings and other social events for members and associate members throughout the year.

Over fifty years later, it is a testament to those founders that these aims and objects still hold firm. A set of membership rules was adopted and provision was made for the formation of branch clubs.

The inaugural committee was certainly dedicated. The first edition of the Alvis Bulletin was produced in November 1969, with subsequent editions every three months. The Club’s first touring rally was also held in November 1969, with a turnout of nine Alvis cars ranging from a 1934 Crested Eagle to a 1964 TD21.

At that time, spare parts were available through Red Triangle Spares, a company owned by one of the members who offered a 10% discount to Club members.

After only eight months, the Club could boast 86 members. Membership continued to expand, and in 1972 the first two branches were formed in Christchurch and Wellington. The number of rallies, outings and social functions grew with it.

The Bulletin began to feature more and more information, including rally reports and results, outing reports, technical articles, histories of particular Alvis cars, letters to the editor, and classified advertisements for cars and parts for sale. In July 1975 the format was changed to a more formal booklet and renamed The Alvis Journal, although the content remained much the same.

In 1978, the Central Districts Branch took over management of the Club and formed the National Committee, with its base and President domiciled in Palmerston North. At that time membership stood at 78. In 1980 the leadership was passed back to Auckland, where it was felt the bulk of the Alvis cars were owned.

June 1982 saw the introduction of a monthly newsletter in a similar format to the earlier Journal. This has continued to the present day. The newsletter is now preferably delivered by email, although hard copies are still available for those without computer facilities.

One of the focuses of the Club over the years has been the Annual General Meeting. Initially a small affair held at a committee member’s home, it has since developed into a full weekend event with a range of activities. In more recent years the AGM has alternated between the North and South Islands, allowing local members to contribute their own organisational skills to the weekend. These events have proved very popular, attracting a large number of cars and members.

The Alvis Club of New Zealand has also hosted New Zealand tours for Alvis owners and their cars from Great Britain and Australia. In turn, we have visited Britain and Australia to take part in some of their premier events. This has resulted in many lasting friendships between members of the respective countries.

When Red Triangle Enterprises finally closed its doors, the remaining spares were purchased by a group of Club members. These were eventually acquired by the Alvis Club and a spares shed was established for the benefit of members. This service is still operating today and includes the sale of remanufactured items such as gaskets, engine mounts and aluminium castings.

Although the committee running the Club has changed many times, we remain very active with functions to satisfy most enthusiasts. Current membership stands at around 100 people, with a similar number of Alvis cars owned.