Description: Founded
in 1951, the AOC caters for owners of all Alvis
cars, even including military vehicles! You do not have to be an owner
to join, associate members are welcome. Often associate members are those
who join intending to buy an Alvis, seeking advice and access to cars
for sale by Club members. There are some 1,700 members world wide, in
six UK sections (Scottish, Northern, Midland, East Anglian, South Eastern,
Welsh and South Western), plus active overseas sections in the Netherlands,
Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland and North America. Stated objectives
of the Club are the preservation of Alvis vehicles, the running of social
and competitive events for all Alvis vehicle enthusiasts, and, in so far
as is practicable, to provide services to members. Subscription rates
per annum in Pounds Sterling are UK £35, Europe £38, other
overseas £41.
The
Club is constituted as a Company Limited by Guarantee and run by a board
of directors which includes UK section representatives. Each section is
self-governing, with its own committee, and organises events which are
open to all members.Every year International Alvis Weekend is held, usually
in June, when members gather with or without their cars from all over
the UK and overseas. The normal programme of events consists of an informal
dinner on the Friday evening, a gentle run through scenic countryside
on the Saturday with a lunch stop at some suitable country inn.
This is followed by a more
formal di nner. On the Sunday International Alvis Day is held. Normally
around 150 Alvis cars attend, and the competitively minded can enter concours
and driving tests. Others will find the autojumble more interesting, and
talking with other owners is always illuminating.
Alvis owners tend to be individualists (some would say
eccentrics), and can be relied upon to provide entertaining conversation
as well as innovative solutions to technical issues. Each of the UK
and some of the overseas sections holds its own Alvis Day. Other events
include tours in the UK and abroad - in 2000 over 80 Alvises went on
a tour of the eastern USA . A tour of New Zealand took place in 2003.Other
events are held over weekend in some scenic location and these are very
popular. Over the summer months there are frequent visits and runs.
The Alvis Owner Club is affiliated to the RAC
and competitive events are run under the RAC standing rules.
A high-quality magazine, The Bulletin is published
bi-monthly on glossy art paper and sent free to all members. It contains
reports on club events, articles on Alvis history, technical material
and articles on restoration, maintenance and driving of Alvis cars.
The photographic content is extensive and normally of excellent quality.
A monthly calendar is also sent out, this includes details of all events
forthcoming, invitations from various sources, plus small advertisements
covering cars and spares for sale or wanted, restoration services and
so on. The cars for sale and major events are also notified on the web
site.
The Club has officials who co-ordinate pre and post
war spares activities, and close liaison is maintained with the leading
producers of Alvis spares to ensure that the needs of members are met
as closely as possible.
The Club has a highly qualified Technical Advisor whose
immense knowledge is at the disposal of members. In addition many of
the members are technically literate and are usually more than willing
to help solve an Alvis problem. Many are also to be found in fellow
members' garages with grubby hands and wearing boiler suits. Someone
in the Club will have faced your problem and will know how to tackle
it, and if necessary, will know which firm can put it in hand.
The Registrar maintains an incredible file covering
all Alvises, seemingly virtually every individual car, quoting a Car
Number alone has been known to produce a torrent of information. The
authenticity and originality of a car can usually be established quickly,
an important factor when vendors are sometimes less than scrupulously
honest about a car's provenance.
Specialist Model Secretaries are appointed for each
major Alvis model. These people maintain batteries of information both
historical and technical relating to their particular Alvis model. All
Club officials are volunteers, and none is paid!
Membership of the Alvis Owner Club increases the enjoyment
to be had from Alvis ownership and eases some of the worries inseparable
from running a classic car. |
