Auto Electric Service marks membership milestone

24 February 2023

From left: VACC President Chris Hummer, VACC CEO Geoff Gwilym, Auto Electric Service owner Ray Dunstan, and Area Manager Kris Stavrevski.

Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC) member #4, Auto Electric Service in North Melbourne, recently celebrated 100 years of VACC membership.

Auto Electric Service is now VACC’s third 100-year member, following Wilson Bolton (which joined in 1919) and Edneys Leongatha (1920).

VACC CEO Geoff Gwilym caught up with owner Ray Dunstan to chat about the history of the business. Chamber President Chris Hummer and Area Manager Kris Stavrevski also visited the workshop to congratulate Ray and commemorate the membership milestone.

The business started in 1917, based in Flinders Street, Melbourne. The two original partners later split the operation. One remained as Auto Electric Service, and the other business became Davies Auto Electrical. That business’ original building was based in O’Connell Street, North Melbourne, near Victoria Market.

Steve Layton bought Auto Electric Service from the original owner, a Mr Currie. Ray did his apprenticeship at this business, beginning in 1975. He left after completing his apprenticeship in 1979 but returned to the business the following year.

Ray recalls the business was based in Flinders Street when it started, then moved to Bouverie Street Carlton, before relocating again to Arden Street North Melbourne in the early 1970s, where it remains.

Ray Dunstan and Bob Lewis (who also worked at Auto Electric Service) bought the business in 1982. A year later, Ray and Bob’s accountant advised them to buy the building, as the council re-zoned North Melbourne for light commercial/residential use.

At this stage, Bob Lewis had purchased a brand-new Jaguar from the UK and Ray had purchased a new VK Commodore Director. They had to sell their new wheels in order to purchase the building – a painful but necessary move.

Those cars, especially the Holden Commodore Director, build #1, would be worth a fortune in today’s hyper-inflated classic car market.

Nevertheless, Ray and Bob continued to run the business together. Ray was a qualified and experienced auto electrician that worked on heavy commercial vehicles, while Bob was qualified and experienced in light vehicle passenger cars, which the business continues to maintain and repair.

Sadly, Bob passed away in 2017, at the age of 65. Today, Ray continues to run the business on his own, acting as an invaluable support and service to the local motoring community.