Big deal

6 March 2023

Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC) member #4, Auto Electric Service in North Melbourne, recently celebrated 100 years of VACC membership, so get out that birthday cake and blow out them candles.

Auto Electric Service, at 81 Arden Street, is now VACC’s third 100-year member, following Wilson Bolton (which joined in 1919) and Edneys Leongatha (1920).

My mate and THE GRILLE co-host, VACC CEO Geoff Gwilym recently 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.

Auto Electric Service 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 pretty penny 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.

The member milestone is a particularly happy celebration for VACC as Auto Electric Service is a ‘neighbour’, located just a couple of blocks away from VACC’s swank new digs in Victoria Street.

Founded in 1918 and previously located on St Kilda Road since the 1950s, VACC moved into the new premises in February 2022.

It’s almost unheard of for an organisation to have a member for 100 years. Having three could be unique in all the world.

So, congratulations Ray Dunstan on an incredible feat and all the best to you and your team at Auto Electric Service.

See you on the road, folks!

Words: VACC ambassador Shane Jacobson.

Want to hear more from Shane? Catch him – along with co-hosts Greg Rust and VACC CEO, Geoff Gwilym – on THE GRILLE podcast each month. There'll be auto news and views, industry insights and trends, special guests, and plenty of laughs along the way. Visit: thegrillepodcast.com.au