The original edition of australias elfin sports and racing cars by barry catford and john blanden has long been unavailable since its 1997 publishing launch this book is occasionally being offered on ebay for 5 times its original retail price. Renowned for racelike handling and classleading powertoweight ratio, elfin road cars have been favourites of club racers. Built in a besser block factory in suburban adelaide, elfin s products were at the vanguard of competitive australian motorsport from the late 1950s until the premature death of founder garrie cooper, at just 46 years of age, in 1982. So, it is fitting that on the 60 th anniversary of the companys foundation a very special new work is published, solely dedicated to the fascinating history of elfin sports cars. Australias elfin sports and racing cars by john blanden. Renowned for racelike handling and classleading powertoweight ratio, elfin road cars have been favourites of club racers and true performance car enthusiasts who. Australias elfin sports and racing cars john blanden and barry catford. The elfin type 3 clubman is a clubmanstyle automobile which was produced by elfin sports cars 2 in australia from 1998 to 2007. Today, elfin sports cars is owned by former british racing driver tom walkinshaw, whose walkinshaw performance company also owns holden special vehicles. So, it is fitting that on the 60th anniversary of the companys foundation a very special new work is published, solely dedicated to the fascinating. Elfin erufin is an elflike bakugan with a frog head on top of her normal head. Elfin sports cars has officially unveiled the next phase in its already impressive range of sports cars at the sydney motor show, with the debut of a new fourcylinder show car. But some of those parts had been used on updates of the elfin mono openwheelers in earlier times.
It has been an australian manufacturer of sports cars and motor racing cars since 1957. Elfin recollections by frank ellis as recorded by jim woodside. Inspired designs on tshirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more by independent artists and designers from around the world. The history of every known elfin is covered in this publication and register sheets give details of the current status of each car. See more ideas about race cars, racing and phillips island. Ep7 by piston broke automotive podcast free listening on. At over 700 pages and of imposing proportions, featuring hundreds of black and white and colour photographs, it is published in grand style, with the very finest quality stock and production values. Renowned for racelike handling and classleading powertoweight ratio, elfin road cars have been favourites of club racers and true performance car enthusiasts who relish supercarlike performance in a purist and exclusive package. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. Elfin sports cars pty ltd is the current name of the car company which was founded by garrie cooper. Elfin sports cars pty ltd formerly known as elfin sports cars is a car manufacturer company founded by garrie cooper. Elfins were ultimately involved in 24 major australian and overseas championship victories.
Barry catford went to school with elfin designerbuilder garrie. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the. Australias elfin sports and racing cars shiny owl books. Elfin sports cars australia for sale this auction is for the entire inventory of parts, production tools and intellectual property of australiabased elfin sports cars. Elfin sports cars is owned by the estate of former british racing driver tom walkinshaw, through his company walkinshaw performance which also owns holden. Australias elfin sports and racing cars by john blanden catford barry lake book is in very good condition apart from any barry lake signature andor inscriptions. We talk about australian racing car constructor, garrie cooper and his elfin sports cars brand and a new book elfin spirit of speed, with champion australian racing driver, john bowe, elfin heritage centre. Boxer tells the story of every ferrari flat12 racing and gt car ever built. The boxer designation, used to describe horizontallyopposed engines in which the. In 1988 hemming approached kovatch for the preparation of his jaguar x150 for historic racing. A history of the worlds second largest producermanufacturer of racing cars australian company elfin in the late 1950s australian, garrie. So, it is fitting that on the 60 th anniversary of the companys foundation a very special new work is published, solely dedicated to the fascinating. To be known as the elfin type 5 clubman, the all new model promises to deliver exciting levels of performance at an unprecedented price for enthusiasts and track specialists alike.
The original edition of australias elfin sports and racing cars by barry catford and john blanden has long been unavailable since its 1997 publishing launch. So, it is fitting that on the 60th anniversary of the companys foundation a very special new work is published, solely dedicated to the fascinating history of elfin sports cars. February 16, 2020 march 15, 2020 darren house elfin heritage centre, elfin spirit of speed, garrie cooper, john bowe in this episode of the piston broke podcast we remember australian racing car. This result surely places this car amongst the worlds best sports cars of the era and a credit to australian craftsmanship and ingenuity as well as the elfin factory which built somewhere in the region of 240. I guess rear uprights would be the obvious parts that might carry 1965 dates. The history of every known elfin is covered in this publication and register sheets give details of the current status of each.
The company was founded by garrie cooper, a successful championship driver and designer and builder of racing and sportsracing cars as elfin sports car company. Elfin has also opened its order book, but with up to three months required to build each car, mr beer warned customers that cars ordered today might not be delivered until february or march. This book is occasionally being offered on ebay for 5 times its original retail price. Dec 07, 2019 an unrepeatable story demands an unrepeatable book. About the spirit of speed book elfin spirit of speed. Australias elfin sports and racing cars john blanden and barry. From the first streamliners, coopers designs progressed through some of the most highly cometitive sports and openwheeler. Page 23 of australian elfin sports and racing cars tells us that the catalina was a variant of the formula junior model intended for racing outside of the formula junior category and that it was. Elfin sports cars pty ltd is a car manufacturer company founded by garrie cooper. An unrepeatable story demands an unrepeatable book. Page 23 of australian elfin sports and racing cars tells us that the catalina was a variant of the formula junior model intended for racing outside of the formula junior category and that it was grouped with the fj in the book due to difficulties in differentiating between the two. Australias elfin sports and racing cars, by barry catford.
Built in a besser block factory in suburban adelaide, elfins products were at the vanguard of competitive. Looking fabulous in the iconic period ansett livery, a colour scheme the car has worn all its life, the ms7 is one of australias most successful and significant sports racing cars from the era and the last v8. Elfin sports cars is currently owned by the estate of former british racing driver tom walkinshaw, through his company walkinshaw performance which also owns. This comes from the personal collection of barry lake. This page was last edited on 1 january 2019, at 00. The factory went on to produce 250 racing and sportsracing. Australian motoring journalist and motor sport historian. Australias elfin sports and racing cars paperback 1 november 2012 by john blanden author, barry catford author 3. Looking fabulous in the iconic period ansett livery, a colour scheme the car has worn all its life, the ms7 is one of australias most successful and significant sports racing cars from the era and the last v8engined car built by elfin sports cars. The elfin 600, which shares many components and attributes, didnt hit until 1968. R built by garrie cooper, owner of elfin sports cars in adelaide.
Australias elfin sports and racing cars paperback 3. The factory went on to produce 250 racing and sportsracing cars during the next 24 years. Jan 25, 2008 this was his first postmallala sports car, the 300 had to come after it. Elfin sports cars is currently owned by the estate of former british racing driver tom walkinshaw, through his company walkinshaw performance which also owns holden special vehicles. For hamilton it was the race debut of the 906 a daunting place for any cars first meeting however well sorted the exfactory porsche package undoubtedly was. Australias elfin, sports and racing cars by john blanden, 9780908031696, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
May 28, 2015 according to barry catford in australias elfin sports and racing cars garrie cooper was developing his own ideas for his first big banger sports car as he had been approached by an existing customer, noel hurd to build a car powered by a ford 289cid v8. With these caveats in mind, off we go on a fascinating walk down memory lanethe elfin story as related by the man who started it all. Nine years later nick and bill saw an opportunity to acquire elfin sports cars from murray richards who, for health reasons, had been advised to lessen his. Elfin 300 tyres the nostalgia forum the autosport forums. Commenting on the elfin appointment, the managing director of city automobiles mr john pascoe said, our family. With over 50 years of successful racing heritage, elfin sports cars under walkinshaw performance, offer a range of modern sports cars with a dynamic blend of. Elfin sports cars garrie cooper began building elfin cars in the late 1950s in a modest factory in conmurra street, edwardstown, adelaide. Available in the national library of australia collection. The most famous and enduring name in the manufacture of sports and racing cars in australia was founded in south australia by racing driver garrie cooper and produced its first car in 1959, the front. Australias elfin sports and racing cars blanden, john. When it comes to small size sports cars, most people prefer to have a high performance 4 cylinder or six than a big v8. Founded in 1957, elfin builds lightweight sports cars similar in concept to the longrunning lotuscaterham 7, as well as fully bodied streamliner.
Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. It was previously owned by businessmen and historic racing enthusiasts bill hemming and nick kovatch who remains as technical director who purchased it in 1998. See all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. This was the first monocoque structure built of aluminium by elfin. The most famous and enduring name in the manufacture of sports and racing cars in australia was founded in south australia by racing driver garrie cooper and produced its first car in 1959, the frontengined streamliner. The complete book of sports cars reynolds, bill on. This result surely places this car amongst the worlds best sports cars of the era and a credit to australian craftsmanship and ingenuity as well as the elfin factory which built somewhere in the region of 240 cars in the era all completely different the ms7 being unique the only one of its kind. As lotus cars are very popular around the world, a new geely owned elfin sports. A french kiss with death steve mcqueen and the making of le mans the man, the race, the cars, the movie, examines, in text and photographs, the life. Elfin sportcars the nostalgia forum the autosport forums. R built by garrie cooper, owner of elfin sports cars in adelaide for neil allen. The original edition of australias elfin sports and racing cars by barry catford and john blanden has long been unavailable since its. Naturally enough, the ms7 has been thoroughly researched and documented by the current.
Jane and hamilton raced most of their cars here sports and touring cars and in bobs case his elfin mono singleseater anf1. We talk about australian racing car constructor, garrie cooper and his elfin sports cars brand and a new book elfin spirit of speed, with champion australian racing driver, john bowe, elfin heritage centre owner and elfin racing driver, bill hemming, and author and motorsport journalist, david dowsey. February 16, 2020 march 15, 2020 darren house elfin heritage centre, elfin spirit of speed, garrie cooper, john bowe in this episode of the piston broke podcast we remember australian racing car constructor, garrie cooper and his elfin sports cars brand, prompted by the release of a great new book, elfin the spirit of speed. Elfin type 3 clubman wikimili, the free encyclopedia.
The original edition of australias elfin sports and racing cars by barry catford and john blanden has long been unavailable since its 1997 publishing launch this book is occasionally being offered on. Commenting on the elfin appointment, the managing director of city automobiles mr john pascoe said, our family has been involved in the prestige and sports car business in melbourne since the 1940s. As lotus cars are very popular around the world, a new geely owned elfin sports cars made to the very similar lotus design could also become very popular in australia and abroad. She is maruchos third guardian bakugan and appears in bakugan. Elfin clubman t5 sports cars brochure motor book world. A history of the worlds second largest producermanufacturer of racing cars australian company elfin in the late 1950s australian, garrie cooper began building a series of elfin sports racing cars in adelaide. Australias elfin, sports and racing cars book depository. Renowned for racelike handling and class leading powertoweight ratio, elfin road cars have been favourites of club racers. Magnificent stories often originate from humble beginnings. It has been an australian manufacturer of sports cars and motor racing cars. It has been an australian manufacturer of sports cars and motor racing cars since 1959 elfin sports cars is currently owned by the estate of former british racing driver tom walkinshaw, through his company walkinshaw performance which also owns holden special vehicles.