Elva

[Janos]

Hello all,
This is not truly a Vintage query, but it's appropriate here.

I'm writing a book on Elva which includes a long table of results. I've scoured all the back issues of Competition Press, Autosport, and the SCCA magazine Sports Car. I'm including only the results of contemporary Elva entries, not those running in historic / vintage events. But having said that, there have been Couriers running as recently as this year in EP in the SCCA at the Regionals level. One even won the SCCA EP title in 2005.

I'm trying to get a handle on Elvas running in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada. While not confined to Couriers, the likelihood is not high of there having been Elva sports-racers running later than the early 1970s. Nevertheless, I'm all ears.

To confuse matters, I'm also including the early McLarens as they were built by Trojan and sometimes entered as McLaren-Elvas.

Louis Donolo, Al Justason, and Bruce Jensen were all Ontarians known to have raced BMW powered Elvas in the late 1960s. One of the oddest of the breed was driven by Frank Salem. It was a rebodied McLaren-Elva Mk 1, called the Ferret. It disappeared after 1970.

Any help is appreciated. thanks.

Janos Wimpffen
Whidbey Island, Washington State

[Steve Moore]

Janos,

I'd been able to give you more help if you doing a book on Jaguars ;) , but here's a few people that may be able to get you those answers.

Jack Boxtrom, Jack was previous owner of Shannonville Motorsports Park and longtime racer in Canada. He is now the Vintage Race Car Rep for RM Auctions and member of VARAC.

Walt McKay, Walt has been racing at Mosport since 1961 (Sorry Walt) and he still knows the fast way around the place. Another member of VARAC.

John DeMaria, John was racing an Elva sports racer when I started racing back in 1985. He is also a member of VARAC

Hope thats a start, Im sure there are others that will chip in some info.

[Janos]

Thanks Steve,
Good suggestions,
I've spoken with Jack before and have heard of Walt, so those are good contacts. Since my posting I've noticed two Quebecers whoe raced Couriers somewhat recently, Terry Watson in the mid-1980s and Claude Giroix in the early '80s.

[Lotus61]

Janos,

I suggest you contact John Greenwood, he is the current President of VARAC. He should be able to put you in touch with Claude Giroux and may be able to assist in locating others.

John's information can be found in the Contacts page of the VARAC website:

http://www.varac.ca/welcome.html

There are two Elvas currently being campaigned with VARAC members Stefan Weisen and Walter Davies. Stefan's Courier is a smart piece of kit and Walter's Mark 7 is equally nice.

Alternatively you can try the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame. They have an e-mail based bulletin board and can be successful in locating past owners and cars:

http://www.cmhf.ca/

Cheers,

Rob

[Healey]

janos

John Cordts had 63? courier but he told me it was the worst race car he ever race and owned.

Sorry!

healey