The Elfin was built using the remains of an E93A Ford, so it had a 10hp side valve engine, gearbox, diff etc, even removing the torque tube and shortening the tailshaft. It still has the Anglia wheels you'll notice. It belonged to Tony Alcock. His really good mate of the time, they were apprentice mechanics together, was a friend of mine, Peter D, who incidentally is president of the SA P76 Club. Peter and Tony (Hank) used to share the driving of this little car. I don't think this practice of sharing your car with your friends has gone away much really, I recall my youngest son sharing the drives of his RX3 with his mates. What may have disappeared though is driving your race car to race meetings interstate. Anyway, Tony and Peter had this big plan to go overseas and try their luck but when the time came Peter chickened out (I can relate to that) and Tony went without him. The rest is history and Tony carved out a reasonable career in motorsport which came to an abrupt end when he was part of the Embasy Hill F1 Team when Graham Hill crashed his Piper Aztec attempting to land in the fog in North London, killing himself and Tony, along with Ray Brimble, Terry Richards, Tony Brise and Andy Smallman.Thursday, January 28, 2010
A very early Streamliner
An early Streamliner makes it a very early Elfin of any kind as they were their first production model, making 23 of them between 1959 and 1963. This one was racing in 1960 I know. This photo was taken at a 9 chain sprint that used to be held alongside the Gawler to Tarlee Road, just near the turnoff to Kapunda. I bet not many remember that. There are 4 sportscars in this picture. Can anybody name the whole 4?
The Elfin was built using the remains of an E93A Ford, so it had a 10hp side valve engine, gearbox, diff etc, even removing the torque tube and shortening the tailshaft. It still has the Anglia wheels you'll notice. It belonged to Tony Alcock. His really good mate of the time, they were apprentice mechanics together, was a friend of mine, Peter D, who incidentally is president of the SA P76 Club. Peter and Tony (Hank) used to share the driving of this little car. I don't think this practice of sharing your car with your friends has gone away much really, I recall my youngest son sharing the drives of his RX3 with his mates. What may have disappeared though is driving your race car to race meetings interstate. Anyway, Tony and Peter had this big plan to go overseas and try their luck but when the time came Peter chickened out (I can relate to that) and Tony went without him. The rest is history and Tony carved out a reasonable career in motorsport which came to an abrupt end when he was part of the Embasy Hill F1 Team when Graham Hill crashed his Piper Aztec attempting to land in the fog in North London, killing himself and Tony, along with Ray Brimble, Terry Richards, Tony Brise and Andy Smallman.
The Elfin was built using the remains of an E93A Ford, so it had a 10hp side valve engine, gearbox, diff etc, even removing the torque tube and shortening the tailshaft. It still has the Anglia wheels you'll notice. It belonged to Tony Alcock. His really good mate of the time, they were apprentice mechanics together, was a friend of mine, Peter D, who incidentally is president of the SA P76 Club. Peter and Tony (Hank) used to share the driving of this little car. I don't think this practice of sharing your car with your friends has gone away much really, I recall my youngest son sharing the drives of his RX3 with his mates. What may have disappeared though is driving your race car to race meetings interstate. Anyway, Tony and Peter had this big plan to go overseas and try their luck but when the time came Peter chickened out (I can relate to that) and Tony went without him. The rest is history and Tony carved out a reasonable career in motorsport which came to an abrupt end when he was part of the Embasy Hill F1 Team when Graham Hill crashed his Piper Aztec attempting to land in the fog in North London, killing himself and Tony, along with Ray Brimble, Terry Richards, Tony Brise and Andy Smallman.
Second one is a Buchanan MG.
ReplyDeleteProbably a trick question, next to the Elfin is probably 'The Gladiator' a SA Buchanan variant, next would be a Swallow Doretti and last probably an early Austin Healey 3000 or at least a 6.
ReplyDeletePeterG
Was this section of Road in the section that Bernie Stack was presented by the Highways department and where he built all his factories or over the other side.
ReplyDeleteRemember Pete T Formula 500 powered XU1 at the Austin 7 sprints? took fastest time of the day from memory. the pukka twerpy twerps and hairdressers who inhabited the proper sporty car world were pumping the rear tyres UP in an effort to get traction and could not understand PT dropping his tyre pressures. Just as later they could not understand PT and another guy in a V8 transplant foulcan "backing it in" speedway style around the AIR oval onto the main straight just for a bit of fun.
I guess thats why big Healey and Bolwell people were just that little bit different.
I'm not too sure about the Buchanan, it just doesn't look quite right. Peter, The Gladiator was an NSW Buchanan variant. You're probably thinking of The Ricardian but it's not that either. You're right about the Swallow Doretti and the 6-cyl Austin Healey. OK what's the 5th one?
ReplyDeleteNo, Colin, it was the other side of the road and way before that time.
Correction, the second car is a Buchanan Triumph. It's actually this one http://www.buchananmotorcompany.com/images/Buchanan%20Holden.jpg I believe it's the ex-Jim Wright car that raced at Bathurst in 1958 & 59 before being sold onto SA. http://www.buchananmotorcompany.com/images/buchanan%20tr2%20jim%20wright.jpg
ReplyDeleteYou can tell by the white paint under the front lights and the the lack of cutaway on the front wheel arches. Only a small number were built without the cutaway, this being the first.
As an aside the Gladiator had wire wheels being based off a MG TC with a Rizzo chassis.
Roo
I can't make out anything past the Healey, and certainly don't know any of the participants, do you mean the stobie pole??
ReplyDeletePeterG
There is another one on the other side of the 100/6 but it's a bit hard to make out, it's such an old faded photograph.
ReplyDelete