Description:

Ex-Team Elva Courier lightweight special. Built for Leeds (UK) based team driver Malcolm Wayne in July 1963 with a special lightweight body. Used in the Autosport Championship that year, winning the Boxing Day GT race at Mallory Park outright. Sold to Peter West Manning, who in 1965 replaced the 1622cc MGA engine with the current 1798cc MGB unit, modified the bodywork and used the car for races, sprints and hillclimbs. Bought as a barn find by the current owner in 1963 and subject to a thorough four year rebuild. Now road legal (with the wonderful registration plate ELV321A) and again used for sprints and hillclimbs, primarily in the North of England. Second in North West Speed Championship Classics class in 2009, with several class wins. 125 - 130bhp, 710Kg so fast for year yet reliable. 50/50 weight distribution means it handles excellently. To be sold with some spares and lots of information. Approx 5000 miles since rebuild, including a thousand mile round trip to France in June 2010 (with my wife)to compete in the prestigious St Goueno Masters hillclimb. New project forces sale. Wonderful little car that I want to go to a good home where a new owner will enjoy and cherish it as much as I have.


History

Like most Couriers, supplied as a kit for the owner to finish as they wanted; there is no such thing as a standard Courier! However this one is special, as it was built specifically for racing by Team Elva Courier, and the body was thus made very light and it came without lights, trim and other roadgoing equipment. The Elva Club have verified this. Malcolm Wayne fitted it with a 140bhp 1622cc MGA engine and a 'Works' spec MGA box and ran it on narrow steel wheels (as they all did then), with an aeroscreen. He ran it in the (UK) Autosports series of races, usually in the GT class, including races at Aintree, Elvington, Charterhall, Cadwell Park, Rufford and Mallory Park, where he won the GT race on Boxing Day, beating lightweight E-types in the rain. It was painted red, and registered for the road as 546 FUG (I have copies of the original registration documents). Unfortunately I have no photos of this period, though I have met and interviewed Malcolm Wayne, and Autosport magazine race reports also confirm the above. It was then sold in early 1964 to Peter West-Manning who had a sports car garage near Bristol. He ran it in races, sprints and hillclimbs, painted green, including Brighton Speed Trials, Castle Combe, Brands Hatch and Silverstone. In 1965, Peter had the car extensively modified, fitting the MGB engine, removing the headlights and cutting down the front wings and opening up the arches to take 5" wheels and Dunlop racing tyres. Details of a long list of events where he featured is available, though with what success is not known. Peter died about 25 years ago, but I have interviewed his widow by phone. It appears that when Peter relocated to North Yorkshire he took the car with him, but it remained there when he later returned south. It eventually passed to Guy Blumer, who intended to restore it but never did. The current owner bought it from him in 2003, collecting it from a barn near Thirsk (photos available). A full rebuild followed over a 4 year period. A large file containing the complete story of this, with photos, contacts, invoices etc will be provided to the buyer on completion of the sale. The car is now road registered, with the very appropriate and valuable registration number ELV321A (correct for a '63 car). It will be sold with a current MoT certificate. It is very useable on the road, being easy to drive and reliable. Not concours, but in excellent all round condition, with full weather equipment. My wife and I drive it to motorsport events, compete and drive home again, taking tools, spares and camping equipment in the car. During my ownership it has taken part in sprints and hillclimbs at Shelsley Walsh, Prescott, Loton Park, Harewood, Aintree, Three Sisters, Teeside Autodrome, and Ty-Croes (Anglesey), winning a number of class awards and in 2009 acheiving 2nd overall in the Classics class of the Chester & Liverpool Speed Championship (ie the NW of England championship). In June 2010 I drove it a thousand miles to compete in the St Goueno Masters hillclimb in France. It has also done track days at Croft and Oulton Park race circuits.

Competition History

See history section above
Performance Data

• Historics
  
• 1560 lbs
  

Engine

• AMK Engineering
  
• MG
  
• B
  
• 1798
  
• 125 - 130 (estimated)
  
• Twin 1.5" SU Carbs.
  
• Cast Iron
  
• Cast Iron
  
• balanced, lightened
  
• Balanced
  
• Kent 717
  
• Long 3 branch
  
• Duplex timing chain, hardened valve seats, reworked head, 9.5:1 compression
  

Fuel System

• Fuel Tank
  
• 8 gallons (est)
  
• Electric
  
• 97 Octane petrol
  

Oil/Water System

• VW Golf GTI MkII
  
• Normal
  
• yes
  
• Yes
  
• Normal
  

Electrical System

• Spark plugs
  
• Yes
  
• Varley Red Top
  
• No
  
• no
  

Transmission

• MG
  
• Helical close ratio
  
• 4
  
• Stick
  
• No
  
• Abington MGA works box
  

Rear End

• Riley
  
• from Riley 1.5
  
• No
  
• 3.9
  
• Standard
  
• Not limited slip
  
• Yes
  
• Double bearing hubs, EN24 steel half-shalfs
  

Body

• Fibreglass on steel chassis
  
• Yellow
  
• Acrylic
  
• Good
  
• Lightweight, shape modified from standard Courier
  

Chassis

• Front is Triumph Vitesse ladder, rear is Elva spaceframe
  
• Elva
  
• Steel
  
• Black paint
  
• Good
  
• Triumph Vitesse, painted, good. Coil springs, adjustable dampers, shims for negative camber
  
• Twin trailing arms, vertical coil springs and adjustable dampers, A-frame with rose joint to rear ax
  
• Adjustable, 4 years, never rebuilt
  
• Girling. Discs front, drums rear
  
• Rack and pinion
  
• Steel, 14 x 4.5
  
• 165 x 14 x 85 Avon C322
  

Interior

• red seats and belts, black painted floor, engine turned alum
  
• vinyl seats
  
• Hand held extinquisher
  
• Sparco 3" 4-point belts, in date
  
• MGB
  
• Elva 1963 aluminium and leather
  
• Good
  

Spares

• Various, including
  
• Full race cam
  
• Dynamo
  
• Triplex laminated screen
  
• Starter motor
  
• Patterns for screen pillars + two spare pillars
  
• 4 original steel wheels