1962 Elva MK VI

The early Elva racecars were more crude, utilitarian, and conventional than they were sophisticated, complex, and cutting edge. This is understandable considering company founder Frank Nichols's background was as a mechanic and garage owner rather than a racer (although he did have some racing experience). One of Frank's mechanical engineers was 'Mac' Witts, who had created an 'inlet over exhaust' conversion for the Ford 100E engine. Since Frank was a talented businessman, he recognized an opportunity to promote the 'inlet over exhaust' conversion and had it installed in his custom-made CSM racecar. His business sense told him there was a market and demand for sports racing cars, and soon the 'ELVA' was born. The name 'ELVA', for 'ell va', means 'she goes.' Frank chose to use the name after a friend watching the CSM perform commented: 'Elle va!' in French.

The early Elva's of the mid-1950s provided the necessary cash flow and the learning experience to establish a business and to prove there was a market for a low-priced alternative race car. More sophisticated Formula Juniors and sports cars followed. In 1958, Elva introduced a road-going car called the Courier.

Chuck Dietrich was the United States distributor for Elva, helping them expand the business to a wider audience. Despite the company's success and popularity, the Elva Company experienced financial problems during the late 1950s and early 1960s. The failure and bankruptcy of the U.S. distributor forced Elva to reorganize the business. The Trojan company was tasked with the construction of the road-going Courier while Nichols concentrated on building race cars.

One of the first products to emerge from the newly re-organized Elva company was the MK VI rear-engined sports car, the first of the modern ultra-low 'lay down' sports racers. It had a similar chassis layout to the Elva Type 300 Formula Junior, with a steel spaceframe chassis, a 1,100cc Coventry Climax engine (most examples were fitted with this engine), and a design by Keith Marsden. The aluminum floor acted as a stressed member, further strengthening the spaceframe chassis. It had a fully independent suspension setup with drum brakes and 15-inch wheels on all four corners. It wore a lightweight fiberglass body that was slippery and had a very low overall height, with split air intakes in the front.

The Elva MK VI made its competition debut at Brands Hatch on Boxing Day, 1961, driven by Chris Ashmore, finishing second behind Graham Hill in a Ferrari 250 TRI/61. Total production of the Elva MK VI reached approximately 28 examples with most being sent to the United States where new importer Carl Haas was responsible for distribution. These 1.1-liter sports racers were popular in the 'CM' and G-Modified class and often the favored competitor, but this eventually changed when Lotus introduced the Type 23 which had a more powerful Ford-based engine.

The Elva MK VI continued the company's reputation for easy maintenance, competitiveness, and reliability. Many American racers such as Mark Donahue got their competitive start in Elva cars. In 1963, an Elva MK VII (with a Porsche engine) finished 1st at the Road America 500, beating Cobras, Ferraris, and other large-bore automobiles. Elva would later build racing chassis for Porsche and the early McLaren V8 cars, including for the CanAm racing series.

Production of the Mark VI began in December of 1961 and lasted until October 1962. They provided healthy competition for the front-engined Lotus XI's, Lola Mark I's, and other 1100cc cars. It enjoyed considerable success throughout the 1962 season, before being replaced by its successor, the Elva Mark VII.

Elva VI hit the silver screen when Elvis and Ann Margaret drove the car in the 1960s musical Viva Las Vegas

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2020