Elfin Formula Junior

[Terry S]

This Elfin Mk 1 is not an Australian (Garrie Cooper) Elfin.

Could it posssibly be an NZ creation?

Anyone know more about it?

http://www.formulajunior.com/Car%20Marques/08%20Cars/Elfin/Elfin.html

[Oldfart]

Nigel will come on and tell you about it soon I suspect!
Not NZ!

[RogerH]

If you read through this link you will get the answer :

http://www.hrscc.co.nz/emerysons.html

[Kwaussie]

This is a very good photo - pinched from TNF tonight.

[Terry S]

If you read through this link you will get the answer :

http://www.hrscc.co.nz/emerysons.html

Thanks Roger, so "Elfin" is a model name for an Emeryson race car, and is NOT a marque in itself.

I eventually got there after the tortuous route through the family history.......

[RogerH]

The Emeryson Elfin Mk1 is an interesting car with a BMC A Series motor driving the front wheels through a VW split case gearbox. This gearbox set-up by the Emery's was the genesis of the Hewland gearbox.
I have raced against it on many occasions and it is a very quick car with different cornering lines than the traditional rear wheel drive cars - as probably expected, it is very fast in the wet.
Here is a link to some photos of it racing showing the acute angles the rear wheels get (it is very light in the rear and can be lifted up without too much trouble) : http://www.groundsky.co.nz/index.php?Action=VEN&EventCode=0601&EntrantID=11773

[stubuchanan]

This is a very good photo - pinched from TNF tonight.

Glad you like it. I put it there yesterday. Taken at Pukekohe 2010 NZ Festival of MR. I presume the guy on the right is Nigel Russell, and the other's tag says he is the Chief Fire Marshal! We were just walking thru the paddock and I looked at this car and thought, "Hey, this car is front wheel drive! It's probably an Emeryson" and had a much closer look. Sure enough, it was built by an Emery (Peter) although he may have called it just an Elfin, as he was peeved at elder brother Paul's antics in claiming credit for others work, and taking over joint family projects as his own. Fascinating story - read it all on the HRSCC site.

Stu Buchanan(alias wenoopy on the TNF)

[Kwaussie]

Thanks for that - I had seen the photo before and was taken by the guy in the Italian car [right rear] who seems to be on the phone!
Cheers

[Oldfart]

Yes that is Nigel

[RogerH]

The Elfin (on the chassis plate it actually says "ELFIN FJ, Emeryson Experimental") was sold by Nigel Russell a couple of years ago and is now owned and raced by Tony Olissoff.