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Elfin - the fast elves from Down-Under

Name: Elfin Sportsman 1964
Brand: Elfin

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Created on August 1, 1983

Text:

Gavin Farmer

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

Balz Schreier

FabPetersson Fotografie

Archiv

Daniel Reinhard

Balz Schreier

FabPetersson Fotografie

Archiv

Elfin Streamliner (1960) - on the occasion of the Shannon Demonstrations at the GP Australia 2013

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Elfin Streamliner - at Shannon's Historic Demonstration 2012 on the occasion of the Australian GP

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Elfin Streamliner (1964) - seen in Australia back then

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Elfin Streamliner (1959) - on the occasion of demonstration runs at the 2014 Australian GP

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Elfin Mk1 (1960) - Formula Junior Historic Racing Association - Spa Six Hours 2016

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Elfin MK I (1960) - FIA Lurani Trophy for Formula Junior cars - AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix 2015

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Elfin F3 - at Shannon's Historic Demonstration 2012 on the occasion of the Australian GP

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Elfin Mallala (1963) - on the occasion of demonstration runs at the 2014 Australian GP

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Elfin M5 Holden-Repco (1972) - John McCormack at the wheel

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Elfin Traco Chevrolet (1966) - participant in the "Total Oil International Sports Car Challenge" as part of the supporting program of the 2013 Australian GP

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Elfin Traco (1966) - participant in the "Total Oil International Sports Car Challenge" as part of the supporting program of the 2013 Australian GP

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Elfin 400 - at Shannon's Historic Demonstration 2012 on the occasion of the Australian GP

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Elfin 400 (1966) - on the occasion of the Shannon Demonstrations at the GP Australia 2013

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Elfin 400 (1966) - Participant in the "Total Oil International Sports Car Challenge" as part of the supporting program of the 2013 Australian GP

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Elfin MS7 (1974) - participant in the "Total Oil International Sports Car Challenge" as part of the supporting program of the 2013 Australian GP

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Elfin MS5 (1969) - participant in the "Total Oil International Sports Car Challenge" as part of the supporting program of the 2013 Australian GP

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Summary

Little known in this country, in Australia in the 1960s a self-taught driver rose to become the leading racing car manufacturer. Garrie Cooper worked his way through almost all racing categories with his Elfin brand and also produced sporty cars for the road. All too soon, his life and that of his company came to an end. This article looks back on the history of the small Elfin company, names the most important models and shows them in pictures.

This article contains the following chapters

Entrepreneur
Self-taught
From sports car to monoposto
Lotus as a role model once again
All the way to Formula 1
The boss in the cockpit
Prepared for the future
Early end

Estimated reading time: 5min

Preview (beginning of the article)

His name was Garrie Cooper and yet he was not a movie actor. But he wasn't an engineer either - and yet he built fine cars. Sports and racing cars that caused a sensation. Not only down under. The Elfin brand actually stands for Australia's most successful racing car. Although you would hardly be inclined to think so when you saw the dark, large hall in Edwardstown for the first time. Garrie moved in here in the 1960s because the rent was so nice and low - "only temporary". Like so many temporary arrangements, this one turned out to be quite durable. Garrie did not attend a technical college and taught himself all his specialist knowledge. However, he picked up a lot of his skills at home: His father Cooper was the boss of a well-known bodywork factory that mainly produced commercial vehicle bodies. And it was also a special body that turned Garrie's first car into a "sports car". It was an Austin Seven with an A30 OHV engine.

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