Elva
Tuesday 19 November 2013
Wednesday 30 October 2013
For Sale - One careful owner, never raced ... err ...!
The Elva is now for sale after this fantastically successful season. I've loved driving it over the 4 years I've had it, it's been my first single-seater, and taught me a lot. It's in great shape, and ready for someone else to enjoy. Iain and the boys are fully re-preparing it, so that it's genuinely ready to race, of course it was fully restored just 4 race meetings ago anyway, including a chassis restoration and engine refresh from the best guys in the business - Swiftune. You might want to put some new tyres on it though ... I've had the best out of the last set!
From my comments elsewhere you'll know that I plan to stay in the Formula Junior community, but as I will not be racing so frequently, nor am I likely to have time to mount serious challenge in any championship, I think it's time to sell this car. Hopefully I will replace it quickly (I might do something silly otherwise, like pay off some of the mortgage!!), and at present I really fancy a front-engined car, although the ones I really like (e.g. Lola Mk2) are a bit out of my league financially ... we'll see.
This Elva offers someone a great way into the Formula Junior world ...
Here's the advert ....
1960 Elva 200 Formula Junior:
2013 FIA Lurani Trophy: 3rd place overall and 2nd in Class C2.
Specification
Chassis restoration by Delta Motorsports in June 2013. Taller roll hoop was fitted in March 2012 to comply with latest FIA ROPS regulations.
Body restored and repainted in June 2013.
Short-stroke BMC Engine refreshed by Swiftune, June 2013, just 4 events since, Oldtimer GP, Goodwood Revival, Jerez and Portimao = approximately six hours.
Gearbox, refreshed by PDS in 2010, subsequently refreshed regularly by Delta Motorsports, who've professionally run this car for me for the past couple of seasons.
New front brake drums and new shoes all round at start of 2013. New driveshafts by Robin Longdon April 2013.
New starter motor April 2013, spare included. All other components checked over in June 2013, and many refreshed or replaced as appropriate.
Extinguisher refreshed in April 2013. Belts valid until 2015.
New set of Elva wheels in early 2012, second set of earlier wheels included. The tyres on both sets are used, but have some life left.
Some other spares, including front and rear body work.
New FIA HTP issued by UK MSA in August 2013, after colour change.
Commodious cockpit can easily accommodate a 'fuller figure' (!), but adjustments to seating or pedals may be required if new driver is taller than about 5'10".
2013 performance.
100% finishing record this year, 16 races in all, including every race in the FIA Lurani Trophy. In Lurani this year I have scored one class win in Pau, Five class 2nd places and one class 3rd. Final result, 3rd overall and 2nd in Class C2 to former champion John Delane.
Goodwood Revival 2013: 10th in qualifying and race, had been running in 8th until driver made a mess of the last lap... !
History.
Built in 1960 and immediately exported to Carl Haas in USA, early history is sketchy, but it is believed to have been driven by Mark Donohue, Peter Revson and Chuck Dietrich. Raced on US historic scene in 90s, then purchased by Doug Martin who repatriated it to UK, restored it and raced it on UK/Eur scene in 2000s. The car was raced by Doug at the Goodwood Revival in 2004 and at Monaco in 2006. Purchased by me in August 2009. It has been my first single-seater and I've really enjoyed it, Formula Junior is a great scene to be part of, the biggest Historic Race community in the world. I plan to stay in the FJ 'family', but will be less active for next year or two as I need to spend more time with my young family.
There are several files of paperwork with the car.
Available now at GBP40,000 after major recent expenditure, I've asked for the car to be professionally re-prepared by Delta Motorsport so that it's ready to continue its current run of success. It can be viewed by prior arrangement with me but at Delta's premises near Henley.
James.owen@me.com
From my comments elsewhere you'll know that I plan to stay in the Formula Junior community, but as I will not be racing so frequently, nor am I likely to have time to mount serious challenge in any championship, I think it's time to sell this car. Hopefully I will replace it quickly (I might do something silly otherwise, like pay off some of the mortgage!!), and at present I really fancy a front-engined car, although the ones I really like (e.g. Lola Mk2) are a bit out of my league financially ... we'll see.
This Elva offers someone a great way into the Formula Junior world ...
Here's the advert ....
1960 Elva 200 Formula Junior:
2013 FIA Lurani Trophy: 3rd place overall and 2nd in Class C2.
Specification
Chassis restoration by Delta Motorsports in June 2013. Taller roll hoop was fitted in March 2012 to comply with latest FIA ROPS regulations.
Body restored and repainted in June 2013.
Short-stroke BMC Engine refreshed by Swiftune, June 2013, just 4 events since, Oldtimer GP, Goodwood Revival, Jerez and Portimao = approximately six hours.
Gearbox, refreshed by PDS in 2010, subsequently refreshed regularly by Delta Motorsports, who've professionally run this car for me for the past couple of seasons.
New front brake drums and new shoes all round at start of 2013. New driveshafts by Robin Longdon April 2013.
New starter motor April 2013, spare included. All other components checked over in June 2013, and many refreshed or replaced as appropriate.
Extinguisher refreshed in April 2013. Belts valid until 2015.
New set of Elva wheels in early 2012, second set of earlier wheels included. The tyres on both sets are used, but have some life left.
Some other spares, including front and rear body work.
New FIA HTP issued by UK MSA in August 2013, after colour change.
Commodious cockpit can easily accommodate a 'fuller figure' (!), but adjustments to seating or pedals may be required if new driver is taller than about 5'10".
2013 performance.
100% finishing record this year, 16 races in all, including every race in the FIA Lurani Trophy. In Lurani this year I have scored one class win in Pau, Five class 2nd places and one class 3rd. Final result, 3rd overall and 2nd in Class C2 to former champion John Delane.
Goodwood Revival 2013: 10th in qualifying and race, had been running in 8th until driver made a mess of the last lap... !
History.
Built in 1960 and immediately exported to Carl Haas in USA, early history is sketchy, but it is believed to have been driven by Mark Donohue, Peter Revson and Chuck Dietrich. Raced on US historic scene in 90s, then purchased by Doug Martin who repatriated it to UK, restored it and raced it on UK/Eur scene in 2000s. The car was raced by Doug at the Goodwood Revival in 2004 and at Monaco in 2006. Purchased by me in August 2009. It has been my first single-seater and I've really enjoyed it, Formula Junior is a great scene to be part of, the biggest Historic Race community in the world. I plan to stay in the FJ 'family', but will be less active for next year or two as I need to spend more time with my young family.
There are several files of paperwork with the car.
Available now at GBP40,000 after major recent expenditure, I've asked for the car to be professionally re-prepared by Delta Motorsport so that it's ready to continue its current run of success. It can be viewed by prior arrangement with me but at Delta's premises near Henley.
James.owen@me.com
A quick word about Team Bond!
Very well done chaps ...!
It's a good story ... goes something like this ...
In period only one of the Bonds was completed, they were an ambitious project with the front-wheel drive. Apparently the finances ran out and the rear-engined cars started to appear, so they were outclassed anyway, before they'd been fully developed. The second car was never finished in period.
One of the original team was Jon Goddard-Watts.
Many years later ...
Jon Goddard-Watts is made aware that the cars still exist, he rebuys them, in barn-find condition and they are sent to Andrew Tart and his crew to restore and race. The previously unraced car is the one that Andrew Tart drives, in Class B2. A couple of seasons later Andrew/Team Bond are FIA Lurani Champions, Jon is there to see it too, despite having not enjoyed the best of health during the 'project'. Gil Duffy driving the other Bond is the winner of the 1000cc Front-engine class, B1.
I've gone wheel-to-wheel with Andrew quite a bit this year, especially the latter part of the season when I upped my own game, it's been fun, and safe, racing with him ... even though it's worth bearing in mind that with front-wheel drive he doesn't necessarily take the same lines or handle the same way as the rest of us!
It's a great story and they deserve full credit, the cars are always beautifully turned out, and very reliable ... although the final Iberian rounds proved challenging for Team Bond too, as it did for us!
Champagne all round!
It's a good story ... goes something like this ...
In period only one of the Bonds was completed, they were an ambitious project with the front-wheel drive. Apparently the finances ran out and the rear-engined cars started to appear, so they were outclassed anyway, before they'd been fully developed. The second car was never finished in period.
One of the original team was Jon Goddard-Watts.
Many years later ...
Jon Goddard-Watts is made aware that the cars still exist, he rebuys them, in barn-find condition and they are sent to Andrew Tart and his crew to restore and race. The previously unraced car is the one that Andrew Tart drives, in Class B2. A couple of seasons later Andrew/Team Bond are FIA Lurani Champions, Jon is there to see it too, despite having not enjoyed the best of health during the 'project'. Gil Duffy driving the other Bond is the winner of the 1000cc Front-engine class, B1.
I've gone wheel-to-wheel with Andrew quite a bit this year, especially the latter part of the season when I upped my own game, it's been fun, and safe, racing with him ... even though it's worth bearing in mind that with front-wheel drive he doesn't necessarily take the same lines or handle the same way as the rest of us!
It's a great story and they deserve full credit, the cars are always beautifully turned out, and very reliable ... although the final Iberian rounds proved challenging for Team Bond too, as it did for us!
Champagne all round!
Reflections - FJ
The Formula Junior scene is phenomenal ... active groups racing in Europe, Australia/NZ, US and a few in South Africa. So many of the group are happy to travel, with their cars. It makes a very cosmopolitan crowd ... during the final two weekends of the championship I ate meals with the Portuguese, Australians, Italians, Americans, the Scottish contingent, Belgians, Swiss and various different groups of Brits, etc. It's a very sociable group of people anyway, add into that the fact that we were all overseas in the autumn sunshine having some playtime, and it becomes very convivial!
The weekend after the Algarve some of the crowd were going to be joining the US contingent racing at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. As soon as Kim gets home to Australia, he'll be out racing again at Sandown and then Eastern Creek. In early December there is a race for FJ at Bahamas Speed Week in Nassau. It really is amazing, an FJ racer with time on his hands and the finances to suit, could probably race somewhere in the world on maybe 40 weekend of the year - I've guessed at that, but you'll get the point!
FJ is routinely on the race programme of the biggest historic race meetings in the World ... Goodwood Revival, VHRR Phillip Island, Laguna Seca, Oldtimer GP at Nurburgring, GPAO Dijon, Silverstone Classic... At many of these events it actually produces the biggest grids and the best racing on the entire programme.
By my reckoning we had 77 competitors in Lurani this year, from 15 different countries.
The very same weekend as we were turning out 30 cars to race in Algarve, another 36 were lining up to race at Silverstone in the final round of the UK Championship - 126 drivers took part in that Championship!
Oh, and 39 competitors ran in the UK-based Front-engined FJ series too!
The cars are fun to drive, the front-runners are seriously quick and talented drivers, but there is good competition right down the field, and the guys racing the older front-engined cars have just as much fun. The Class structure, whilst perhaps a little 'clunky' in some regards, does mean that everyone has something to shoot for. We drive these old cars quite hard so they let us down occasionally, but they are usually pretty simple bits of kit to repair - as you've seen from my experience this season, a 'proactive' and preventative approach to maintenance can reward you with a constant stream of chequered flags!
I won't be able to come back and have another full tilt at Lurani - at least for some time - but I do expect to retain an FJ - if there's one in the garage ready to go, then I know that I'd be able to find somewhere to go and have fun with it whenever the time and opportunity presents itself!
The weekend after the Algarve some of the crowd were going to be joining the US contingent racing at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. As soon as Kim gets home to Australia, he'll be out racing again at Sandown and then Eastern Creek. In early December there is a race for FJ at Bahamas Speed Week in Nassau. It really is amazing, an FJ racer with time on his hands and the finances to suit, could probably race somewhere in the world on maybe 40 weekend of the year - I've guessed at that, but you'll get the point!
FJ is routinely on the race programme of the biggest historic race meetings in the World ... Goodwood Revival, VHRR Phillip Island, Laguna Seca, Oldtimer GP at Nurburgring, GPAO Dijon, Silverstone Classic... At many of these events it actually produces the biggest grids and the best racing on the entire programme.
By my reckoning we had 77 competitors in Lurani this year, from 15 different countries.
The very same weekend as we were turning out 30 cars to race in Algarve, another 36 were lining up to race at Silverstone in the final round of the UK Championship - 126 drivers took part in that Championship!
Oh, and 39 competitors ran in the UK-based Front-engined FJ series too!
The cars are fun to drive, the front-runners are seriously quick and talented drivers, but there is good competition right down the field, and the guys racing the older front-engined cars have just as much fun. The Class structure, whilst perhaps a little 'clunky' in some regards, does mean that everyone has something to shoot for. We drive these old cars quite hard so they let us down occasionally, but they are usually pretty simple bits of kit to repair - as you've seen from my experience this season, a 'proactive' and preventative approach to maintenance can reward you with a constant stream of chequered flags!
I won't be able to come back and have another full tilt at Lurani - at least for some time - but I do expect to retain an FJ - if there's one in the garage ready to go, then I know that I'd be able to find somewhere to go and have fun with it whenever the time and opportunity presents itself!
Reflections - Thanks
No particular order ...
Delta Motorsport - Iain Rowley, Martin and Josh and various others at times - been awesome, to get any FJ to 16 consecutive chequered flags is something of an achievement I reckon - sure, a couple of them were a tad fortunate, but still, we did it! They've put in a lot of hours to keep me going, and they've generally been very good-natured and easy-going about it. Thanks a lot for all your hard work guys! The cheque's in the post ...
XL - my employer - and sponsor - huge thanks of course, there's simply no way I could have seen this through without their valuable assistance. Including my boss, Simon, for tolerating all my time off ...
Mike Bell, sometime crew chief, immensely helpful on several occasions when Iain had other cars to run. Enjoyed your company too Mike.
Colin McKay, who turned up just at the critical time when Iain was stressing to get the gearbox back together at Brands, and lent a pair of calm hands just when they were most needed!
My brother David for keeping me company over the enjoyable weekend at Dijon, and again at Brands Hatch and Goodwood.
Photographers Charlie Wooding, Kitty Chisholm and Ines Campos Costa who have provided me with photos by which to remember it all by! Very sorry to hear that Charlie had his gear stolen after Jerez, especially as he had some nice shots of me, but he only has thumbnail size files left, the rest were nicked - there are some miserable blighters out there, that gear is Charlie's living...
Nick Swift and the guys at Swiftune, for building reliable engines and being straightforward to deal with.
Last but not least... My wife and children, for being supportive and tolerant of all the long weekends that I have spent away!
Oh, and you, dear reader ... It's been heartening to see the audience count creep up every time I write something, would have been dreadful expending all this effort with no readers! You're an international bunch too, I would especially love to know how I've generated so many readers in Russia, or how my exploits came to the attention of people in Ukraine, China and Paraguay!
Delta Motorsport - Iain Rowley, Martin and Josh and various others at times - been awesome, to get any FJ to 16 consecutive chequered flags is something of an achievement I reckon - sure, a couple of them were a tad fortunate, but still, we did it! They've put in a lot of hours to keep me going, and they've generally been very good-natured and easy-going about it. Thanks a lot for all your hard work guys! The cheque's in the post ...
XL - my employer - and sponsor - huge thanks of course, there's simply no way I could have seen this through without their valuable assistance. Including my boss, Simon, for tolerating all my time off ...
Mike Bell, sometime crew chief, immensely helpful on several occasions when Iain had other cars to run. Enjoyed your company too Mike.
Colin McKay, who turned up just at the critical time when Iain was stressing to get the gearbox back together at Brands, and lent a pair of calm hands just when they were most needed!
My brother David for keeping me company over the enjoyable weekend at Dijon, and again at Brands Hatch and Goodwood.
Photographers Charlie Wooding, Kitty Chisholm and Ines Campos Costa who have provided me with photos by which to remember it all by! Very sorry to hear that Charlie had his gear stolen after Jerez, especially as he had some nice shots of me, but he only has thumbnail size files left, the rest were nicked - there are some miserable blighters out there, that gear is Charlie's living...
Nick Swift and the guys at Swiftune, for building reliable engines and being straightforward to deal with.
Last but not least... My wife and children, for being supportive and tolerant of all the long weekends that I have spent away!
Oh, and you, dear reader ... It's been heartening to see the audience count creep up every time I write something, would have been dreadful expending all this effort with no readers! You're an international bunch too, I would especially love to know how I've generated so many readers in Russia, or how my exploits came to the attention of people in Ukraine, China and Paraguay!
Reflections - my season
Somewhat appropriately the sun was beginning to set as I drove away from Circuito Internacional Algarve, with my hirecar in convoy between Iain's truck and trailer, Mike Bell's massive rig, and Martin and Josh bringing up the rear in the van - they'd take the best part of 3 days to get home, I was only going to Faro Airport... As the road opened up a bit I gunned that dreadful hirecar, gave everyone a big wave out of the window and cruised ahead ... with mixed feelings ... why?
I've loved this season ... but ... I'm not coming back to do it all again ...
We've far exceeded our expectations when we started out ... but ... we haven't actually 'won' anything, despite leading the championship for most of the season ...
3rd outright is a great result ... but ... the manner of achieving it over the final two weekends was perhaps a tad disappointing, after all, at these two circuits I have been outclassed, and we had to resort to 'playing the long game' in order to guarantee the result we wanted.
What were my favourite moments of the championship ...? Obviously winning the class in Pau was special ... so was turning up at Nurburgring with a restored car, new tyres, and a lighter fitter driver (!) and finding that I'd moved myself up the grid a little bit .. that in turn built my confidence, and I personally reckon I drove well there, and in the race at Goodwood and over the Jerez weekend in particular. I love Dijon both as a circuit to drive, and because the tight paddock there seems to generate a very sociable gathering all weekend - and my brother comes to that meeting, it's always fun to have him along!
Most stressful moments ... Brands Hatch takes the biscuit ... having just two gear ratios in the car and still being in the outside paddock whilst the other guys are lining up on the grid ... yeah, that was stressful! Still can't believe we got out on track, and scored some extremely valuable points ...
The Algarve meeting was stressful too ... trying to ensure the result we wanted, with the mysterious overheating, and then the onset of the dreaded rain!
What a great season though ...
What am I going to do now ...? Family time of course, some lower key racing next season, mostly in the UK I envisage, back on track at the family-friendly rounds of the HSCC's Historic Roadsports Championship with my trusty old TR5! Some FJ racing of course, but what ... not sure ...
I've loved this season ... but ... I'm not coming back to do it all again ...
We've far exceeded our expectations when we started out ... but ... we haven't actually 'won' anything, despite leading the championship for most of the season ...
3rd outright is a great result ... but ... the manner of achieving it over the final two weekends was perhaps a tad disappointing, after all, at these two circuits I have been outclassed, and we had to resort to 'playing the long game' in order to guarantee the result we wanted.
What were my favourite moments of the championship ...? Obviously winning the class in Pau was special ... so was turning up at Nurburgring with a restored car, new tyres, and a lighter fitter driver (!) and finding that I'd moved myself up the grid a little bit .. that in turn built my confidence, and I personally reckon I drove well there, and in the race at Goodwood and over the Jerez weekend in particular. I love Dijon both as a circuit to drive, and because the tight paddock there seems to generate a very sociable gathering all weekend - and my brother comes to that meeting, it's always fun to have him along!
Most stressful moments ... Brands Hatch takes the biscuit ... having just two gear ratios in the car and still being in the outside paddock whilst the other guys are lining up on the grid ... yeah, that was stressful! Still can't believe we got out on track, and scored some extremely valuable points ...
The Algarve meeting was stressful too ... trying to ensure the result we wanted, with the mysterious overheating, and then the onset of the dreaded rain!
What a great season though ...
What am I going to do now ...? Family time of course, some lower key racing next season, mostly in the UK I envisage, back on track at the family-friendly rounds of the HSCC's Historic Roadsports Championship with my trusty old TR5! Some FJ racing of course, but what ... not sure ...
Sunday 20 October 2013
Portimao - Sunday - The Final Act
The glamour of International Motorsport ... delayed by easyJet out of Faro, so missed the last Gatwick Express to London, now on the 0205 'shunter' to Victoria. Not going to be getting a lot of sleep tonight as I need to be in the office quite early!
Oh, you'll be wanting to know how it all played out ...
Team Bond worked late into the night but got the engine change completed into Andrew Tart's car.
Iain and the boys finished on my car at about 2100, and got Duncan Rabagliati's Alexis sorted too.
I'd left the circuit about 1930 having accepted one of the last possible lifts to get me to the FJ dinner in Lagos. That was a jolly affair, about 60 of us, a very multinational crowd, very enjoyable. As were the caipirinhas on the balcony of the hotel bar until the early hours. Definitely the oddball highlight of the later hours was chatting to 1977 Le Mans 24 Hour winner Jurgen Barth about doing business in China!
I suppose you still want to hear about the motor racing do you ...?
When we fired up my car to warm it up about an hour before the start it poured water from the overflow ... Uh, oh! It was frothy water ... This is a concern; has the gasket change not done the trick? Rapid investigations were made, the water had been overfilled, and the replacement radiator cap wasn't seating properly, Martin and Josh delved into the wheelie bin to retrieve the one they had replaced! We fired it up again. It warmed gently, without 'leaking' and without froth... Ok.
Then it started to rain .... Quite a bit! Enough to fully soak the track, and too late for it to dry even if the sun came out again. So we pump up the tyres, release the rear anti-roll bar, and soften the shock absorbers all way round. I haven't driven my car in the rain for sometime, and frankly it's dreadful! I had not driven any other FJs in the rain, nor has anyone else driven mine, so I don't know if it really is worse than everyone else's or not, but I wasn't too bad at driving the TR is wet races, whereas this makes me look very 'average'!
I only need to run 3 laps to be classified, in fact even 2 might do! So still concerned about the engine I elect to miss the two out laps (there's an extra one as it has rained, and we've not been out on track in the rain so far), and the green flag lap. In case I only get 3 laps before the temperature gauge goes off the scale, I might as well run laps that'll count - so I elect to start from the pitlane - dead last. The other benefit of this is that'll I should miss any first lap incidents should they occur in these conditions. As the grid heads round on the green flag lap I trundle down the pitlane and hold at the end. Shortly after they've left the grid I set off too.
Boy, this is worse than I remember! Can't brake without locking up, can't turn without under steering, can't put any power on without the back stepping out. I tiptoe round, watching the gauges!
Each time I go past the finish line I count out loud! The temperature gauge has climbed to 70o and stuck there, just as it should, oil temp and pressure also perfect. After three laps I have only caught and passed one car, the Lola of Bob Birrell, and I spun from about 20mph at the bottom hairpin shortly after doing that! I have a little play at speeding up, but frankly it was less than half-hearted. I think about pulling the car in, but considering how FJs are, it'll be quite an achievement to reach the chequered flag in every single Lurani race (and indeed every other race I've started in 2013): so I stay out to the end. Chequered flag, nearly last, but so what; I've done what I needed to - it might not be 'motor racing' as you know it, but I give a Vettel-like shout of joy as I cross the line and wave wildly at Iain and the boys on the pitwall - what an effort. The manner of completing it, like limping across the finish line of a marathon, having previously been on course for a PB, detracts slightly from the 'sporting achievement', but it's been a long fight and we've boxed clever to get our result. (Enough sporting analogies: Ed)
The finish means 2nd in class for the fifth time this year and another trophy for the kids. John Delane wins the class and in so doing ties up 2nd overall in the Championship. Andrew Tart finishes, therefore being classified second in his class and confirming the Championship win - very well done to Team Bond - it's been a hard Iberian tour for them!
Martin Aubry takes Class D, from Steve Futter and Luc Deneve, thereby confirming that I have achieved the lowest rung of the podium in the overall Lurani Trophy for 2013.
Pierre Tonetti won the race at a canter, John Fyda was second, Richard Smeeton third. JP Campos Costa who'd been second yesterday gets no help from his countrymen in race control as they give him a drive-through penalty for some infraction that leaves him down in about 10th.
Time for bed!
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