Mark Joerger said:
> Built at factory in Hastings from 1959 thru 1962, then
> manufacturing rights sold to Trojan, Ltd.
Then passed to Ken Sheppard in 1965, finally fading out in 1968
with over 2,000 cars built.
> BMC-B engine (1500 cc) (later had 1622 cc MGA - gearbox too)
> Front suspension from Triumph Vitesse (double unequal wishbones)
Probably only the later cars had the (stronger?) Vitesse parts,
the Vitesse first came out in 62 or 63. Early cars possibly
had the BMC front suspension - with the damper forming the top
link as Spridget, MGB etc.
> Rear suspension: live axle located by trailing arms and panhard rod.
>
> Chassis: two large diameter steel tubes as side members with smaller
> diameter cross brace tubes.
In Peter Filby's book "Specialist Sports Cars" published 1974 is this:
`at the January 1961 Racing Car Show in London ... was the greatly
improved Elva Courier Mark II. .... the car now became more refined,
still however in its own raucous and rapid maner. A major change was
in the use of a completely new backbone type semi-space frame tubular
chassis .... When the Courier Mark III was launched ... in September
1962, it featured a completely redesigned box section chassis,
retaining the BMC live rear axle but now using a coil-and-wishbone
front end from the Triumph Herald.'
So could the tubular backbone or the box-section chassis have been
taken for Lotus at a casual glance?
> The picture I have looks like a Spitfire with a Europa nose spliced on.
Yeah, it does, with a very Elite-like curve to the front wings. The
Mark IV Courier has a more-or-less MGB nose -- and the Elva-BMW is a
gorgeous-looking car.
Looking through that book makes me weep, the choice of interesting
cars in the '50s and 60's was huge compared with the mass produced
indistinguishable tin-boxes that are almost the only choice today.
All praise to Caterham -- they are about the only ones left of
the British sports car tradition!
Cheers,
Mike
Mike Causer Setanta Technology mike@setanta.demon.co.uk
** * * * * * * * * * * * * * **
Setanta's Impress Newsletter now at http://www.demon.co.uk/setanta/
|