Photos: The Peter Mellor Collection - Part 2

[Cooper997]

The Gates Elfin was raced by Frank Matich before it headed to Qld. it's still in the longterm ownership of CAMS longest serving official, Graham Hoinville. In the early 90s he won the Grand Prix Rally to Adelaide with it. Beating a few Porsches and the like.

Stephen

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks Stephen. I'm really enjoying all the info coming through for these!

[Cooper997]

I took the liberty to forward the link and photos of the Gates Elfin (in post #79) to Graham Hoinville. He has kindly allowed me to post his interesting response for all the TRS enthusiasts to read. As you will see the car is still being used in competition with Graham.

Stephen


"Thank you very much for that image of the Elfin - taken around 1963 it seems. I shall add it to my file on the history of the car.

I purchased the car from George Makin early in 1982 with virtually no documentation of history. In March 2001 I achieved a C. of D. for the car, after spending hours researching the history, mainly from my files of Racing Car News and so on. From the ID plate on the car and the Elfin book it emerged as the first “finalised specification” Clubman. There were several earlier prototypes with such features as split Ford 10 front axle whilst the Granton Harrison car was similar technical specification save for being aluminium panelled. It seems these panels were used to produce for the moulds for the fibreglass panels on my car and all subsequent.

Detailed in RCN the Clubman and the first FJ Catalina were on show at the Racing Car Show in Sydney in September 1962. At that stage Frank Matich was the Elfin Agent in Sydney and subsequently drove both cars with success. The Clubman set new 1500cc sports car records at Warwick Farm and Catalina Park. Subsequently there was an parting of the ways between Garrie Cooper and Matich.

My research produced the following history of the Clubman:-

1962 Elfin Sports Cars ( driver Frank Matich).

1962-64 Bill Gates of Qld.

1964-66 Roy Sawyer of Qld.

1966-69 John Ould & Harry Vaughan of Melbourne.

1969 – 82 George Makin of Melbourne.

1982 – Graham Hoinville.

Originally the car was powered by a 1340cc 3 main bearing Kent engine. These were not used by Ford in Australia but were used in Europe and Garrie specially imported them. The 1200cc version was introduced here in the early Cortinas, then for 1964 Ford introduced the 1500cc 5 main bearing engine. Before selling the car in 1964 Gates fitted the 1500cc engine, and also the disc front brakes from the Cortina. At one stage in the 23 years that George Makin owned the car he fitted a Lotus/Cortina Twincam dry sump engine and raced the car in Sports Cars. I ran in every Grand Prix Rally in the Clubman except the first in 1988 ( used my MG TC supercharged in 1988). With my wife as navigator we won the 1500 Classic Class in 1990, but then she quit – declaring 4 days in a small open car in summer was a bit much for a 60 year old. She suggested if I recruited a competent driver and did the navigation we could win the event. I recruited my eldest son Greg – he was the winner of the last Victorian Rally Championship to be won in a 2 WD normally aspirated car ( a 2 litre Escort) and additionally I fitted a Ford/Lotus TYwincam engine. We won the Rally outright – much to the chagrin of a hoard of Porsche 911 drivers. Over the years we were on the podium 4 times – one 1st, twice in 2nd place and once 3rd. We had 2 DNFs – I had a stroke during an overnight stop at Shepparton and in one of the later events we had to retire when the gearbox locked in second gear during the night navigation section in Gippsland.

Of course the car is back to pushrod engine to compete in Historic Group M and is in regular historic competition – ran it at a sprint meeting at Maryborough Airport weekend before last.

I hope I have not bored you with all this ‘waffle’!!

Regards,

Graham Hoinville."

[mid-year]

That is a terrific account of the Elfins history and the car is obviously in very good hands today.

Great work Stephen!

Pete.

[Cooper997]

All inspired by your photos Pete.

Graham has been involved with CAMS since the start - 60 years ago. He was also the only competitor at this year's AGP Albert Park 60th anniversary with his original car (MG TC). Who had competed at the 1953 Albert Park AGP meeting. So he tends to hang on to his cars.

Stephen

[Ellis]

Here is a couple of Mr Hoinville....

[mid-year]

Hi Ellis.I remember those beautiful Brambles Red XWGS rally cars staging through Brisbane and they were great looking cars complete with the crew wearing the corporate pale blue overalls with the iconic "super-roo" emblem,such an awesome era when Ford Australia was entering motor sport in so many categories.....how the times change.

Regards Pete.

[Steve Holmes]

This is really great stuff guys, thanks heaps.

[maxspeed]

[ATTACH]23563[/ATTACH]
Here is another photo of the 250 LM Ferrari at - I think - the first right hander Pukekohe.

[Terry S]

[ATTACH]23563[/ATTACH]
Here is another photo of the 250 LM Ferrari at - I think - the first right hander Pukekohe.

I see that one of these Ferraris recently sold at an RM Auction in the US for USD 14,300,000. Incredible!

[Greg Mackie]

All inspired by your photos Pete.

Graham has been involved with CAMS since the start - 60 years ago. He was also the only competitor at this year's AGP Albert Park 60th anniversary with his original car (MG TC). Who had competed at the 1953 Albert Park AGP meeting. So he tends to hang on to his cars.

Stephen

Maybe it's something about MG TCs, Stephen....Lance Hill still has his TC that he raced, almost as long ago.