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Elfin—The Australian Cooper
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Bob Jane, driving the Repco V8-powered Elfin 400, finished in 2nd to Frank Matich, in a Matich SR3 Olds, during the Royal Automobile Club Trophy Race for sports cars held at Warwick Farm on May 14, 1967. Jane was the first privateer to run the Repco engine. Photo: www.autopics.com
Featured Editorials & ContentRacecar ArticlesRacecar Features

Elfin—The Australian Cooper

 Patrick Quinn

I always look forward to seeing the monthly “Market Guide” in “Vintage Racecar Journal.” Not that it gives me some idea of my next competition vehicle, but I like to see how those marques with Australian connections are faring far from where they were made or from where their designers came. Marques like Brabham and Ralt are always of interest.

Elfin founder Garrie Cooper sits in the cockpit of an Elfin 600 while under construction in his Melbourne, Australia workshop.
Photo: www.autopics.com

Elfin is also of special interest, as each one came from the fertile mind of Australian Garrie Cooper and were built entirely here in Australia. In many ways, it could be said that Garrie Cooper was Elfin and Elfin was Garrie Cooper. Like the Chevrons of Derek Bennett and, to some extent, the Lotuses of Colin Chapman, Elfins were the product of a single, brilliant designer. Unfortunately, Elfin would also share the same fate as Chevron and Lotus in that the untimely death of its founder and guiding light would ultimately lead to the company’s demise.

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Patrick Quinn
Steve Natale has been playing with cars ever since he was old enough to first hold a matchbox car in his hand. A lifelong enthusiast of anything old with an engine in it or wheels on it, Steve has been active in the hobby for over 35 years. Currently he owns a successful marketing company with his wife Mary, is an automotive photographer, blogger and writer for several automotive magazines and regular contributor to various automotive websites. Steve has attended vintage car events and visited car museums and collections around the world.
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