Historic Winton
Historic Winton sees classic Down Under debut for Australian icon
Major Australian race meeting sees first Elfin unveiled on track
The very first Elfin – Australia’s equivalent of Lola or Cooper – made its first public appearance since 1970 at Historic Winton, an event that also lured a neglected but spectacular one-time caravan-lugger back to the track.
Elfin Streamliner
‘I found the car while I was working with a foundry to cast some new wheels for my Nadger Clubman,’ Bill Bentley explains. ‘What I found was a rusty chassis, missing most of its running gear, with a badly damaged body. Over the last few years we’ve brought it back to original spec. The driveline consists of a Ford Prefect E93A motor, Morris 8/40 four-speed gearbox and a Prefect differential with a 100E crown wheel and pinion.
‘The body was very bad, and we had to do a lot to get it right, including using a wheeling machine to make many of the required new sections.
‘We completed a quick shakedown at Mallala a few weeks ago, but Historic Winton is its first time back on track since it was crashed in 1970. I’m very happy with it, it handles well.
‘This car is in fact the first production Elfin Streamliner, the car was commissioned by Rob Brosnan who was looking for a streamlined body for his Ford 10 Special.
‘Rob approached Garrie Cooper, who pointed out that it would be very expensive to produce only one, but if three or more orders could be placed he would be happy to take on the project. Rob recruited three more enthusiasts to place orders and this was the start of the now famous Elfin Sports Cars.
‘The car had its first run at Collingrove Hill Climb in South Australia in 1960 and went on to win an allcomers scratch race at Port Wakefield later in the same year.’
Railton Sports Tourer
‘I have only had this 1935 Railton for a few weeks and Historic Winton is my first event out with it,’ explained Jim Scammell of the first Railton sold in Australia.
‘I was in America preparing another Railton for shipping to Australia when I got an email from a friend in the Railton Club, saying he was planning to sell this car before he moved overseas.
‘I was very keen for it to stay in Australia because of its history, so I offered to help him sell the car. Two days later I emailed back and told him “the car is sold”. He was very surprised at how fast that had happened, then I told him it was me who wanted to buy it.
‘It’s had a seriously hard life I think. It was bought new by a young lawyer, primarily to use as a competition car. The running chassis was ordered through the Hudson dealer in Sydney and was the first Railton in New South Wales. It was bodied by local coachbuilder Diskon & Molyneux and I think it’s the best-looking sports touring body I’ve ever seen.
‘Stokes competed all over New South Wales in the car at hill climbs and even did a speed trial near Canberra where the car was timed at 102mph, which I think is impressive for a standard car with just the wheel guards removed.
‘Rumour has it that he was a bit upset with the Light Car Club of NSW because he thought he was duped out of the Wakefield trophy for the season. I don’t really know what happened, but he sold the car and as far as I know never competed again.
‘The next owner continued to hill climb in New South Wales; he was at the top end of the tables. Another owner drove it to Melbourne, buying up antiques along the way to sell on arrival. Later in its life an owner cut the back off it to make a ute and fitted a four-cylinder Singer engine and used it to deliver milk. After that it was put back together and it towed a caravan around Tasmania before getting a proper restoration in the following years.’