First Race Outing in New to Me Elan

[TWebb]

Took the Elan out to its first race weekend. It was quick out of the box.

Here is a photo from the paddock.

Qualified P! in a combined group that contained Big Bore cars (vintage Mustangs, FIA 914-6, Corvettes, etc) and my group (Elan, Porsche 911s, GTV, 510s, etc).

First time to drive the car. Amazing.

[pharriso]

Well done!

Where do you race & in what series? Looks like an American one?

[TWebb]

Phil,

I was racing with CVAR (Corinthian Vintage Auto Racing) Hallett Motor Racing Circuit outside Tulsa. CVAR races primarily in Texas and Oklahoma.

I plan to race with CVAR, VSCDA (Blackhawk, Ozark, Road America), and SVRA. If a vintage race comes back to Barber, I will look to travel there as well.

[661]

Fantastic result.
Love the speedster look.
First race of the season for me this weekend at Donington. My ambition is merely to bring it home. The rest is fun.

[TWebb]

Good luck.

I've been racing for almost 30 years. I can't remember a more satisfying first drive. The only car I have enjoyed at this level is a Chevron B23.

What good fun.

[steve lyle]

I went out to Hallet to see Tim and his car. It was a lot of fun. He’s got maybe a 150 hp engine in it, and it was a hoot to watch him lead those V8 monster Mustangs and Corvettes.

And that was without a 4th gear! When he found out he couldn’t shift into 4th, I thought he would skip racing the car until he got it fixed. But I guess he couldn’t wait.

Unfortunately after a few laps the tranny failed entirely, and he had to be towed off. So there are some bugs to work out.

I hear he has a 190 hp motor ready to go into the car with a repaired tranny. With his driving skill, that’s going to be simply unfair!

[2cams70]

lan, Porsche 911s, GTV, 510s, etc).

Slap up those 911's please,

[TWebb]

Steve,

Good to see you out at the track. I'll be giving you a shout to help me pull the motor.

BTW, the 911's had nothing on the Elan even without 4th gear.

Truly was an amazing experience racing this car for the first time. I've been fortunate enough to run minis, Elva's, all manner of Formula Fords, Formula 1000, Formula B, Formula Atlantic, GT3 Cup Porsches, Aston Martin DB4 Zegato, Bizzarini, Chevron, Can-Am, etc. and all are fun to drive (other than the Monster Tiger Sunbeam), but the Elan was sublime. It goes where it is pointed. No fuss. At the limit it is easy to control and always inspires confidence.

Thanks to this website for all the guidance I have received by reading old threads.

Cheers

[TWebb]

Monster Tiger

I had the good fortune to run three cars this past weekend. Here is car #2.

[TWebb]

And the third car I raced this weekend is this lovely Brabham BT21 from 1966.

Very enjoyable to race.

[Andy8421]

Just a comment on the Elan, assuming that contraption in the passenger footwell is a dry-sump tank, and not a still for illegal alcohol, I am not sure how I would feel about racing with a gallon or two of scalding oil as my passenger.

I don't think that would be allowed this side of the pond.

Having said that, the build quality is great.

[TWebb]

Understood. Not an issue here. Most Elans have the dry sump on the passenger side although there are a few with the tank in the boot.

Here is another shot of the full car. On the grid waiting to qualify.