Solved - NEH 3037: Rebodied Elva Mk II said to be from 1956

[Carnut]

What's this and from when does it date, for 1 point?:

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[Carnut]

Experts?

[mekubb]

French ?

[Carnut]

French ?

No.

[mekubb]

From UK ?

[Carnut]

From UK ?

Yes!

[WayneB]

One off?

[Carnut]

One off?

A few of the model were made, but this is a later body so I think is a bit different from all the others.

[Carnut]

I don't think this one's going to last very long on the Pros' board...

[nicanary]

You're right - it's down as a 1956 Elva-Climax Mk II.

(I say "down as" because , according to the excellent Specialist Sports Racing Cars by Anthony Pritchard (who sadly passed away a few days ago) the MkII wasn't introduced until 1957.)

[WayneB]

It doesn't look like a typical Elva Climax Mk.II (or III) body, who made it?

[Hiawatha]

Apparently a new body was fabricated in USA in the 80's during a quite extensive restoration.

[Carnut]

You're right - it's down as a 1956 Elva-Climax Mk II.

(I say "down as" because , according to the excellent Specialist Sports Racing Cars by Anthony Pritchard (who sadly passed away a few days ago) the MkII wasn't introduced until 1957.)

Exactly!

It doesn't look like a typical Elva Climax Mk.II (or III) body, who made it?

It was For Sale recently and below is the blurb about it:

QUOTE
This 1956 Elva MkII race car is listed as a stalled restoration by the seller, who indicates this example is chassis number 100/60. It received a Coventry Climax engine and a new alloy body sometime during the '80s, and is a late MkII produced just before the release of the MkIII.
UNQUOTE

You will note it's a 1980s rebody, which explains why it doesn't look like all other Mk IIs, but they say that it's a late Mk II, which doesn't quite fit the fact that it's a 1956 car and the Mk II only appeared in 1957...

[Carnut]

Here's the unmodified puzzle photo: