The Elva Book

Once a dream ... now a reality! The ELVA book has been published and it is SUPERB!

Those with extremely long memories will know that I spent much time with Frank Nichols and many other talented, interesting, enthusiastic and colourful Elva people, devoting much time recording their stories and recollections involving the production of Elva cars.

A hugely complex story unfolded, so much of which happened in the States and Jeff Allison contributed greatly to researching the history of Elva in that great market place.

However, progress was slow and eventually faltered, but thanks to the wonderful support of a long-time Elva owner and true enthusiast, the much respected professional author Janos Wimpffen was asked to complete the loop and coupled with the expertise at David Bull Publishing, the resulting book is absolutely magnificent.

Janos has done a wonderful job way beyond that madcap dream of some twenty years ago.

So do please take a look at the details which appear on the David Bull website and be sure to order your copy.

You might want to consider the limited run of the Publishers Edition with signatures. I would suggest you order a new strong coffee table too as the book is massive! Enjoy!

You can pre-order the book at David Bull Publishing

A specially prepared Publisher's Edition of Elva will also be available. Limited to only 150 numbered copies it includes 36 additional pages featuring Elva's brochures and advertisements - from the company's earliest years in the mid 1950's through to the McLaren-Elva series of the late 1960s.

The Publisher's Edition will be signed by Sir Stirling Moss as well as Elva drivers Chuck Dietrich, Augie Pabst, and Bill Wuesthoff; and vintage Elva stalwarts Roger Dunbar and Bruce McCaw. For details on the pricing of the Publisher's Edition please contact David Bull Publishing by calling 602-852-9500, or via e-mail at info@bullpublishing.com.

Roger Dunbar

Press Release

David Bull Publishing Delivers the Definitive Account of an Automotive Icon in
Elva: The Cars, The People, The History

PHOENIX, Ariz. - For knowledgeable sports-car enthusiasts, the name Elva is a familiar one. In the 1950s and 1960s the English company earned a reputation for cars that were deceptively simple - and surprisingly competitive.

But for too many years, the real story of this unique marque remained shrouded in myth. Now a new book from David Bull Publishing - written by renowned racing historian Janos Wimpffen - provides the first complete account of Elva's evolution from a homegrown builder of Specials to a major player on the sports-car scene.

In Elva: The Cars, The People, The History, Wimpffen delves deep into the company's origins in the south of England, its successes and failures at the track, and its influence on better-known marques such as McLaren and Porsche. But as the title indicates, the history of Elva is about more than just cars. It is also about the people who created the cars - starting with founder Frank Nichols - as well as those who built racing careers around them. Over the years the ranks of Elva drivers included established British names like Archie Scott Brown, Stuart Lewis-Evans, and even Sir Stirling Moss. In the United States, Mark Donohue scored some of his earliest wins in Elva Courier and Formula Junior cars. The Elva team also helped Bruce McLaren establish the seeds of a racing dynasty by building the first McLaren-Elvas.

Click here for a full copy of the press release (PDF format)