ELFINS IN ASIA – The Quick Pixies

Eli Solomon

February 2024
QUICK PIXIES – ALL THE ELFINS IN ASIA

Outside of Brabham, there has never been another make in Asia that could hold a candle to the popularity and success of this little manufacturer from South Australia during the ’60 and ’70s. This article is about the Elfins that raced in Asia.  It’s a work in progress, presently a little over 20,000 words with nearly 70 photographs from over a dozen sources. The purpose of uploading this article in February 2024 is because Garrie Cooper is to be inducted into the Motosport Australia Hall of fame at the upcoming Melbourne Formula Grand Prix in March.

“Nobody had ever heard of Elfins,” says Matich.

“I remember…his mechanics sent Ron Tauranac a telegram of the result. Ron sent a telegram back which read: “What’s an Elfin?”

They sent another telegram saying: “A quick pixie.””

Frank Matich, one of Australia’s top racing drivers of the 1960s and an entrant in the 1970 Singapore Grand Prix, recalling his first encounter with Elfin race cars in Bill Woods’ fabulous book on Australia’s racing legends, Legends of Speed.

Garrie Cooper’s Elfin Cars was Australia’s largest volume producer of a one-model racecar that was built and, was one of the more successful marques that ran in Asia in the late 1960s and early 1970s. With the 600 series cars, Cooper emulated fellow Australian designer Ron Tauranac (of Brabham and Ralt) with essentially a single-chassis design that was adapted for all manner of racing, from Formula Ford to Formula 5000.

STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BOX

Garrie Cooper presented his first tube-framed Elfin 600 prototype (chassis 6801) in early 1968, and the single-seater did its first test run on 23rd March 1968 at Calder Raceway in Victoria ¹. The company, which he formed, had been building sports and racing cars since 1957. Some saw the new 600 as a retrogressive step from his earlier Elfin MK1 Mono (a monocoque) built in 1964, yet the 600’s versatility far surpassed all expectations. The Elfin 600’s South East Asian entry was only revealed in Kuala Lumpur on the Thursday before the Selangor Grand Prix, replacement for Cooper’s Elfin 100 MKII entry [with 1498cc motor, chassis unknown].

Caption: Before the car arrived in Malaysia for the Selangor Grand Prix in April 1968.

The company, which Garrie Cooper formed, had been building sports and racing cars since 1957. Though some saw the new 600 as a retrogressive step from his earlier Elfin MK1 Mono (a monocoque) built in 1964, the 600’s versatility far surpassed all expectations. The Elfin 600’s South East Asian entry was only revealed in Kuala Lumpur on the Thursday before the Selangor Grand Prix, replacement for Cooper’s Elfin 100 MKII entry [with 1498cc motor, chassis unknown] seen in the Grand Prix programs for both Selangor and Singapore.

Cooper hastily readied his 600 Prototype for the South East Asian race series, and within two weeks of its first test, the car had been freighted to Kuala Lumpur for the First Selangor Grand Prix First in April 1968. He later confided to Elfin owner, and fellow Australian, Tony Maw, that the test had been “a few shakedown laps, literally on the way to the airport.”

At the newly constructed and rather dusty Batu Tiga circuit [see https://rewind-media.com/2021/07/30/racing-in-the-federal-capital/], the 600 expired six laps from the finish with transmission trouble. That Mk5 Hewland box couldn’t cope with the twin cam’s torque and was soon replaced with the stronger Hewland FT200 box. Elfin customers were “encouraged to spend the money” on this upgrade. 

SOUTH BOUND ON RAILS

One week later, Cooper was down in Singapore with fellow Australian racer Denis Geary (in a Can-Am Lola T70) for the 8th Singapore Grand Prix, an event that would pack high-speed machinery such as a Singaporean-owned Porsche Carrera 906, Geary’s Lola T70, eight Lotus, six Brabhams and four Cooper open-wheelers. As with the Selangor Grand Prix, the Singapore program hadn’t been updated with Cooper’s replacement for the Elfin Mono. But by then, everyone knew that he was going to be racing the all-new 600 with its 1594cc Ford Twin Cam.

Lee Han Seng and Rodney Seow were the local favourites, Lee having won the 1966 Singapore Grand Prix and the 1967 Johore Grand Prix, and Seow the 1967 Singapore Grand Prix and the first-ever race held at Batu Tiga in 1967. Lee had his Brabham BT18 while Rodney had the choice of either his Merlyn Mk10 Twin Cam or his Brabham BT9, the ex-Mike Knight/Dodjie Laurel car [see https://rewind-media.com/2021/08/18/lunch-with-champions-rodney-seow/].

Cooper surprised the pundits when his Maple Leaf Racing Team Elfin 600 won the 60-lap race and set a new course record as well, although FTD was set by Malaysian-resident Jan Bussell in his Howden Ganley-constructed Brabham BT14/15. The race itself has been recounted in detail on many websites and in many Singapore publications, suffice it to say that the Elfin and its driver were a class above the field. Here’s a short video clip uploaded to Facebook – shows Garrie Cooper and 6801 in action in Singapore in 1968: https://www.facebook.com/reel/3805689576373654

HORSE TRADING

With the assistance of Newton Enterprise Racing’s owner Wong Peng Hong, the Elfin was sold with minimal effort immediately after the race, such was the hunger amongst the regional drivers for competitive machinery. Wong bought it, quickly flipping it to Indonesian Henky Iriawan, who was determined to get himself a competitive drive. The Indonesian had been racing a Twin-Cam Brabham prior to meeting Cooper. Iriawan moaned that the Brabham “was pretty twisted…and… thoroughly uncompetitive.” Its mismatched Weber carburettors and drive shafts confounded his good friend and fellow competitor Rodney Seow. Iriawan abandoned what Rodney called the ‘Bitza’ Brabham, and replaced it with the Grand Prix-winning Elfin 600. 6801 had found a new home in South East Asia, and the sorry Brabham went to one of the Forces enthusiasts, Desmond P. White. As Blanden and Catford wrote in Australia’s ELFIN, “The sale of the car [Elfin 6801] plus the generous prize money [S$5,000] Garrie received was enough to put Elfin Sports Cars back on its feet. The ensuing demand for more 600s was an added bonus.”

That wasn’t the only Elfin meant to start in Singapore in 1968. Allan Grice had been press-listed to enter a Formula 3 Elfin MKIIB [chassis 6651] for the 1968 Singapore Grand Prix over Easter, but the entry was soon amended to the bigger and more powerful Brabham BT11 Climax 2.5 (the entry in the 1968 Grand Prix program), which was entered by Wong Peng Hong under his Newton Enterprises Racing banner. There is an interesting tale that suggested Grice’s big break came when he hooked up with a “well-heeled Chinese businessman based in Malaysia”, who purchased the ex-Kevin Bartlett 2.5-litre Coventry Climax Brabham (BT11), with Grice’s old Elfin Mono as a backup car. Grice ended up racing the BT11 in Singapore, with fellow Australian Max Stewart running the Brabham in Selangor and Johore later in the year. Meanwhile, Newton Enterprises Racing entered Grice’s MKIIB [6651] for Mike J. Cook (running number 75), with Holbay 1100cc motor. It appears that Cook ended up purchasing the Elfin MKIIB.

INDONESIA’S JACKIE STEWART

Success for Iriawan came quickly with the Elfin 600. His first outing in the 600 was at the First Malaysian Grand Prix (75 laps) at Batu Tiga in September 1968, which he won ahead of the Hong Kong duo of Tony Mitchell (Merlyn Mk9) and Steve Holland (Lotus 47), and Selangor resident Jan Bussell (Brabham).

The other Elfin entered was Tony Maw’s Mono MK1, although there was a rumour that Garrie Cooper would attend with a more powerful Elfin, reflected in the official program as the #9 entry with no name associated with car (an Elfin 600). Interestingly, Cooper’s Elfin blew up at Surfer’s Paradise during Speed Week in late August/1 September, putting paid to his Malaysian plans².

Meanwhile, Maw’s Elfin Mono Mk1 had been upgraded significantly and now sported a more powerful Ford Twin Cam motor although there were rumours circulating around that Maw and Cooper were reluctant to fork out the cash guarantees from Malaysian customs and weren’t entering the race. Maw did show up – it was, after all, his “home” race.

Maw’s challenge was over before the race had even begun as he had to start from the back of the 18-car grid. The rebuilt and substantially revised Mono MK1 made up ground quickly and by the fourth lap had made it up to sixth, then to third by lap 27, and by lap 33, was behind Max Stewart in the Brabham BT11, with Henky Iriawan in third in the Elfin 600 [6801]. Maw’s race came to an end on lap 48 (of 75) when his transmission packed up. Henky was now in second, but well behind the Brabham…until late pit stop drama for fuel put the Max and the Brabham out of contention. Henky had his first Grand Prix win – the second one for the Elfin 600 [6801].

The following week, the Indonesian was down in Johore for the street race against equally stiff competition – Rodney Seow in his Mk10 Merlyn, Max Stewart in the Brabham BT11 Climax, and Jan Bussell in his Brabham. Tony Maw did not start, a result of serious engine damage the weekend before. A torrential downpour caused havoc during the race. Henky lost the Elfin 600 on a puddle at 120mph and much to his disappointment, “aquaplaned clear off the circuit” a lap before the race was hastily red flagged (on lap 45). Mike Cook was awarded 4^th in his Elfin 100 Mono MkIIB [6651], which under the harsh conditions, was a respectable result for the older Elfin. Henky’s Elfin 600 was dispatched to the Adelaide factory for a quick rebuild for the upcoming Macau Grand Prix in November 1968.

For Macau, Mike Cook had his number 94 MKIIB entered (1100cc); Henky had his number 16 Sinar Iriawan Racing Elfin 600 entered (1598cc); and Tony Maw had his number 9 Maple Leaf ³ Racing Team Elfin 100 Mono MK1A Twin Cam (now listed as a MK2B). The Elfin had been recently rebuilt by the factory with larger fuel tanks (both Macau and Singapore were long races), a suspension upgrade to full MkIIB specs “eliminating the original and controversial swept back rear wishbones”, a new Hewland gearbox [an FT200?], and a twin cam Ford engine [which required some major work on the chassis to accommodate the larger 1.6-litre twin cam].  Just three Elfins appeared in the Grand Prix program – although the Cook Elfin Mono MKIIB entry appears not to have materialised in the end.

Elfin Cars duly delivered, and the 600 took Henky to second place, behind surprise winner Jan Bussell in his Brabham. Third was Australian Max Brunninghausen, in his Alfa Romeo TZ2, and Tony Maw finished fourth in his Elfin 100 Mono MK1 [6442].

The season was hardly over in Malaysia with the Royal Perak Motor Club’s (RPMC) Ashby Road Speed Trial (1.2 miles) on 15 December 1968 ⁴ Entries included Tony Maw in his Elfin Mono MK1 Twin Cam and Eddy Choong in Tony’s old Lotus 20B that he raced and won in Macau the previous year (the ex-Chan Lye Choon/Dr Tony Goodwin car). The Elfin Mono MK1A won the Ashby Road Speed Trial, a little footnote in racing history but a victory, nonetheless.

Following the Ipoh event was the First National Championship, at Batu Tiga on 29 December. Tony Maw and his wife Linda were both entered in the Elfin MK1, with Tony also entered in the bike race. Linda had the Elfin for the Lucas Trophy Saloon, GT & Sports Cars 10-lap Clubman’s race while Tony was entered in the main Rothmans National 25-lap race. Competition included Lee Han Seng in his Brabham BT18-BRM Twin Cam, Chong Boon Seng in his Lotus 41 Twin Cam, Jan Bussell in this Brabham Twin Cam, Alan Bond in his Le Grand Twin Cam, Lionel Chan in the ex-Rodney Seow Merlyn Mk5/7, Richard Wong in his Porsche 906 Carrera, Mike Cook in his Elfin MKIIB and Mike Heathcote in his Brabham BT2/6. Cook and his Elfin dropped out after three laps while Maw kept second place from start to finish, finishing behind Lee Han Seng and ahead of the Le Grand of Alan Bond.

Meanwhile, Cooper had been busy building upon the success of his first 600 sale in Singapore. For the 1969 season, he returned with his new 600C [6908], resplendent in red with a 2.5-litre Repco 830 V8 engine. Oil giant BP and British carrier BOAC were his backers, and the team had every intention of running in Singapore, Malaysia and the JAF Japan Grand Prix, with Tony Maw, who had orchestrated the sponsorship in Asia, playing the pivotal role of Team Manager in Japan (for some reason, his race entry didn’t materialise).

Cooper’s little pixies were starting to gain notice. Three 600Cs were thus built – one which Cooper used for Asia, one [6910] was sold to now-loyal customer Henky Iriawan, and the third [7011] went to Australian John McCormack.

Tony Maw recalled that he put together the BOAC deal while based in Kuala Lumpur. Cooper was contracted to BP “so they came along”. Maw duly switched from Esso to accommodate. Maw also recalled that the Japanese Grand Prix [JAF Grand Prix at Fuji] deal was subsequently initiated from Kuala Lumpur as well.  Maw accompanied as Team Manager for Garrie Cooper’s entry.

FAUX PAS

The new Elfin 600C [chassis 6908] was the hot favourite for the Singapore and Selangor races in 1969 notwithstanding the presence of a McLaren M4A FVA and a high bi-winged Brabham BT23C FVA from New Zealand. With the Repco V8 engine installed in the Elfin, the press instantly assumed that it was the same engine Formula 1 champion Jack Brabham had been using for his F1 campaign in his Brabham BT26 in 1968.

Headline in the sports page of Singapore’s Straits Times (21 March 1969, pg22) read, “Cooper to drive Elfin F1 in GP”. Tony Maw recalled a chance comment he had made to an ill-informed reporter from the local papers regarding the difference between the then international classes and the Australian classes and, “as these things do, it took off like wildfire.” A 3-litre, 400bhp Formula 1 car racing at the Sembawang Circuit in 1969! Sadly, Cooper arrived with an untried car, which had never even had the wheels on it!

There was a bit more to the Formula 1 in Singapore story which Tony Maw revealed to me a many years ago. For years, Garrie was known to a small group of people as “George”.   It was a nickname he was not entirely pleased by, but tolerated. In Singapore in 1969 an eager reporter found himself in the company of some of the BP-BOAC Team and took the opportunity to get an inside story on this hot F1 driver from Australia, which he had heard about but obviously never saw. Tony never found out who play this reported out but figured Malcolm Ramsay was the number one suspect who spilled the beans on Garrie’s supposed plans to trounce the opposition in the GP. This was totally out of character for Garrie of course but as things progressed that night, the reporter asked the correct spelling for this world beating driver’s name. It was GEORGE COOKER, he was assured. The next morning ‘GEORGE’ opened his morning newspaper over breakfast at the hotel to discover an extended article laying his supposed inner most secrets bare. “It was a bit tense in the Pits that day and it was several more days before anyone dared refer openly to Garrie by his new nickname… it stuck for many years within a small group,” explained Tony.  

The sponsors loved the constant press interest although it was totally out of Cooper’s character to take the press for a ride. Multiple Singapore and Selangor Grand Prix winner Graeme Lawrence later recalled how impressed he was by the new Elfin, with “high tail aerofoil and wide front fins.”

Cooper’s attractive Elfin 600C dumped its oil on Upper Thomson Road in Friday practice for the Singapore Grand Prix. His mechanic Bob Mills and fellow-racer Maw were unable to identify the oil feed problems of the engine. In both races, other Elfins accounted reasonably well for themselves. Maw took third in his modified Elfin MKIIB (in reality, a Mono MK1) and Australian Malcolm Ramsay finished fourth in his 1750cc Ford twin cam Elfin 300B [chassis SS69-8 – although the Elfin Registry lists SS69-8 as a June 1969 build] sports car in Singapore and in Selangor the weekend after.

Without Cooper’s Elfin 600C as a contender, Kiwi Roly Levis put in lap times in his bi-winged Brabham BT23C that were a good ten seconds a lap quicker than the previous record, but it was fellow-Kiwi Graeme Lawrence who took top honours in his McLaren M4A. The South East Asian series was becoming seriously competitive and no fewer than five Elfins had been entered for the Singapore event. Ramsay also went on to win the 15-lap Sports and GT race in the Elfin 300B, against opposition from a Porsche 906 Carrera, a Lotus 47, a brace of Lotus 23Bs, and an aged Cooper Jaguar (nee Warrior Bristol).

Despite oil feed problems, Cooper qualified third fastest at Batu Tiga the following week, with Roly Levis on pole and Graeme Lawrence second. The Elfin was certainly faster on the straight, but Lawrence’s self-developed McLaren M4A made up for it with the newest Firestone racing rubber on the twisty sections of the track. Levis’ Brabham BT23C was however the car to beat and should easily have taken the win.

On lap 26, Cooper lost it, took out a marshal’s telephone pole, and “badly frightened several flag wavers.” The marshals, although terrified by the out-of-control single-seater, had as one competitor recalled, “…all vacated by the time he arrived with indecent haste.” Cooper later recounted that halfway through the ‘off’, he figured it would be OK because the marshal’s post was only bamboo and thatch. “He didn’t allow for the pole!]”. The 600C Repco V8 had a lot of promise, having started on the front row of every event it had entered in Asia, but it never did complete any of the races.

Bob Mills stayed on in the region, and together with Tony Maw, made sure the Type 832 Repco V8 motor was repaired before the Elfin 600C was hoofed to Japan for the JAF Grand Prix. No success there either – the car was retired due to a persistent misfire.

At Macau the same year, Bob Harper of Hong Kong auto importers Harpers, had brought in a works-prepared BMW 2002 for the saloon race and had assigned German Touring Car Champion Dieter Quester to drive it. Harper also entered Cathay Pacific pilot Steve Holland in the No.87 87 2.5-litre Repco V8 Elfin 600C that Cooper had used in Singapore, Selangor and Japan, but Holland, more accustomed to hurling a Lotus 47 around instead of a single-seater, seemed unable to come to grips with the Elfin. Post purchase by Harper, the car was returned to the factory for some remedial bodywork – the suspension-mounted rear wings were now mounted on the chassis (to comply with new regulations).

Quester then got into the Elfin for a try and instantly dropped the lap times down, substantially. Harper was at a loss but prevailed with using Holland for the Elfin that he had just purchased from Garrie Cooper. Holland’s issues with the car ended on lap 37 when he pulled out with suspension trouble, while running in 4th position.  Garrie Cooper was not entered for Macau that year. After the Grand Prix, Granton Harrison purchased the 600C Repco V8 from Harpers and the car returned to Adelaide, to be used by Malcolm Ramsay for 1970. Meanwhile, Garrie Cooper created another 600[D] Repco V8, using the engine block as a semi-stressed member ad mounting the suspension on the engine and bellhousing (see Blanden & Catford – Australia’s ELFINS).

TRADING PIXIES

Henky Iriawan, having cut a deal earlier with Garrie Cooper, traded his Elfin 6801 for the latest out of Cooper’s Conmurra Avenue factory in Adelaide. Tony Maw recounted that they knew Iriawan was keen on buying a new Elfin but Cooper “just couldn’t seem to close a deal for the new car.” The deal was eventually concluded as a back trade, Maw having wanted the 6801 but was beaten to it by P.H. Wong and Henky Iriawan earlier. But as Tony put it, “Negotiations between Henky and Garrie were a poker game worth watching!”

Having sold 6801 to Tony Maw, Iriawan immediately bought the all new 600C [6910] with a Series 9 Cosworth FVA engine with the intention of some racing in New Zealand. The 600C was the second of three 600Cs built, Henky’s being delivered in August 1969⁵

Henky ran 6910 at the Gold Star meetings at Pukekohe [NZ Gold Star, Pukekohe 21 September 1969] and Bay Park [NZ Gold Star, 4 October 1969] between September and October 1969, with the support of Graeme Lawrence and his family.

Iriawan’s 600C FVA engine from Cosworth was said to have been the most powerful FVA built at the time, so testing was recommended, before the car was sent to Asia for the 1970 race season. The Kiwis were somewhat familiar with running Cosworth’s latest power plant, and Tony Lawrence (Graeme’s brother) was brought into the picture. He put the car together in Hamilton and Graeme tested it prior to the Bay Park and Pukekohe events for Iriawan, whom he fondly described as “the little fella, a sparkling guy and hugely loyal, [and] extremely good in a kart…”

TAKING THEM ON

Henky’s 600C [6910] was then dispatched to Kuala Lumpur for the 1969 Grand Prix International at Batu Tiga [25-26 October 1969]. The gearbox seized while he was leading the race, and Tony Maw, now with the number 6 BOAC Team Elfin 600 [6801], took the win, and set FTD as well. It was a good way to end a stint in Asia and Maw soon packed his bags to return to Australia. The other Elfin in the race was Mike Cook’s MKIIB. Cook retired the Mono due to overheating problems. Hemky redeemed himself when he won the Sports and GT support race in his Sinar Iriawan Racing Elfin 300B [SS67-6].

Henky’s 600C’s gearbox was rebuilt for the Macau Grand Prix in November 1969, where he faced formidable opposition – Australian Kevin Bartlett (2.5-litre V8 Mildren-Alfa Romeo, known as the Mildren Mono and Yellow Submarine); Albert Poon, Hong Kong Alfa Romeo importer and winner of the 1963 and 1965 Singapore Grand Prix (Brabham BT30); Hong Kong’s John Macdonald, on his way to becoming one of Asia’s top drivers (Brabham BT10 FVA – see Costin’s Mule); and Cathay Pacific pilot Steve Holland (Elfin 600C Repco V8 chassis 6908). Bartlett, who would later race Formula 5000s in the United States, won ahead of Hong Kong favourite Albert Poon. Weekend dramas were plenty. Henky’s 600C FVA suffered suspension damage during practice. He parked the car after just two laps of the Grand Prix, lamenting later that it was simply intractable over 80mph.

Henky used another Elfin, the much-favoured Elfin 300B Sports racer, in the Sports Car race in Macau. The 300’s gearbox broke in practice however and he was unable to bring the car to the line. That race was won by John Macdonald in his newly acquired ex-Steve Holland/Bob Harper Lotus 47.

TERRA FIRMA

A week before Christmas, Henky easily won the Malaysian National Open championships in his Elfin 600C [6910]. The race meeting was the Malaysian Motor Sports Club’s last event for 1969 and the main race was for saloon cars. The only overseas drivers were Henky (Elfin 600C), and Albert Poon, with his Alfa Romeo GTA. The combined single-seater and sports car race featured just 10 entrants in the 30-lap race. Henky started on pole, followed by an old Brabham and an even older Lotus 23B sports racer.

Henky repeated his win the next year (at the 1970 Malaysian National Open) in the same car while nursing an ailing engine with a misbehaving cylinder. Jan Bussell was second in his Brabham, and British Army officer Lt-Colonel David ‘Bob’ Birrell third in a new Formula Ford Hawke DL2A, the first time a Formula Ford made its appearance on the Asian circuit.

Henky began the 1970 season winning the inaugural Penang Grand Prix on 10-11 January 1970 in the 600C. Mike Cook, meanwhile, was trying to sell his Elfin Mono [6651].

Cooper was still innovating with the 600 (which had also been developed for Formula Ford racing along the way) and the 600D emerged from the 600C, now lighter and with the Repco 830 V8 now as a semi-stressed member of the space frame (the same engine type triple world Formula 1 champion Jack Brabham used in the Tasman Championships of 1968).

Malcolm Ramsay arrived for the 1970 Singapore and Malaysia Grand Prix over Easter with Cooper’s 1969 600C Repco V8 [6908] while Henky ran his 600C FVA. Graeme Lawrence now had the ex-Chris Amon Ferrari Dino 246T V6 and, given that this was to be the last year of the Formula Libre series, Australian racer Frank Matich arrived with a thundering McLaren M10 Formula 5000 with 5-litre Chevy power.

When I spoke to Malcolm at the Tasman Revival at Eastern Creek on 2 December 2006 (as we stood by the very same Elfin 600 Repco V8 he raced in Asia), he recounted that the Repco V8 that came from Bob Harper/Steve Holland couldn’t rev over 6000 rpm, due to a dirty fuel filter in the metering unit, something they weren’t aware of at the time as they had little experience with running the Repco V8s. He was left deaf for three days, due to the low rev band range “going straight through me.”

1970 would mark the year the Singapore Grand Prix was reduced to 40 laps from 60 laps of previous years, but with a preliminary 20-lap race to determine grid positions. Matich, well equipped by Rothmans in an air-conditioned truck, found the going tough during practice. A fellow competitor recounted that Matich “lost the McLaren in a big way going over the humped, very fast right-hander in the main straight. The car slid for about 150 yards…damaging the front suspension and radiator against some trees in the process…” Matich also decimated a bus stop along the infamous Thomson Mile. Ramsay’s Elfin meanwhile ran into fuel injection trouble, grit in the system had restricted the engine from revving fully. Ramsay lost his hearing for a week because of the cacophony. The other competitors did not have it any easier as well. Henky finished the 20-lap preliminary race in 6^th position, the highest Elfin finisher for the weekend. Twelve cars went out for the formation lap of the 40-lap Grand Prix but only ten started the race! Ramsay finished 4^th and Henky improved to 5^th.

It was an impressive array of racing cars in Singapore and Selangor over Easter in 1970. The Alec Mildren juggernaut consisted of Kevin “Big Rev” Bartlett in the Yellow Submarine (with an Alfa V8 2.5-litre, 1969 Macau winning car) and Max Stewart with the 2-litre Rennmax-Mildren Waggott twin cam. Alec Mildren himself was in Singapore to supervise things, as was Merv Waggott, the designer of the Waggott engine. Cruel luck befell Team Mildren however, with first and third almost secured until engine blowups put the cars out of the race.

The Elfins were represented by just Ramsay and Henky. Malcolm had the ex-Gerrie Cooper Repco 2.5-litre V8 Elfin 600C [6908] which was entered under the Harrison Racing banner (Granton Harrison’s Adelaide racing concern) though the Singapore Grand Prix program lists the car as an Elfin Repco 1600cc. His cruel luck continued at Batu Tiga the following weekend when the 600C’s rear suspension collapsed on lap 34 while in second place and braking for Rothmans Corner. Henky also spun out early in the race. He went on however to win the Sports & GT support race in the Elfin 300B. 

Four Elfins were represented at the 4^th Malaysian Clubman’s Meet at Batu Tiga in August 1970 with the same four at Batu Tiga in September for the Malaysia Grand Prix. At that event, Tony Maw walked away with second place in his Elfin 600, while Henky Iriawan won the Sports & GT race in his Elfin 300B.

1970 4^th Malaysian Clubman’s Meet @ Batu Tiga 23 August 1970

Tony Maw – Elfin 600 [6801]

Teddy Yip – Elfin 600B [7015]

Henky Iriawan – Elfin 600C [6910]

Edward Tan – No.75 Elfin Mono 1098cc [6651]

1970 Malaysia Grand Prix 5-6 September 1970

Tony Maw – No.6 Maple Leaf Racing Elfin 600 [6801] – GP 2^nd

Henky Iriawan – No.16 Sinar Iriawan Racing Elfin 600C FVA [6910]

Teddy Yip – No.47 Elfin 600B [7015]

Edward Tan – No.75 Elfin Mono 1098cc [6651]

Henky Iriawan – Elfin 300B 1748cc [SS69-8] – Sports & GT 1^st

1970 Macau Grand Prix 28-29 November 1970

Tony Maw – No.6 Elfin 600 [6801]

Malcolm Ramsay – No.9 Elfin 600W TC Waggott [6908] – DNF

Henky Iriawan – No.16 Elfin 600C [6910]

Entered by Teddy Yip – No.47 Elfin 600B [7015]

The 1970 Macau Grand Prix was almost a grudge match between Dieter Quester (white works BMW Formula 2) and Kevin Bartlett (Mildren-Waggott twin cam). Lap times were demolished by Quester during practice – lowering Bartlett’s previous year record by over 5 seconds! Another driver on the grid with hopes was Malcolm Ramsey in the 2-litre Elfin-Waggott, the car having been rapidly rebuilt after a major practice mishap when he hit the sandbags at Fisherman’s Bend after his borrowed goggles slipped off and blocked his vision. Albert Poon had his Brabham BT21 in place of the ex-Piers Courage BT30 which had lost an upright earlier. Jan Bussell had his Brabham, and Tony Maw ran his Elfin 600.

During the race, Bartlett’s Waggott engine let go in big way “with the biggest cloud of blue smoke the Guia circuit had ever seen”. Quester won ahead of Poon and Riki Okubo from Japan with Don O’Sullivan third in Teddy Yip’s #48 Porsche 911S (which Herb Adamczyk used in the Sports & GT race earlier). Teddy was fifth in the ex-Richard Wong Porsche 906 Carrera Spyder [see story of the 906].

Malcolm Ramsey with the rebuilt 600W [6909], could shake off the bad luck. A petrol leak resulted in a hospital visit with third degree petrol burns. Apparently, when he hit the sandbags along the seafront in practice it fractured the seat fuel tank. During the overnight rebuild nobody noticed this fracture. In the warm-up for the Grand Prix Malcolm realized that he had a fuel leak but opted to take the risk and start.  As the race progressed the fracture got worse and as he recounted to Tony Maw later… he found himself… ‘up to his bum in petrol’. “When he finished the race he roared into the pits, leapt from the car and, to everyone’s amazement, and those unaware of his agonizing plight, dropped his daks in pit lane! First of all there was a burst of embarrassed laughter, then everyone realized he was in a bad way and he was whisked off to hospital.”

Interestingly Malcolm’s Elfin 600W was actually a car that had already raced in Macau the previous year. This was Garrie Cooper’s 600C [6908] that had been raced at the JAF Japan Grand Prix at Fuji in 1969. It was sold to Bob Harper’s company, Wallace Harper, in Hong Kong, for Steve Holland to race in Macau in 1969. Harpers returned the car to Conmurra Avenue in Edwardstown in Adelaide prior to the Macau Grand Prix, to have the aerofoils remounted and while there, Cooper raced it in Round 4 of the 1969 CAMS Gold Star series on 13 October at Mallala. Cooper won the race, his first win in the car. He also set FTD. It was subsequently returned to Hong Kong for the 1969 Macau Grand Prix. In February 1970, Bob Harper sold the car to South Australian Granton Harrison, who already has his Elfin GT Harrison Racing Team. Harrison entered the car for Singapore in 1970 with Malcolm Ramson racing it. It was entered for Macau 1970 but with a 2-litre four-valve Waggott motor.

The last South East Asian race for the 1970 season was the Malaysia National Open Championship, held at Batu Tiga 19-20 December. There were just 10 cars for the 30-lap Grand Prix grid (reduced from 40 laps), combining open wheelers with Sports Car though it must be pointed out that the main race for this weekend was for Saloon cars. The open wheeler/Sports Cars race was won by Henky Iriawan in his Elfin 600C [6910]. There was just one other Elfin entered in that race – Edward Tan’s number 75 Mono [6651] though the program shows Henky’s Sinar Iriawan Racing Elfin 300B entered as well – possibly for Rodney Seow to race.

The Grand Prix/Sports Cars race was won by Henky Iriawan in his Elfin 600C FVA although Jan Bussell in his Brabham took an early lead and held on for 18 laps before Henky overtook and held on for a win. Bob Birrell was in the Mike Mahoney Hawke DL2A Formula Ford – and took a prize for the first Formula Ford car home. Bob took third overall in Mahoney’s Tropicool Racing Hawke. Chong Boon Seng’s usually well prepared 23B pitted on lap 22 and never returned to the track while Alan Bond didn’t show up with the Le Grand. Big American John Green, driving a Chevron B8 BMW took 4^th. 

ELVES IN THE CITY

Five Elfin 600s were entered for the 1971 Singapore Grand Prix, now run to strict new rules ⁶Garrie Cooper was neither entered for Singapore nor Malaysia that April due to heart surgery (to replace a faulty valve).

John Walker [7018], Tony Maw [6801], Malcolm Ramsay [6907] (both entered by Adelaide’s City State Racing Team, a combination of City Racing and State Racing, Holden dealers in Australia at the time) and Hong Kong magnate Teddy Yip [7015] led the Elfin 600 entries. City State Racing Team included four mechanics for this trip: Glen Abbey, Ian Gordon, Denny George and Alan MacDonald.

Caption: John Walker’s Elfin 600SA in the paddock for the 1971 Singapore Grand Prix. Walker admitted that it seemed very dangerous to him with bus stops and lampposts and drains. The cars were driven to the railway station and put on the train for the journey to Batu Tiga the following week. He was impressed by the efforts to bring in a select few race drivers from Australia and New Zealand “And you only got to drive in Singapore and Malaysia by INVITATION!” In the case of Walker’s car, it was via the City State Racing Team. As Walker recounted, they “Never did have to pay for anything – including meals and transport.”

Singapore advertising executive Edward Tan had the ex-Allan Grice/Mike Cook Elfin MKIIB [6651]. Maw’s 600 [chassis 6801] now sported newer-style bodywork which was all the rave then. Walker, in what was listed as an Elfin 600SA (for South Australia?), was the only outstanding Elfin runner and finished second in both the 20-lap preliminary and the 40-lap Grand Prix in Singapore. Australian Vern Schuppan was to race Henky Iriawan’s Elfin 600C but the deal to run the Elfin fell through due to the lack of a proper 2-valve per cylinder 1600cc motor for the Elfin.

At the Selangor Grand Prix a week later, Maw’s 600, Walker’s 600SA and Edward Tan’s MKIIB represented the Elfin marque. The landscape had become so competitive the older spaceframe cars were now totally outclassed. Henky Iriawan had meanwhile progressed to a Palliser WDB3 single-seater, purchased via Vern Schuppan. In the Grand Prix, Graeme Lawrence won the 20-lap preliminary Grand Prix hands down in his Brabham BT29, setting FTD of 1:24.5. Ken Smith took second with Tjepot in a little Honda S800 in a remarkable third place. In the main 40-lap Grand Prix, Lawrence won, beating John Walker’s Elfin 600SA by over 39.5 seconds. The final order was Lawrence, Walker in the Elfin 600SA, Bob Muir in the Mildren Waggott, Ken Smith in his Lotus 69 and John MacDonald in his BT10. Lawrence set FTD at 1:24.4.

Henky continued to successfully race his 600C when the Palliser engine gave trouble, taking second place behind New Zealander Kenny Smith (Lotus 69) at the second Penang Circuit Race held 24-25 April 1971, a week after the Selangor event. The 40-lap race saw Ken Smith winning in his Lotus 69 totally outclassing the field with Henky in a distant second in his Elfin 600C FVA, Jan Bussell third in his Brabham, David Coode fourth in his Tuppence Ford, Bob Birrell fifth in a Hawke DL2A Formula Ford. The event did not see the full Australian and Kiwi contingent due to proximity to the Japan Grand Prix.

Caption: And they’re off! Start of the 1971 Penang Grand Prix (24-25 April 1971). Henky Iriawan (started in second place) finished second in his No.16 Elfin 600C FVA (he had trouble sorting out the BRM-tuned twin cam motor) with Kenny Smith winning in the no.10 Lotus 69. The no.33 car appears to be the Cooper Type 56 (Mk3) 1500cc entered by Ray Jones and driven by Rod Porter.

ALMOST THE YEAR

Nearly everything came together for Cooper in Macau in 1971. The 600D [7012], now with a twin-cam engine to conform to new regulations [the Repco V8 was dropped as a result], was in a class of its own, starting second on the grid, between pole-setter John Macdonald (Brabham BT10) and Albert Poon (Brabham BT30). Cooper lapped everyone except top Malaysian driver Sonny Rajah and darling of Hong Kong motor sports Albert Poon by lap 12 and was cruising to victory before being unceremoniously taken out by a ricocheting ‘Tuppence’ Ford of David Coode. Back to Conmurra Avenue for a rebuilt – and preparations for the 1972 Singapore Grand Prix over Easter.

Cooper’s entry, together with that of Tony Maw’s (Elfin 600) was under Team Longines (Hong Kong). There were other Elfins entered – Filipino Joey Bundalian’s no.127 600C [chassis 6910] which he had purchased from Henky Iriawan⁷; and Teddy Yip’s old 600B (no.17). Bundalian finished a disappointing 6^th, while Maw pulled out early with overheating problems.  Cooper set FTD that weekend.

Interestingly, Tony Maw, a Director of an Australian advertising agency that was expanding rapidly into Asia, was based in Hong Kong between 1970 and 1971 (Tony was based in Kuala Lumpur from 1966 until the end of 1969), staying at a three-story house overlooking the see in Shek O. Tony recounted that the first-floor lounge room, situated on the ground level, had large glass doors, giving easy access from the street. This is where he parked and worked on the Elfin 600. “Didn’t fuss my wife too much but everyone else thought I was crazy.”

THE LAST HURRAH

For the 1972 South East Asian race series, Grace Brothers, the Sydney department store giant, spent A$80,000 sponsoring seven drivers and one motorcycle racer. The eight would contest the Singapore and Malaysian races with three going on to race in Japan.

Together with the drivers was motoring journalist John Smailes and Racing Car News editor Max Stahl. It was the biggest contingent the Australians had ever sent out, signalling a show of confidence for the Asian race series. Cooper had a new 600D [7012], Malcolm Ramsay had his no.51 Elfin 600B [9607] and, Tony Stewart had Teddy Yip’s 600B. The whose-who of Australian racing were in Elfins: Garrie Cooper – No.2 MSA/Elfin Team Elfin 600D [7012]; John McCormack – No.3 MSA/Elfin Team Elfin 600C [7011]; Tony Stewart – No.18 Theodore Racing Elfin 600B [7015]; Malcolm Ramsay – No.51 Elfin 600B [6907]; and Henk Woelders – No.53 Elfin 600E [7124].

Ramsay’s number 51 car was an Elfin 600B [6907], his Birrana 272 only racing in Singapore the following year. Designer Tony Alcock worked at Elfin for a while and Ramsay initially approached Cooper to order a new Elfin for the 1972 Australian racing season, but eventually went on to set up his own manufacturing facility producing superbly built light cars which, according to many, were a delight to race.

John Walker’s Elfin 600SA [7018] now belonged to American chopper pilot Harvey Simon (who some alleged was a Borneo human rights activist). Filipino Joey Bundalian, with Henky Iriawan’s old 600C, was racing in Singapore for the first time. Neither ran well in Singapore but Simon astounded everyone by winning the Selangor Grand Prix that year, a fitting climax for the 600-series as the South East Asian championship became even more intense and competitive.

By 1972, Cooper’s Elfin Cars was sufficiently popular in Asia such that an order for sixteen 620 Formula Three and Formula Ford chassis was not out of the ordinary. The word was that delivery was to have been for an Asian race circuit – possibly for the proposed Batu Tiga race school. Formula Ford was already growing from strength to strength as the cheapest form of single-seater racing around and there were plans to import the versatile 600 chassis to Asia for driving schools. Nothing came of it, although a pair (a 620 and a 622) arrived in Manila for Filipino racer Dante Silverio.

The jovial Henky Iriawan, who reminded some of a smaller edition of Jackie Stewart complete with long hair, would tragically lose his life in a kart accident at the Ipoh Kart Prix on 6^th May 1972. Gone was Garrie Cooper’s biggest supporter in South East Asia.

There wasn’t much of a representation at the Singapore and Selangor races in April 1973, Harvey Simon and Teddy Yip being the only two entries for Malaysia, Simon’s running under Camel Malindo. In Singapore over the 21-22 April weekend, there was the #4 of Harvey Simon (Camel Malindo 1600cc) and the #173 of Joey Bundalian (-L&M/Chesterfield Racing Elfin 600C).

Three Elfins were entered in the 1973 Macau Grand Prix. Joey Bundalian had the 600C Elfin (now listed at the Elfin-Getty), Hong Kong enthusiast K.N. Suen, running under Teddy Yip’s new Theodore Racing banner, had Yip’s 600B, and Australian-racer Max Patterson had an Elfin 300C [SS69-10] sports car⁸. Suen started from the back of the grid and was never a contender; Patterson exited with mechanical troubles; and Bundalian was still coming to terms with single-seaters and his Elfin. 1973 was the last year competitive Elfins were represented in the region, aside from Yip’s old 600B entered in 1974 and 1975 in Macau. Yip parked his car permanently in the Macau Grand Prix Museum soon after.

There was the odd entry in Malaysia after 1973. At the 1974 Malaysia Grand Prix held 6-7 April 1974, Percy Chan entered the no.42 Elfin 600B [7018] for advertising executive Lim Jet Teng, while he raced his March 722/732 [see Rides of March]. According to Harvey Simon, the Elfin had been entrusted with Chan when he had to beat a hasty retreat from Borneo. That Elfin would become a for-hire entry in Malaysia⁹.

The ex-Walker/Simon Elfin continued to circulate and was seen in the hands of Malaysian Hamidon Taib (running #84) at the March 1975 Malaysia Grand Prix, and again with Taib in Penang for the 30 August/1 September 1975 Penang races, the last time Elfins appeared in a Grand Prix in Malaysia.

PIXIES IN THE PHILIPPINES

By the mid-70s, the Elfin 600 and its derivatives were long in the tooth and short on development when compared to the monocoque Brabhams, Chevrons, Lolas, March and Ralts that were dominating Formula Atlantic/Pacific racing. This in no way stopped those with tight budgets in Asia from running what was available. Dante Silverio met Garrie Cooper at the 1971 Macau Grand Prix and cut a deal to purchase two Elfins – a 620 [73421] with a Toyota Celica twin-cam engine and a 622 [73422] with a smaller Toyota Corolla push-rod engine. Silverio’s Delta Motors had been dealing with Toyota cars for years and had a ready supply of engines, even if they did not pack enough to match the engines the international drivers had.

In 1972, Toyota works driver Kiyoshi Misaki took the Elfin 620 Toyota twin-cam to second place in the Greenhills Philippines Grand Prix while Dante Silverio achieved the same result with the 622 Toyota 1.3 in the Automobile Racing Association of the Philippines (ARAP) Open.

Despite his busy Australian schedule, Garrie Cooper actually raced the twin cam Elfin at the Third Philippine Grand Prix held 10-11 March 1973 at the Greenhills circuit on Ortigas Avenue, though he DNF-ed. It was a race won by John Macdonald in his Rondel Brabham BT36. [check press clippings for Garrie’s entry]

Persuaded by Siverio, Hong Kong-racer John Macdonald had a crack in the Elfin 620 2T-G [73421] in the July 1973 ARAP Open and walked away with the win, his first and only go in an Elfin. Another Filipino, Butch Viola, ran the smaller-engined 622 on a number of occasions, all confined to the Philippines, though with little success.

One of the two of Dante Silverio’s Elfins made trips over to Malaysia. For the Penang Grand Prix on 1 September 1974, Pocholo Ramirez, in the Elfin 622 Toyotya 2T-G, finished third. At Selangor a week later, he took the no. 88 Elfin 622 to fifth (The car was listed as an Elfin 622). ** The program listing states Elfin 622, so I have kept it as such. It could very well have been the 620 with the twin cam Toyota motor instead.

Louis Camus, another Filipino enthusiast who had ventured out to race in Malaysia, later ended up buying the Elfin 620 from Silverio. He immediately had it converted for the ultra-competitive Unlimited Formula Super Saloon class of racing in Asia. His 620 took on a saloon body resembling that of the Toyota Celica, with the passenger compartment shifted to accommodate the wider cockpit. Everything else was just the Elfin spaceframe [See article of Louie Camus and his spaceframe Celica-Elfin].

THE OTHER SIDE

Cooper continued building race cars, venturing into Formula 5000 as well. The 600 series had a robust chassis, and most have stood the test of time. Several of the cars that raced in the region continue to be campaigned in historic racing in Australia – including Cooper’s original 600, the pair of Elfin Monos, and the Elfin 600 Repco V8. Teddy Yip’s 600B remains interred in the Macau Grand Prix Museum, while the 300B Sports Car awaits completion of its restoration.

Cooper passed away in 1982. As Elfin researcher Barry Catford wrote in the May 1982 edition of Racing Car News, “…we can’t be sure Garrie is at last going to be able to rest. One can be certain that Tony [Alcock], Max [Stewart] and Col [Trengove] – and even Granton [Harrison] – have something lined up for him to do on the ‘Other Side’.”

NEARLY ALL THE ENTRIES/RESULTS – SOUTH EAST ASIA (Including Macau & Japan)

1968 Selangor Grand Prix 6-7 April 1968

Mike J. Cook – No. 85 Newton Enterprises Racing Elfin Mono MKIIB [6651]

Garrie Cooper – No.64 Maple Leaf Racing Elfin 600 [6801] (DNF, transmission)

Tony Maw – No.46 Maple Leaf Racing Elfin Mono MK1 [6442]

1968 Singapore Grand Prix 14-15 April 1968

Garrie Cooper -No.64 Maple Leaf Racing Elfin 600 [6801] – GP 1^st

Tony Maw – Maple Leaf Racing Elfin Mono MK1 [6442] – [entry withdrawn]

Mike J. Cook – No.75 Newton Enterprises Racing Elfin Mono MKIIB [6651] – GP 10^th

1968 Malaysia Grand Prix 7-8 September 1968

Henky Iriawan – No.16 Sinar Iriawan Racing Elfin 600 [6801] – GP 1^st

Tony Maw – No.6 Maple Leaf Racing Elfin Mono MK1 [6442] – DNF (transmission)

Garrie Cooper – No.9 Elfin 600 [entry withdrawn]

1968 Johore Grand Prix 13-15 September 1968

Mike J. Cook – Elfin MKIIB [6651] – GP 4^th

Henky Iriawan – Elfin 600 [6801] (DNF, damaged)

Tony Maw – Elfin Mono MK1 [6442]

1968 Macau Grand Prix 16-17 November 1968

Henky Iriawan – No.16 Sinar Iriawan Racing Elfin 600 [6801] – GP 2^nd

Tony Maw – No.9 Maple Leaf Racing Team Elfin Mono MK1 [6442] – GP 4^th

Mike J. Cook – No.94 Elfin Mono MKIIB [6651] – DNS

1968 RPMC Ashby Road Speed Trial 15 December 1968

Ashby Road Speed Trial – 15 December 1968 – Tony May – Elfin Mono MK1[6442] – GP 1^st

1968 National Open Championship – Batu Tiga Circuit 29 December 1968

Tony Maw – No.6 Maple Leaf Racing Elfin Mono MK1 1594cc [6442] – GP 2^nd place

Mike J. Cook – No.75 Elfin Mono MKIIB 1098cc [6651] – DNF

Linda Maw – No.6 Elfin Mono MK1 [6442] – Lucas Trophy Saloon, GT, Sports Cars Clubman race

1969 Singapore Grand Prix 4-6 April 1969

Garrie Cooper – No.4 BOAC-Team Elfin Elfin 600C [

Malcolm Ramsay – No.5 BOAC-Team Elfin Elfin 300B 1760cc [SS69-8]

Tony Maw – No.6 BOAC-Team Elfin Elfin Mono MK1 [6642] – GP 3^rd place

Henky Iriawan – No.16 Sinar Iriawan Racing Elfin 600 [6801]

Mike J. Cook – No.75 Elfin Mono MKIIB [6651]

Malcolm Ramsay – No.5 BOAC-Team Elfin Elfin 300B 1760cc [SS69-8] – Sports & GT race 1st

1969 Selangor Grand Prix 12-13 April 1969

Tony Maw – No.6 BP/BOAC Team Elfin Mono MK1 [6442] – GP 3^rd

Garrie Cooper – No.4 BP/BOAC Team Elfin 600C V8 Repco 2500cc

Malcolm Ramsay – No.5 BP/BOAC Team Elfin 300B [SS69-8] – GP 4^th

Henky Iriawan – No.16 Sinar Iriawan Racing Elfin 600 [6801]

Mike J. Cook – No.75 Elfin Mono MKIIB [6651]

Malcolm Ramsay – No.5 BP/BOAC Team Elfin 300B [SS69-8] – Sports & GT Race 1^st

1969 JAF Japanese Grand Prix

Garrie Cooper – No.6 Elfin 600C Repco V8 – DNF

1969 Grand Prix International – Batu Tiga 25-26 October 1969

Tony Maw – No.6 BOAC Team Elfin 600 [6801] – GP 1^st

Mike J. Cook – No.75 Elfin Mono MKIIB [6651]

Henky Iriawan – No.16 Sinar Iriawan Racing Elfin 600C FVA [6910] – DNF (gearbox)

NB: The Elfin 600C Series 9 FVA’s first race in Asia since taking 7^th place in the NZ Grand Prix at Pukekohe earlier in October 1969.

Henky Iriawan – No.1 Elfin 300B [SS69-8] – Sports & GT Cars 1^st

1969 Macau Grand Prix 15-16 November 1969

Henky Iriawan – Elfin 300B [SS69-8] – GT/Sports Car Race DNS (gearbox)

Henky Iriawan – Elfin 600C FVA [6910]  – GP DNF (suspension)

? – Macau GP 1969 – Tony Maw –

? – Macau GP 1969 – Steve Holland – Elfin 600C Repco V8

1969 Malaysia National Open Championship 20-21 December 1969

Henky Iriawan – No.16 Elfin 600C [6910] – GP 1^st

What about the 300B?

? – National Open Championships 1969 – Tony Maw

? – National Open Championships 1969 – Mike J. Cook

1970 Penang Circuit Races 9-11 January 1970

1^st – Penang Circuit Race 1970 – Henky Iriawan – Elfin 600C [6910]

? – Penang Circuit Race 1970 – Tony Maw in Penang 1970?

? – Penang Circuit Race 1970 – Mike J. Cook?

1970 Singapore Grand Prix 26-29 March 1970

Malcolm Ramsay – No. 8 Harrison Racing Elfin 600C 2.5 Repco V8 – GP 3^rd

Henky Iriawan – No.16 Sinar Iriawan Racing Elfin 600C FVA [6910] – GP 5^th

Henky Iriawan – No.16 Sinar Iriawan Racing Elfin 300B 1748cc [SS69-8] – Sports & GT race

1970 Selangor Grand Prix 4-5 April 1970

Malcolm Ramsay – No.7 Elfin GT Harrison Racing Elfin 600C Repco V8 2495cc [6908]

Henky Iriawan – No.16 Sinar Iriawan Racing Elfin 600C FVA [6910]

Teddy Yip – No.47 Elfin 600B [7015]

Henky Iriawan – No.16 Sinar Iriawan Racing Elfin 300B 1748cc [SS69-8] – Sports & GT race

1970 4^th Malaysian Clubman’s Meet @ Batu Tiga 23 August 1970

Tony Maw – Elfin 600 [6801]

Teddy Yip – Elfin 600B [7015]

Henky Iriawan – Elfin 600C [6910]

Edward Tan – No.75 Elfin Mono 1098cc [6651]

1970 Malaysia Grand Prix 5-6 September 1970

Tony Maw – No.6 Maple Leaf Racing Elfin 600 [6801] – GP 2^nd

Henky Iriawan – No.16 Sinar Iriawan Racing Elfin 600C FVA [6910]

Teddy Yip – No.47 Elfin 600B [7015]

Edward Tan – No.75 Elfin Mono 1098cc [6651]

Winner (Sports & GT) Henky Iriawan – Elfin 300B 1748cc [SS69-8] – Sports & GT 1^st

1970 Macau Grand Prix 28-29 November 1970

Tony Maw – No.6 Elfin 600 [6801]

Malcolm Ramsay – No.9 Elfin 600W TC Waggott [6908] – DNF

Henky Iriawan – No.16 Elfin 600C [6910]

Entered by Teddy Yip – No.47 Elfin 600B [7015]

1970 Malaysia National Open Championship 19-20 December 1970

Henky Iriawan – No.16 Elfin 600C [6910] – GP 1^st

NB: (10 cars on the grid, combined single-seater and sports car race but not the main event – which was for Saloons)

Edward Tan – No.75 Elfin Mono 1098cc [6651]

Henky Iriawan – No.16 Sinar Iriawan Racing Elfin 300B 1748cc [SS69-8]

1971 Singapore Grand Prix 8-11 April 1971

John Walker – No.2 MSA/City State Racing Team Elfin 600SA [7018] – Prelim. 20-lap race – 2^nd

Note: FTD set by John Walker on lap 19 at 1:59.9 at 90.76mph

John Walker – No.2 Elfin MSA/City State Racing Team 600SA [7018] – GP 2^nd

Malcolm Ramsay – No.21 MSA/City State Racing Team Elfin 600SA – Prelim. DNS

Malcolm Ramsay – No.21 MSA/City State Racing Team Elfin 600SA – GP – DNS

Edward Tan – Elfin MKIIB [6651] – Prelim. 20-lap race – 12^th

Edward Tan – Elfin MKIIB [6651] – GP – DNF

Teddy Yip – No.47 Elfin 600B 1594cc [7015]

Tony Maw – No.16 Elfin 600 [6801]

1971 Selangor Grand Prix 17-18 April 1971

Tony Maw – No.6 Elin 600 1598cc [6801]

John Walker – No.20 Elfin 600SA 1598cc [7018]

Teddy Yip – No.47 Elfin 600B 1594cc [7015]

Edward Tan – No.75 Elfin Mono 1098cc [6651]

1971 Penang Circuit Race 24-25 April 1971

2^nd – Penang Circuit Race 1971 – Henky Iriawan – Elfin 600C [6910]

1971 JAF Japan Grand Prix (Fuji) 2-3 May 1971

John Walker – No.12 Elfin 600SA – GP 8^th

Malcolm Ramsay – No.9 Elfin 600B Waggott TC4V – DNF

1971 Malaysia Grand Prix 4-5 September 1971

Tony Maw – Elfin 600 [6801]

1971 Ancol Indonesian Grand Prix 9-10 October 1971

1971 Macau Grand Prix 19-20 November 1971

Garrie Cooper – No.4 Team Longines Elfin 600D 1598cc – Set Fastest Lap, DNF

Tony Maw – No.6 Team Longines Elfin 600 1598cc [6801]

Joey Bundalian – No.127 Elfin 600C 1598cc [6910] – GP 6^th

Allan Moffat (entered by Teddy Yip) – No.17 Elfin 600B 1598cc [7015] – DNS

1972 2^nd Greenhills Philippines Grand Prix 22-23, 29-30 January 1970

1972 Singapore Grand Prix 29 Mar-2 April 1972

Garrie Cooper – No.2 MSA/Elfin Team Elfin 600D [7012] – DNF

John McCormack – No.3 MSA/Elfin Team Elfin 600C [7011]

Harvey Simon – No.4 Elfin 600B [7018]

Tony Stewart – No.18 Theodore Racing Elfin 600B [7015] – DNF

Malcolm Ramsay – No.51 Elfin 600B [6907]

Henk Woelders – No.53 Elfin 600E [7124]

Joey Bundalian – No.73 Elfin 600C [6910]

1972 Malaysia Grand Prix 8-9 April 1972

Garrie Cooper – No.2 Team Elfin Elfin 600D [7012] – DNF (head gasket)

Unknown – No.3 Team Elfin Elfin 600 [Tony Maw – DNS]

Tony Stewart (entered by Teddy Yip) – No.21 Elfin 600B [7015] – GP 5^th

Harvey Simon – No.26 Elfin 600B [7018]

Malcolm Ramsay – No.51 City State Motors Elfin 600B [6907 or 6908?]

Joey Bundalian – No.73 Elfin 600C 1598cc [6910]

1972 Penang Grand Prix 15-16 April 1972

Tony Maw – Elfin 600 [6801] – GP 3^rd

1972 JAF Japan Grand Prix (Fuji) 2-3 May 1972

Leo Geghegan – No.7 Elfin 600B Waggott TC4V – DNF

1972 Ancol Indonesian Grand Prix 30 June-1 July 1972

1972 Selangor Grand Prix 9-10 September 1972

Harvey Simon – No.4 Elfin 600B [7018] – GP 1^st

Joey Bundalian – No.73 Elfin 600C [6910]

1972 Macau Grand Prix 25-26 November 1972

Harvey Simon – Elfin 600B [7018]

Max Stewart – Dolphin Elfin [7015] – GP 2^nd

1972 Malaysian National Open Championships 30-31 December 1972

1973 3^rd Philippine Greenhills Grand Prix 10-11 March 1973

Kiyoshi Misaki – Elfin 620 Toyota 2TG – GP 2^nd

1973 Malaysia Grand Prix 14-15 April 1973

Harvey Simon – No.4 Camel Malindo Elfin 600B [7018]

Teddy Yip – Theodore Racing Elfin 600B [7015]

1973 Singapore Grand Prix 21-22 April 1973

Harvey Simon – No.4 Camel Malindo Elfin 600B [7018]

Joey Bundalian – No.173 L&M/Chesterfield Racing Elfin 600C [6910]

Teddy Yip – No.180 Theodore Racing Elfin 600B [7015]

1973 Penang Grand Prix 5-6 May 1973

Harvey Simon – No.4 Camel Malindo Elfin 600B [7018]

1973 ARAP Philippines Open July 1973

John Macdonald – Elfin 620 Toyota 2TG – GP 1^st

1973 Selangor Grand Prix 8-9 September 1973

Harvey Simon – No.17 Elfin 600B [7018]

1973 Macau Grand Prix 17-18 November 1973

Joey Bundalian – No.73 Echauz Racing Team Elfin-Getty 600C [6910]

Max Patterson/Bob Nissen – No.19 Team MDM-Leyland Elfin 300 [SS67-6]

K.N. Suen – No.12 Theodore Racing Elfin 600B [7015]

1974 Rothmans Malaysia Grand Prix 6-7 April 1974

Lim Jet Teng (entered by Percy Chan) – No.42 Elfin 600B [7018]

1974 Philippines Marlboro Championship Rd1 2 June 1974

1974 Philippines Marlboro Championship Rd2 7 July 1974

1974 4^th Philippine Greenhills Grand Prix 14 July 1974

1974 Philippines Marlboro Championship Rd4 26 July 1974

1974 Penang Grand Prix 30 August-1 September 1974

Jose “Pocholo” Ramirez – Elfin 622 Toyota [73422] – GP 3^rd

1974 Selangor Grand Prix 7-9 September 1974

Jose “Pocholo” Ramirez – Elfin 622 [73422] – GP 5^th

1974 Philippines Marlboro Championship Rd5 6 October 1974

1974 Philippines Greenhills Ortigas Grand Prix 19-20 October 1974

1974 Macau Grand Prix 30 November-1 December 1974

Teddy Yip – Elfin 600B

1974 Philippines Marlboro Championship Rd6 15 December 1974

1974 Malaysia National Open Championship 21-22 December 1974

1974 Philippines Marlboro Championship Rd7 30 December 1974

1975 Malaysia Grand Prix 29-30 March 1975

Hamidon Taib – No.84 Elfin 600B [7018] – unknown

1975 5^th Philippine Grand Prix 17-18 May 1975

1975 Penang Grand Prix 30 August-1 September 1975

Hamidon Taib – No.84 Elfin 600B [7018] – unknown

1975 Selangor Grand Prix 5-7 September 1975

1975 Ancol Indonesian Grand Prix 8-9 November 1975

1975 Macau Grand Prix 15-16 November 1975

Teddy Yip – No.4 Theodore Racing Team Elfin 600B [7015] – DNF

1975 Philippine El Grande Grand Prix 13-14 December 1975

1976 BF Resort Village Las Pinos ARAP (Philippines) Grand Prix October 1976

1976 Indonesian Grand Prix 24 October 1976

1976 Macau Grand Prix 13-14 November 1976

No Elfins entered

1976 First Metro Manila International Grand Prix 3-4 (or 13-19?) December 1976

Note: There remain some serious gaps in the Indonesian and Philippine Grand Prix results and a few missing entries for the Selangor and Penang events. If you have entries that this article happens to be missing, please contact the author so the database may be appropriately addressed.

Words by Eli Solomon

Images Rewind Media Archives

[email protected]

1. 6801 made its first appearance at Calder Raceway in March 1968 with Garrie Cooper finishing in third in the Lucas Davison Series for ANF1-1/2 litre cars. The had been completed at midnight on the Friday before race weekend, and turned a wheel for the first time in a wet qualifying session on Saturday 23 March 1968.  A 1600cc twin cam replaced the 1500cc engine and the car was sent to Kuala Lumpur for the Selangor Grand Prix.
2. That would probably have been in Elfin 600B chassis 6802 Twin Cam, the second of the 600 series Elfins built.
3. . It’s interesting to note that the Maple Leaf Racing team branding was the creation of advertising agency director Tony Maw in June 1967. It was also used by Garrie Cooper for his 1968 South East Asian entry in his Elfin 600 [6801].
4. The 1.2 mile course included part of Ashby Road, Hart Avenue, Cecil Rae Avenue and Baeza Avenue. There were 18 events for car and motorcycles, all five-lap races. A supplementary Go-Kart event saw 20 entries.
5. . The first of the 600Cs was Garrie Cooper’s April 1969 car, chassis 6908. This car carried RB830-R29, the 2.5-litre V8 Repco motor that Bob Harper acquired for Steve Holland to race in Macau. The third 600C [7011] was delivered to John McCormack in February 1970, complete with a Coventry Climax motor, which was later replaced by a 2.5-litre Type 830 Repco V8.
6. International Single Seater Formula – racing cars powered by no larger than 1600cc engines of 4-cylinders with two valves per cylinder – to be introduced in 1971. This meant that the FVA engined cars would be outlawed (John Macdonald’s BT10 FAV would now sport a twin cam instead, the FVA engine moving over to the Lotus 47). The main event would also see two-seater racing cars but with capacity no more than 2000cc.  If an engine of less than 1600cc was fitted to the two-seater, it could run a 4-valve per cylinder engine.
7. Joey Bundalian’s 600C purchase was put together by a consortium of Filipino motorsport enthusiasts, headed by Eddie Echauz. They paid Irawan $7,000 (P 45,000 then) for the car. They also sent him to the Jim Russell driving school in the UK.
8.  The Macau program lists the car as an Elfin 300C
9. SMSC July 1974 Gazette – Torque Shop offering Elfin single-seater – rolling chassis with Dunlop intermediate Racing tyres. Asking $2750