[Fot] 1963 Elva Courier

[JWoesvra at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/5/2007 11:48:02 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
arich at nanocyl.com writes:

Jack,
 
I have done a little  research since last week.  According to Butch Gilbert, 
the front  suspension I have is more likely to have come from a Triumph Herald 
than a  Spitfire.  The Spitfire production started in October of 1962, and 
the  Herald started in 1959.  The Elva Courier Mark 4 had steels doors that  
came from the Spitfire, but the Mark 3 had the same fiberglass Elva doors of  the 
Mark 1 and 2.  
 
Pete Symonds (an SCCA  racer) and a few others in the Elva club have what are 
called "Mark 3" cars  with a round tube chassis, but mine has the square tube 
and sheet metal  chassis that was designed and built by the Trojan company.  
The round  tube Mark 3s apparently were a part of the inventory that was 
bought by Trojan  and those cars were assembled by Trojan, but the major chassis 
changes did not  take place until later in the 1963 model year, from which my 
car seems to have  come.  Another change Trojan made was the hood scoop which 
was added, and  the dash and interior changed.  
 
I don't know if  this helps or confuses you on the subject of the brakes, but 
I am trying to  help.  I will not order the brake rotors until I hear back 
from you as to  the limit of their diameter.  
 
Thanks,
 
Andy



Yes, I agree with all of this and we accept the Trojan built cars as well  of 
course. Just keep within the framework of whatever these cars used. That  
information is readily available as you have seen.
 
The Herald did provide much of the running gear for the early Couriers as  
well as the Spitfire. However, the Herald never had disc brakes, so I don't  
think you want to go there. The Vitesse might have used better components but I,  
not sure of the lineage that comes from that. The GT6 brakes will go right on 
a  Spitfire and Courier, but I have seen no documentation that supports that  
historically during the period.
 
Kas Kastner might be able to shed some light on this and I will forward it  
to the FOT (Friends of Triumph) news list.
 
Jack Woehrle