Elva MkIII 100/65 Sports Racer(1958 alloy body front engine with DeDion rear axle and drum brakes)
(revised 12/100/13)
• Original Castrol Brass Chassis plate states MkIII with A7743 (FWA Coventry Climax 1100cc Engine). White Exterior with typical MkIII Appendix C full width windscreen, single windshield wiper, head fairing, wire wheels and complete toneau provision seen from snaps and left door ledge.
• The only other known to exist Elva MkIII with a higher chassis number is 100/66 with 7742 FWA Coventry Climax Engine. The Barcboy website where in August 1959 Berwick, PA Giant Despair Hill Climb and Road Race was chronicled. There were 2 MkII and 2 MkIIIs in the same race. 100/66 had a red exterior and a unique oval alloy flange cold air inlet to the carbs on the leading edge near grill with James Forno #171at wheel
• My assumption to date is that 100/65’s original owner was Alfred Zantzinger first race known 18 July 1958 and picture of Car #41 at the August 59 Berwick PA race. White, no side mirrors. Elva Emblem located lower like 100/65.

KNOWN HISTORY (chronology):• 2005 Preassembled and fabricated rolling chassis/body for Elva 50th Road America reunion. Return to RA for 60th reunion with rolling chassis.
• July 1987 – Stan Mason purchased this car as a basket case from Walter Donicki through Lee Chapman in Newton Connecticut.
• May 1985 - Cap Chenoweth (Stowe, Vermont) – contacted in December 1987 who sold car to Walter Donicki. Cap also Vintage Raced an Elva MkIV and Lola MkI later.
• Some confusion with Lenny Wilson phone conversation picked up from a friend basket case it was pulled from a garage fire and is why other components were not with the car such as the engine. (Jersey past Dover off of 80 near Rt10) All this information from Mr. Wilson is suspect from my hand written notes.
• 1961 – 1964 Lewis Flink (Margate, NJ) & Otto Linton Co-owned. 100/65 purchased with Coventry Climax Engine installed. An Alfa 1500cc DOHC Engine was installed (assumed to have been provided by friend Otto Linton Philly area Dealership). Body modified by Jimmy Diaz for additional cooling slot and speed bump and painted baby blue with white stripe. 30 April 1962 & October 1962 Vineland, New Jersey FM Race shows start of CM-FM race with CM Lister Corvette (John Snyder), Porsche RS60/61 (Maybe Herb Wetanson) and then 114 Lewis Flink with 100/65 leading RSK 19 of R. Thomas. The car’s paint and trim is identical as received by Stan Mason in 1987.
• July 1958 Alfred Zantzinger (Villanova, PA) assumed first race with this car appears at Berwick, PA as a Novice. SCCA magazine black and white picture at the start of the 1 August 1959 Berwick race shows a white car with assumed dark blue stripe and roundel #41 with no side mirrors and lower Elva Emblem. He frequently raced North East SCCA in 1958- 1959. The last record of Zantzinger racing an Elva MkIII was 19 July 1959. He later raced a MkVI Elva SR. Zantzinger’s Elva MkIII is likely 100/65 since the chassis number is later in MkIII production, which correlates with the July 58 SCCA later season entry.

SBM ASSUMPTIONS and Distinctive Features of 100/65:• White original paint, medium blue and then baby blue with white stripe
• No side mirrors installed
• Center mirror holes show different mounts 1962 shows alloy side mirror in center cowl location
• Cut out on left side probably for exhaust (this was prior to baby blue paint and Flink ownership)
• Speed bump on right side of hood (Alfa Romeo 1500cc Engine installed, which was a popular conversion as DOHC engines became more easily attained)
• Vineland, NJ race shows large radiator inlet above grill and in 3rd position with other FM Porsches.
• Gary Cossaboon sent an e-mail on April 17, 2011 after having a discussion with Dick Stockton period MkIV driver and provided a MkIII driver Carl H. Meiss Jr. who raced at the May 60 Cumberland Race. I am going to list this name as a possible owner of my car and follow-up phone conversation to determine if he is familiar with a Zantzinger Flink connection.
• Gary Cossaboon sent another update 10/1/2011 from an SVRA race he attended and met Joe Flink who identified his Dad Lewis as having an Elva MkIII purchased around 1961 that he converted to a 1500cc Alfa Engine open cooling slot in front . They were located in the Atlantic City, NJ area. Photo provided by Joe shows Lewis Flink racing at Vineland around 1962, which verifies that it is 100/65.


Next Steps Actions for uncovering more information on 100/65:
• April 30. 1959 Berwick PA Giant Despair SCCA Regional
o Contact Barcboys and see if they have John Ridall grid photos
o Buy photos from Barcboys if possible for clearer picture
• Watkins Glen Library Research
• Locate Lewis Flink race results from Vineland April Program buy on line (Mr. Schultz provided scanned October 62 Vineland start list program with Lew Flink and Otto Linton as co-owner called it an Elfa as a clever name for an Elva with an Alfa Engine)
• Identify other races Lewis Flink may have entered with 100/65
• April 30. 1962 Vineland, NJ Race
o Contact Barcboys (sent R. Dunbar e-mail 4/3/10)
o Watkins Glen Library
o Hay Bales Program buy on line?
o SCCA South Jersey Region Website investigation

Potential Owners or Drivers:
• Warren Shamlian may have co-driven an Elva MkIII
• Connection with Frank Baptista and Art Tweedale
• Had a shop Import Motors Limited Selim Road Rosslyn? in Bethesda Maryland
Anyone have information on 100/65’s History would be greatly appreciated please contact Stan Mason at StanBMason@AOL.com

Lewis Flink at Vineland New Jersey 30 April 1962 Elva MkIII 100/65 with Alfa Engine

Updated history has confirmed that Alfred "Gei" Zantzinger was the original owner shipped to USA in Spring of 1958. Here is a pic of Elva MkIII 100/65 at Bridgehampton, NY USA on 14 September 1958.

The second joint owners are believed to be Otto Linton and Lew Flink

Elva MkIII Sports Racer 100/65
(1958 alloy hand built body front Coventry Climax FWA engine with DeDion rear axle and drum brakes)
(revised 1/18/19)

PHYSICAL EVIDENCE AS RECEIVED BY STAN MASON:
• 1958 Original Castrol Brass Chassis plate states MkIII with A7743 (FWA Coventry Climax 1100cc Engine). Original white base exterior with typical MkIII Appendix C full width windscreen, single mechanical windshield wiper, head fairing and wire wheels. Most likely purchased through Continental Motors, which at that time was the US Elva Distributor. The white base color with dark blue center racing stripe and rondel were similar to the Continental Motors Team White Elva MkIII raced at 57 Nassau and 58 Sebring, which also were White and Blue Continental Motors Livery with a dark blue interior. I suspect the interior of 100/65 may have been similar. This is one of the last in the MkIII series to be built, circa Spring 1958 of the 15 estimated build.
• 1987 Stan Mason purchased 100/65 a baby blue top coat paint with white centered full length racing stripe, additional radiator opening above traditional lower opening, which correlate to picture in “Today’s Motor Sports February 1963”. This magazine chronicles the October 1, 1962 Vineland, NJ FM race with Lewis Flink between 2 Porsche RS. Making it my first link to it’s past.
• A medium dark blue paint was identified when sanding above the white original base coat and a spliced high left side cowl patch. This patch may have covered an earlier exhaust cut out maybe linked to the 1960 period and Carl Meiss. To date I have no photos connecting this color or Carl Meiss to 1960 time period.

KNOWN HISTORY (chronology):
• 1958 Imported to US - 100/65 was a later built 1958 MkIII (1 of 15 hand built) and assumed purchased at Continental Motors Elva US Importer in Washington DC area, which is in close proximity to Gei Zantzinger’s Villanova address. This car also had a similar Continental Motors Livery (see details below). I am uncertain if this car was raced prior to A. Zantzinger receiving it
• 1958 Alfred (Geist or Gei) Zantzinger (Villanova, PA) was a World Renowned Ethnomusicologist. Gei also owned Suburban Foreign Car Service in Philadelphia. Gei preferred #34 during the 16 races that have been researched. His first recorded race with the Elva was at Berwick, PA as a Novice on July 19, 1958 at age 21 and his last race ended at Berwick PA on August 1, 1959. I have 2 black & white pictures from that era Bridgehampton September 14, 1958 and September 1959 SCCA’s Sports Car Magazine. A Video of the October 26, 1958 Vineland Inaugural race is available on Youtube with an on track shot along with paddock shots on this rainy day making it difficult to determine if stripes are dark blue. Continental Motors Team Driver Art Tweedale is listed as the driver of #34 at this event. This makes me curious if they were sorting out the car for Gei or maybe using the car when he was traveling as a World Famous Ethnomusicologist. Art Tweedale is listed as the driver of 100/65 again at the November 16, 1958 Marlboro race where #34 placed 1st in the 1.5 Liter class being one of the more important wins with this car.
• 1960 Carl Meiss – Carl raced an Elva MkIII at Cumberland Maryland using #147, which was a number that Gei used in later races with 100/65, so their maybe a link. He also raced a #34 MkIII at Watkins Glen, Gei also used #34 when racing 100/65 earlier on. More research needed for verification maybe Watkins Glen Library
• 1961 Otto Linton (Speed Craft Enterprise Exton, PA) & Lewis Flink (Margate, NJ) & Partnership with co-ownership of 100/65 and purchased from A. Zantzinger. They initially raced it with the original FWA Coventry Climax Engine. Vineland, NJ August 20, 1961 was the first recorded race in GMod. An Alfa 1500cc DOHC Engine with 140 HP was installed later. Body modified by Jimmy Diaz for additional cooling slot, speed bump and painted baby blue with white stripe. First race recorded with new conversion was April 30, 1962 at Vineland in FMod. October 1, 1962 Vineland SCCA Regional shows Lew Flink/Otto Linton entry of #114 Elfa (assumed pun for Alfa engine in a Elva) in FMod. This was the last recorded race for Lew with a photo displayed in “Today’s Motor Sports February 1963” shows start of CM-FM race with CM Lister Corvette (John Snyder) in lead followed by Porsche RS60/61 (Maybe Herb Wetanson) and then 114 Lewis Flink with 100/65 ahead of RSK 19 of R. Thomas. Additional photos were obtained from Lew’s son Joe further verifying paint. The last recorded ownership of Flink / Linton was in SCCA’s Sports Car advertising 100/65 $1950 in February 1964.
• 1974 Autoweek Classified Ad $600 Connecticut (maybe 100/65 Mark Miller mentioned buying 100/65 from a young guy in Conn)
• 1975 circa Mark Miller (Morristown NJ) The Alfa Engine had been removed and was destroyed in a garage fire.
• 1975 circa Lenny Wilson (Port Jervis, NY) picked it up from a friend near Dover Maryland?
• 1967-68 Stewart Bone (Port Jarvis) purchased through Lanny Wilson
• 1985 Cap Chenoweth (Stowe, Vermont) – Owned 100/65 circa May 1985
• 1986 Walter Donicki. Newton, Connectict - Circa 1986
• 1987 Stan Mason Edwardsburg, MI - July purchased 100/65 as a basket case from Walter Donicki through Lee Chapman in Newton Connecticut without drivetrain and suspension. Also components from 101-C-1 including suspension and Dedion. These components were traded with Jon Clifton from his MkIII West Coast chassis.
o 2005 Preassembled and fabricated rolling chassis/body for Elva 50th Road America reunion. Return to RA for 55th reunion with rolling chassis.
o 2016 Internet movie of October 26, 1958 rainy Vineland race White #34 with Art Tweedale driving
o January 2017 – The best original black & white photograph to date was obtained from Revs Institute with Gei Zantizinger at 14 September 1958 Bridgehampton SCCA NY Race white car with dark center stripe and roundel #23 with the number 2 added with shoe polish, visible dark tonneau seen on left passenger side. Current car has a flat bar on passenger door where tonneau was snapped.

ASSUMPTIONS:

Continental Motors Livery:
Frank Nichols (FGN) Owner / Creator of Elva met Walter Dickson owner of Continental Motors at the July 1957 Marlboro Race. While at dinner that evening Dickson proposed an Elva Street Car concept that would be a Spartan car with an emphasis on racing and less on refinement to compete with MGAs. Driving to the track was part of the criteria and justified as a sports car. This car later was labeled as a Courier and Dickson would be the exclusive Elva Importer. Dickson’s vision was for the Elva Sports Racer to create excitement for the new Courier. His own personal way to promote those cars was to have a common livery connected to his dealership so he chose the American International Colors of White with Blue center stripe & blue roundels with white numbers. We see the first usage of this in late 1957 at the Nassau end of season race. This was an important event for the Elva contingent showing up with 5 Elva Sports Racers and impressing Alec Ullman (organizer of Sebring) with four 1st place finishes in hopes of gaining entry as a team for the 1958 Sebring 12 hour International Race. The May 1958 Sports Car Illustrated article highlights this effort and shows Continental Livery on #36 Elva MkII and #31 Elva MkIII. The 30 series numbers also become preferred by Dickson. The 1958 Sebring sees #31 MkIII now #57 entered under Elva Engineering Co. 100/65.is the only other car that was in this same livery up to this time and carried the #34 at most races linking it to this team livery.

Elva Mk III Observations As They Relate to 100/65: -
• Unique identifiers on 100/65 car when compared to other Elva MkIIIs are a lower mounted front Elva emblem (similar to 100/66) and no evidence of side mirror body hole mounts. Four to five of the 15 Elva MkIIIs were white, of these cars only one did not have side mirrors, which links this car to A.Gei Zantzinger.
• The older baby blue paint with white center stripe as received by Stan Mason in 1987 is identical to 1960 colored photos from Joe Flink and Magazine Article photos. This combination confirms this being a past Flink / Linton race car.

Other Investigation for uncovering more information on 100/65:
• Original colored photos of 1958/59 livery
• April 30. 1959 Berwick PA Giant Despair SCCA Regional
o Contact Barcboys and see if they have John Ridall grid GM photos
o Buy photos from Barcboys if possible for clearer picture
• Watkins Glen Library Research
• April 30. 1962 Vineland, NJ Race
o SCCA South Jersey Region Website investigation

Potential Owners or Drivers:
• Connection with Art Tweedale and Vineland Race
• Had a shop Import Motors Limited Selim Road Rosslyn? in Bethesda Maryland
Anyone having information on 100/65’s History would be greatly appreciated.
Please contact Stan Mason at StanBMason@AOL.com