I seem to remember reading somewhere that there were around 18 or so of these cars built, a goodly number of which came to the US. Some remained in Europe and I believe that Porsche may have hill climbed with them. I even seem to recall that Porsche may have put a flat 8 into one.
Over here, I am aware of new cars being delivered to Ollie Schmidt, who retained three for his USRRC team in 1964. Ed Weschler had one for Bill Wuesthoff. Others went to Joe Buzzetta and Lee Hall. I seem to recall that George Wintersteen and Bob Brown may each have had one in early 1964. Ernie Erickson had a pale yellow example which he ran through 1967 when he retired.
The finest moment for the Elva Porsche, of course, was its professional debut win in the 1963 Road America 500. Ollie Schmidt entered his first car for Bill Wuesthoff who ran in the top several places for the 376 miles he drove. Wuesthoff was to drive solo, but tired and turned the wheel over to Augie Pabst who had driven the first half of the race in the Mecom Racing Team Ferrari GTO. Pabst had never sat in the car before, but took the wheel and promptly spun at turn five and stalled the car. Augie was in a near panic because he did not know which switch did what! Of course he eventually punched the right button, the engine started, and he drove on, winning the race by about three miles over the second place Cobra of Ken Miles and Bob Holbert.
Wuesthoff won the 1964 USRRC under two liter championship, finishing second overall in the series behind Jim Hall.
Lee Hall took his Elva Porsche to the 1964 SCCA class E Modified championship.
Over the next several years the Elva Porsches changed hands many times. The Lee Hall car, for example, went to Mike Rahal, who campaigned it for a couple years. Incidentally, that car is now owned by son Bobby, who has had it restored to its 1964 Lee Hall colors.
Anyone else want to chime in with anything? Who owned the rest of the original cars? Where are they now?
Edited by RA Historian, 20 August 2009 - 01:20.
