Elfin MR8 car-by-car histories
Garrie Cooper in the Ansett Elfin MR8 at Oran Park in 1977. Copyright oldracephotos.com/Neil Hammond. Used with permission.
The Elfin MR8 was designed by Garrie Cooper and raced by his Ansett Team Elfin for five seasons from 1976 to 1980. James Hunt gave the model its highest-profile win at Winton in 1978.
The Elfin MR8 was a further evolution of the MR6/MS7 theme, but with wider front and rear track to accommodate the Chevrolet V8 engine that replaced the earlier Repco and Leyland powerplants. The other major change was the full-width nose of the MR6 giving way to a fashionable chisel nose. Front suspension was orthodox, with twin wishbones and outboard springs, as was the rear suspension which comprised double parallel lower links, single top link, and twin radius arms. Transmission was via a Hewland DG300 gearbox. Garrie Cooper designated the car 'MR8-C', with 'R' now standing for Racing instead of Repco, and the 'C' being for Chevrolet. After a few delays, Cooper debuted the first MR8, chassis 8761, at the Sandown Park Cup in February 1976, where an engine failure put him out of the race. Vern Schuppan was then recruited to drive the car, and took an excellent second place at the Australian Grand Prix in September.
A second MR8 was then built for Schuppan to drive in the 1977 Internationals, with Cooper taking over the prototype. Cooper continued to race his car in the Australian Gold Star, but Schuppan's was fitted with sports car bodywork for the 1977 SCCA Can-Am series. A third MR8 was built for Schuppan to use in the 1978 Internationals, and he also raced his Can-Am car that season. The highlight of 1978 was James Hunt's win at Winton in October while guest-driving Schuppan's F5000 MR8. The cars were used again in the 1979 Internationals, where Larry Perkins replaced Cooper in the prototype. Schuppan drove his Can-Am car for a third season in the US that year. Ansett Team Elfin continued with the MR8s in 1980, when John Bowe drove the newer car and the older prototype was sold to Chris Middleton. Didier Pironi drove Middleton's car in the 1980 Australian GP and despite the unfamiliar car beat all the other F5000 to finish third behind the two F1 cars. Both F5000 MR8s remained in use up to the end of F5000 in 1982.
If you can add to our understanding of these cars, or have photographs that we can use, please email Allen at allen@oldracingcars.com.
Sam Shahin's Elfin MR8-C on display at The Bend Classic in 2019. Copyright Peter Knights 2021. Used with permission.
New for Garrie Cooper to drive for Ansett Team Elfin at the Sandown Park Cup in February 1976, for Vern Schuppan at the Australian Grand Prix, which he won, and then for Cooper in the remainder of the 1976 Australian Gold Star races. For Cooper again in the 1977 Australian Internationals and Australian Gold Star. Retained again for Cooper to drive in the 1978 Australian Internationals and in that season's Australian Grand Prix, but he had a major accident at this race. Larry Perkins took over the repaired car for the 1979 Internationals. It was then sold to Chris Middleton for the 1980 Gold Star, after which Didier Pironi guest-drove the car at the 1980 Australian GP. Middleton retained the car for 1981 and 1982, and John Smith drove it once in the 1982 ARCO Graphite Series. Bob Minogue then acquired the car in 1984, but its history is then unknown until Peter Brennan (Melbourne, Victoria) sold it in 1998 to Graham Mein (Ballina, Queensland). Mein raced it at VHRR Historic Sandown in 1999 and 2000. In 2008, it went from Mein to Ken James (Gold Coast, Queensland), who raced it in the Tasman Revival series in 2008/09 and 2009/10. It then went to Bend Motorsport Park Managing Director Sam Shahin (Tailem Bend, South Australia) in 2018. It was advertised by Shahin in 2021.
Driven by: Garrie Cooper, Vern Schuppan, Larry Perkins, Peter "Chris" Middleton, Didier Pironi and John Smith. First race: Sandown Park (R3), 15 Feb 1976. Total of 38 recorded races.
Bill Hemming's Elfin MR8-C at Phillip Island in 2016. Copyright Marcus Pye 2016. Used with permission.
New to Vern Schuppan (Adelaide, Australia) and raced as part of Ansett Team Elfin in 1977 Australian Internationals. Converted to Can-Am form, and raced by Schuppan in the Can-Am series in late 1977, and again in 1978 and 1979. Next seen when advertised by Stuart Bradbury (Phoenix, AZ) in July 1984. Advertised by Chuck Haines in 1990. To John Wales and Ron Gouttman (NSW, Australia) in 1990, and raced by Gouttman in Australia in Can-Am form in 1992/93. To Laurie Donaher (NSW) 1998, then to Aaron Lewis (Cessnock, NSW, Australia) in 2001. Restored to F5000 form, and raced in the F5000 Tasman Revival series in 2003/04. To Bill Hemming (Victoria, Australia) 2005, who raced it in the Tasman Revival series from late 2006 onwards. As well as being a regular in Australia and New Zealand, Hemming also raced the car in the US in 2015. Raced at Ruapuna Park in February 2017, at Monterey in August 2018 and then at Mallala, Baskerville and Sydney Motorsport Park from 2019 to 2025.
Driven by: Vern Schuppan and Chip Mead. First race: Oran Park (R1), 6 Feb 1977. Total of 19 recorded races.
Michael Glynn in his Elfin MR8-C at Mallala in 2019. Copyright Peter Knights 2021. Used with permission.
New for Vern Schuppan to drive for Ansett Team Elfin in the 1978 Australian Internationals. Also for Schuppan at the Australian GP in September 1978 but he crashed heavily and the car was rebuilt on a new monocoque. James Hunt guest drove this car to take pole position and win at Winton in November. Then raced by Schuppan in the 1979 Australian Internationals. John Bowe took over the Ansett Team Elfin later that season, and raced the car at the 1979 Australian GP and in the 1980 Australian Gold Star, where he won two rounds. Then sold to Reg Orr and driven for him by Stuart Kostera in 1981, and by Bruce Allison in 1982. It was owned by Mike Trengove in 1984, but its history is then unknown until it was sold by Paul Trevethan to Bryan Thompson (Victoria) in 1994. Then to Mike Glynn (Victoria) in 1997. Raced by Glynn at the Phillip Island Classic in March 2016 and March 2018, and then at Mallala in April 2019, April 2021 and April 2022.
Driven by: Vern Schuppan, James Hunt, John Bowe, Stuart Kostera and Bruce Allison. First race: Sandown Park (R1), 5 Feb 1978. Total of 25 recorded races.
Acknowledgements
Much of the original knowledge of these cars' movements came from 'Australia's Elfin Sports And Racing Cars' by John Blanden and Barry Catford (Turton and Armstrong, 1997). My thanks to Bryan Millar, Andrew Fellowes and Bryan Sala for their help filling in the gaps in these cars' histories, and to Brian Lear for bringing the ownership up to date in 2025. Brian Lear and his colleagues Ian Hobbs and Barry Catford do a fabulous job at the Elfin Register preserving the history of these cars. Thanks also to Glenn Moulds and David Mellonie for the use of their photographs.
If you can add to our understanding of these cars, or have photographs that we can use, please email Allen at allen@oldracingcars.com.
These histories were last updated on .