Frank Mons' Elva Mk.5 "Mystery Car"

Frank is looking for info on the history of his 1959 Elva Mk.5.
  

From Frank:  "I purchased this car through the estate of Pete Lovely, It was told to me that this was a project car Pete had intended to restore but never got around to it.  I was also told that the car was purchased by Pete from Bunny T. Ribbs.  I have bill of sales showing this signed by Bunny and the estate.  I further was able to speak to Bunny (great guy) and he told me that he had purchased the car in Northern California from a fellow that had never raced it some thirty years ago with the intention of restoring it.  He further went on to tell me the original paperwork from Haas was in a briefcase in another shop where this car was not stored and burned up in a garage fire, he seemed to remember that the original paperwork listed two owners but no names there."
  
 
More from Frank: "I have since spent numerous hours doing what I can to peel back the layers of paint and have come up with a few assumptions that may or may not pan out and that Is what I am hoping your site might reveal.  The car was originally blue in color, then silver (may be an undercoat for next color) then blue again with what appears to be yellow numbering or stripes on the front bonnet, there is a white skim coat over the entire car after this and then the final bronze color."
 
  
"The car never had a roll bar installed so I suspect it has not seen the track since the mid to early 1960’s.  There was but one sticker on the passenger pontoon (pic above) and no other real markings. 

In my research it seems to me that it is very unlikely to be David Kyte’s car as there is no sign of any orange and I have since met with David’s son and truly believe this is not possible.  The Art Snyder car seems most likely, I was hoping to show the connection between Art and Don Wester to John Harrington as this seems most logical but you know how these things go.  John Harrington was listed for two races in 1964 and 65 in Santa Barbara but it appears he never arrived or drove unless there is something else showing he did, there is a mention of him being entered by B&H Racing Team (probably him and a friend).  Appears Harrington was out of the Fresno area.   Incidentally, if this is Art Snyder’s car he was out of Gardena , should that prove to be true the car has come full circle sitting in my shop in Gardena. "
  
 
(Photo shows fuel cell.)  "Bunny had told me that the prior owner had intended to put in a twin cam which explains the large gaping hole in the front bonnet, the frame shows the mounting for the Climax it would have been born with as well as the MGA trans mount, it still has all it’s original suspension pieces, brakes, body, frame, fuel tank, seats, rear diff, etc…  There is a rather small aluminum scoop that had been fiberglassed into the rear bonnet which serves no real use, perhaps an unfinished attempt to ventilate the inboard rear brakes (10” alfins all around)."

If you can help Frank with the history of his car:    Please email me!
 
(11-30-13)    From Frank Mons:

"The shot of Don Wester's MKV clearly shows a larger roll hoop, no sign of this on my car. Looking a lot like we should be focused on Art Snyder's car. Harrington is most likely the driver in '64-'65 (looks like he was a DNS for two races in Santa Barbara) in the bronze colored MKV this is the last color fully painted on the car. Anything on Snyder by someone in the know is key."
 
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