Once his military service was complete in 1947, racing enthusiast Frank Nichols purchased a small garage at Westham, England.

Having achieved some success, he then moved to larger premises in Bexhill, Sussex, where a burgeoning motor racing community existed.

Beginning with a Lotus VI, Nichols campaigned a CSM Special in 1954, achieving considerable success.

He resolved to produce and sell a similar car of his own design and, in 1955, founded Elva Engineering Company.

Legend has it that Nichols named his cars ‘Elva’ for the French ‘elle va,’ meaning ‘she goes.’ Designed by Mick Chapman and competing immediately and successfully against the similar small displacement Lotus sports-racers of Colin Chapman, its success encouraged Nichols to emulate its design with the first few Elva live rear axle sports-racers, they were the equal, if not the better, of Chapman's Lotus 11 in England, Europe and the U.S.

This lovely example of this British racing classic sports car is presented in whi...