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THE ELF STORY IN BRIEF . . .
| One
of BMC's favourite marketing ploys was to badge-engineer popular models.
The Mini got the treatment when it received a boot and radiator grille
and became the Riley Elf/Wolseley Hornet.
No-one can deny that the Mini is a classic design, or that it provides reliable, fun motoring at a bargain-basement price. But you could say that it lacks sufficient distinctiveness to appeal to the shoestring classic car fan - unless it's a Riley Elf or Wolseley Hornet. |
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From the outside, these cars really do look different from a standard Mini, and are also comparatively rare: only 28,455 Hornets and 30,912 Elfs were produced over nine years. In effect, they are only up-market versions of Sir Alec Issigonis's immortal small car, but most people pinpoint them as Minis with a boot or with a wooden dashboard. But Riley and Wolseley purists, who despised BMC's badge engineering of their beloved makes, really wished they had been called something else.
Quite what prompted BMC's management to introduce a badged and booted Mini isn't fully explained, but it has to be remembered that the rambling BMC dealer network sold by marque and not model - the only way that the Riley or Wolseley dealer could sell a Mini was in rebadged form. Moreover, it seemed sensible that if you were going to give the customer a Riley or Wolseley Mini derivative, it should be an upmarket version of the Austin and Morris products.
The Elf/Hornet first appeared in 1961, sharing the Mini's mechanical virtues, but using some new body panels and having better trim than the standard offering. A la Mini, the heart of the car was the 848cc four-cylinder A-series motor, with pushrod operated overhead valves and very near square cylinder dimensions (63mm bore x 68.26mm stroke). It gave 34bhp at 5500rpm in single SU aspirated guise, and was mounted transversely in unit with the four-speed gearbox. Contrary to popular practice, the drive was taken by the front wheels. Suspension, like the Mini’s, was independent all round, by wishbone and Moulton rubber springs at the front, and by trailing links and Moulton rubber springs at the rear. The suspension units were mounted on steel sub-frames, themselves attached to an all-steel monocoque. Braking was by drums all round, with Lockheed hydraulic actuation.
External differences
from the Mini basically amounted to the addition of an external boot and
a different bonnet and front panel, which incorporated two chromium plated
auxiliary grilles with sidelights and indicator units fitted integrally.
The bonnet had a Wolseley or Riley dummy radiator grille fitted.
To some the boot spoiled the Mini's chic lines, but it does give useful
extra luggage capacity. A duo-tone paint finish was standard and
there was far more external brightwork, as well as full wrap-around bumpers
and chrome wheel embellishers.
Elves in the forest . . . |
Trim-wise, there
were leather backed seats, heater and windscreen washers as standard, a
wood fascia with 90mph speedo, oil pressure and water temperature gauges,
hidden glove boxes, door handles and more carpeting. All of this
cost an extra £127 on the price of the basic Mini.The Mark 1 was
quite well received.
All the old Mini grumbles were aired in The Motor's road test in 1962 - cramped driving position, pitching ride, uncomfortable seats and stray reflections from the instrument panel - but overall they felt that the Wolseley Hornet tested was 'ideal as a rather special second car yet 'it would still fill a useful role as quiet and economical transport for a small family’. |
The Mark I lasted
until Motor Show time in '62, replaced by the Mark II, still with the 848cc
engine but now with the more efficient baulk ring synchromesh. By
March '63 the engine had been uprated to 998cc, giving an extra 4bhp, and
a useful increase in torque. The Mark II had 75.7mph speed compared to
the 71.7mph maximum of the Mark I, and was faster from 0-50mph (15.2sec
compared to 16.9secs) and from 20-40mph (9.3"compared to 14secs). At the
same time the brakes were improved with wider shoes and an uprated master
cylinder. With the new engine, The Motor felt that the Elf had the 'zest
in performance so often associated with Rileys in the past' and this allied
to the superb "handling meant that it was a real driver's car. A marked
understeerer, the car can be flung into corners at seemingly excessive
speeds. . .' they said. And it's true- you can be a real 'rock ape' behind
the wheel of an Elf/Hornet, and have immense fun in safety. As with
all Minis, with that rather long, poorly placed and willowy gear lever,
though, the change is not very sporting or precise.
| In 1964, the car was given hydrolastic suspension, now de rigueur with the Mini range, and a diaphragm spring clutch, with the next major changes billed for the Motor Show in 1966. This saw the debut of the Mark Ill car, complete with wind-up windows, concealed door hinges, face level ventilation with adjustable nozzles, and (at last) a Cooper type gear change extension, which a driving pleasure. Before the car's death in 1969, BMC introduced the option of auto transmission in October '67 for an additional £75 on top of the basic £525 price tag. |  |
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So what's the
attraction of an Elf or Hornet? First they're immensely practical small
cars, economical, reliable and easy to find parts for.
Secondly they’re distinctive, just that little bit different from a Mini to attract attention. Thirdly, they’re immense fun around corners, if you don't mind their comparative lack of pace in a straight line. Finally they’re relatively cheap to buy, and it's possible to pick them up in good condition because of their ‘second car/'woman's car cachet. |
When it comes to buying one of these cheeky little cars, it's as well to remember that the majority of parts are interchangeable with Minis of the same vintage. All the mechanical parts are identical, and many of the body panels, such as the front wings, doors and roof, are the same. However if you need a bonnet, a front panel, rear wings or a boot, trim or light clusters you’ll probably have to raid scrapyards.
When checking over an Elf or Hornet prior to purchase, the most important consideration is the strength of the chassis - the sills are load bearing, and so their state is crucial to getting an MoT. The front and rear subframes and their mounting points also affect a car's road-worthiness. The front subframe is less prone to corrosion than the rear, but bad rusting on either will cause MoT failure - you can detect a worn rear subframe by bump oversteer when cornering. If the subframes are really badly rotted, you can poke a blunt object through them. Remember that replacing one of these items is time consuming and relatively tricky, and if they are badly gone replacement is the only possible solution.
Brake pipes rust, but unlike the hydrolastic pipes in post '64 cars, are relatively easy to replace. With regard to the body, look at the footwells as well as the sills. Condition is easily ascertained by lifting the carpets and looking underneath. The boot floor, spare wheel carrier and battery box also suffer from tin-worm - the battery box will worry MOT testers, and is easy to repair if you can weld.
Externally rust
tends to appear around the body seams (and under that chrome brightwork
...), the A-panel in front of the doors and on the wings under the headlights.
Unless you come across a very well preserved Elf or Hornet, this type of
rot is almost inevitable, but is relatively easy to rectify given a little
time and patience. It is surprising just how many of the cars are in excellent
original condition; however, it is possible to buy a car that only requires
a little attention to eliminate rust. Beware of a car with a dented
rear wing - these panels are virtually unobtainable, and good welding/cutting
skills would be needed to replace them.
| Mechanically,
it is to be stressed that Minis, by and large, are very reliable, the A-series
engine famed for its longevity - if something is amiss, though, Elfs and
Hornets aren't the easiest of cars to work on; anything wrong with the
gearbox will entail removal of the entire engine/gearbox unit.
When out for a test drive, try and ensure that it's running enough to get the engine warm - oil pressure at speed should be around the 50psi mark, and not waver markedly when idling. Other than that it's a question of listening out for undue mechanical clatter, and if the synchromesh is worn on second and third gears it's a sign that the gearbox is on its way out. |
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Trim is a tricky
area, as it's virtually impossible to obtain, except by scouring scrapyards.
The bumpers, seats, door handles, fascia and interior chrome brightwork
will have to be looked for, as will any missing badges. By the way,
the differences between Hornets and Elfs are the badging and grilles -
while the Hornet has crisscross bars on the auxiliary grilles, the Elf
has horizontal bars.
Looking after your Elf
If maintained well, with quality new oil and filter every 5000km, a Mini of any sort can be a faithful servant. Mechanical and service parts are still easy to get, and are easily modified if you want to go that way. For an Elf or Hornet I would recommend they be kept as original as possible.
They don’t like unleaded petrol. To cope with the problem some people have had Fuelstar systems installed; others have fitted hardened valve seats, and it is possible with careful tuning to get them to run just about ok on 96 or even 91 plus additive. Most Mini and elf owners would prefer to see leaded back on the petrol station forecourts. It is always sensible to keep all grease points well serviced – though with modern greases you can probably get away with less frequent attention than the handbook specifies.
It is true that many mechanics do not like working on Minis – but in most parts of New Zealand there are garages prepared to do the difficult jobs, otherwise much day-to-day maintenance as at a do-it-yourself level. A trap for the unwary is the radiator grille, which rises with the bonnet and lies in wait for your head as you come back up from checking the oil or whatever. I’ve found that for any serious time spent on the engine it is easier to remove the bonnet altogether, there’s just 4 bolts attaching it and it is small enough to be lifted off easily by one person.
Values
I believe the survival rate of these cars is quite high in New Zealand, much higher than in the UK where there are now few left.
Top quality cars can be found around the NZ$2-3000 mark, and cheaper ones can be found as parts or rebuild cars. In pure financial terms they are not worth a major restoration job and better suited to a running rebuild. Hard to find trim can be a problem, especially bonnets, boots, bumpers and over-riders, windows, badges and much of the chrome-work.
I think these
little cars are one of the better buys in classic small cars – many have
been garaged and have been well-maintained, perhaps because they were originally
bought as second cars in well-off families. There are still a number
of ‘one owner, older person’ cars around. Often they have had a round
town travelling life, and may need a clutch job, plus several good open
road trips to get the engine freed up a bit, but once that’s out of the
way you’ve got a nice car.
Magnificient Motoring in Miniature
Mk I
Oct 1961 - Dec 1962 Chassis No R/A2S1/156851
- R/A2S1/310706: 848 cc
Mk II
Jan 1963 - Sept 1966 Chassis No R/A2S2/369601 –
:998 cc
Mk III
Oct 1966 - Aug 1969 Chassis No R/A2S3/930221
- R/A2S3/1337993: 998 cc
(the number sequence
was running in with other versions of the Mini cars)
Production
figures:
Mk I
3,522
Mk II
17,816
Mk III
9,574
TOTAL
30,912
Home sales:
27,690
Export sales:
3,222 (2000 to New Zealand)
Elfs still on
the road by country:
United Kingdom
918 (78 Mk I; 838 Mk II & III; 2 Estate), New Zealand
303, Australia* 30,
S-Africa* 10,
Canada* 5, USA* 5, Switzerland 9, Holland* 5, Portugal
1, Germany* 1
Singapore*
1
* estimated
(Thanks Edward
in Switzerland for supplying these figures)
