Update by Tim Suddard to the
Elva Mk VI project car
Dec 26, 2024
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Elva,
Restoration,
Vintage Race Car,
Elva Mk VI
Photography by Tim Suddard
Back in the day, race cars didn’t have kill switches that would instantly disable a car’s electrical system. Today, though, virtually every sanctioning body mandates these switches.
While at the Beaulieu Autojumble, we found a new, vintage-looking master cut-off kill switch. It looked well-made and, for about $10, seemed worth picking up.
So, where to mount it on our Elva Mk VI sports racer? The rules–and common sense–dictate that a kill switch be mounted where both the driver and corner workers can reach it.
In an open car like ours, anywhere in the cockpit would be accessible. As our car is right-hand drive and several of the controls are on the right side of the car, we decided to put this switch down there–far enough back so we wouldn’t bump it with an elbow, of course. To properly support the switch, we fabricated a mounting panel onto the frame rail.
Depending on the rules, mounting by the roll bar main hoop works well as the corner crew will look there and some rules mandate that location. That's where I mounted my switch.
BTW, if the switch you got was a Lucas one I'd toss it and buy a good Cole Hersee - they have been dead reliable and have never shorted out like the Lucas cheap version which have cost more than one driver the race.
Yes, the old LUCAS switch looks vintage nice, but go with a new high quality version. Sitting in my VOLVO 142 vintage racer for a first run, all strapped in, ignition on, and realized the kill switch was off. Problem was the switch being out of reack on the fender! SO, ... make sure you can easily reach it from the river's seat. Maybe have a second one mounted outside.
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