9 5 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁car ▁deb uted ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁London ▁Motor ▁Car ▁Show , ▁Ear ls ▁Court ▁as ▁ch ass is ▁# 1 0 0 8 . ▁The ▁El ite ▁had ▁spent ▁a ▁year ▁in ▁development , ▁a ided ▁by ▁" care fully ▁selected ▁racing ▁customers " ▁before ▁going ▁on ▁sale . ▁ ▁The ▁El ite ' s ▁most ▁distinct ive ▁feature ▁was ▁its ▁highly ▁innov ative ▁fib reg lass ▁mon oco que ▁construction , ▁in ▁which ▁a ▁str essed - sk in ▁GR P ▁un ib ody ▁replaced ▁the ▁previously ▁separate ▁ch ass is ▁and ▁body ▁components . ▁Un like ▁the ▁contemporary ▁Che v ro let ▁Cor v ette , ▁which ▁used ▁fib reg lass ▁for ▁only ▁exterior ▁body work , ▁the ▁El ite ▁used ▁glass - re in for ced ▁pl astic ▁for ▁the ▁entire ▁load - b ear ing ▁structure ▁of ▁the ▁car , ▁although ▁a ▁steel ▁sub frame ▁for ▁supporting ▁the ▁engine ▁and ▁front ▁susp ension ▁was ▁bond ed ▁into ▁the ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁mon oco que , ▁as ▁was ▁a ▁square - section ▁wind screen - ho op ▁that ▁provided ▁mount ing ▁points ▁for ▁door ▁h ing es , ▁jack ing ▁point ▁for ▁lif ting ▁the ▁car ▁and ▁roll - over ▁protection . ▁The ▁first ▁ 2 5 0 ▁body ▁units ▁were ▁made ▁by ▁Max imar ▁M ould ings ▁at ▁Pul borough , ▁Sus sex . ▁The ▁body ▁construction ▁caused ▁numerous ▁early ▁problems , ▁until