Footnotes

• Powered by Manx Norton (and occasionally JAP) motorcycle engines, Cooper's innovative mid-engined racing cars dominated the 500cc Formula 3 scene in the 1950s, providing many future stars with their first taste of motor racing. Those with a yen to enter bigger-capacity classes often opted to fit the compact and powerful 998cc Vincent v-twin engine. The result was a vehicle endowed with an outstanding power-to-weight ratio for its day and one that would prove ideally suited to hill climbs. This Cooper-Vincent is constructed around a MkVI chassis and a Series B Rapide twin-cylinder engine dating from circa 1947. The car was purchased from Brian Classic in November 1973 by Richard (Dick) Hambly, having previously belonged (it is believed) to Peter Goode. Dick competed in a few West Country hill climbs and the car was then laid up following the purchase of a 1958 Cooper-Climax 1½-litre. Kept in dry storage, unused, for over 30 years, the Cooper-Vincent was inherited in 2007 by Dick Hambly's stepson. In 2010 Tony Smith carried out various works on the car including modifying the brakes to accept the current master cylinder and hoses, and re-jetting the carburettors to run on petrol rather than methanol. The Cooper fired up for the first time in many years on 1st January 2011 and is now running well. Assorted paperwork and a box of spares (including exhausts) comes with the car.

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Category: Motoring / Motor Cars

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