Stirling Moss Cooper T53

[Steve Holmes]

More great info! Thank you.

[khyndart in CA]

One can see how David and Nick are having an interesting time with this car's history.
This is a copy of the entrants for the 9th NZGP at Ardmore. Jan 6th 1962.
(Note Stirling is entered as driving the Cooper #7 but chose the Lotus 21 on the day.)

The Sergent.com.au site has this entry.
" For the fourth year in succession the New Zealand Grand Prix, run at Ardmore for the last time, was headed by the ‘eternal triangle' of Moss, Brabham and McLaren. All overseas entrants were now at the wheel of Inter-Continental Formula cars, machines with a maximum capacity of 3 litres, as compared with the current Formula I limit of 1.5 litres.

Moss had Rob Walker send both a Lotus and Cooper car. The Lotus was a new 21 having a 2500cc Climax motor. This car had not yet raced. The Cooper was the latest T55 with a 2750cc Climax motor. It had only raced once in the Aintree 200. Jack Brabham’s car was his own 2750cc Cooper T55, and McLaren was driving his specially modified 2750cc Cooper T53 car belonging to Tommy Atkins. The chassis itself was Brabham's 1960 works car. "

In another article in primotipo.com this was written;
" Whilst Stirling loved the speed of his Lotus’ he revelled in the forgiving ‘chuckability’ and robustness of Coopers. Robust is not an apt adjective to describe the Loti single-seaters of the period. So, hedging his bets for his 1962 Australasian Tour he had Rob Walker ship both ‘935’ as well as a Cooper T55 ‘F1-7-61’ on the long voyage south. Both cars were Coventry Climax FPF powered. Engines of both 2.5 and 2.7 litres capacity were used, our International Series then F Libre in its pre-Tasman formula days."

The same article has this wonderful photo taken by Stirling Moss's mechanic,Mal Simpson, which describes the cars correctly.
(Thanks also to Stephen. cooper997)

( WF 100 front row, 4 February 1962 ; Moss, Brabham, McLaren in Coopers T53, T55, T53 (Mal Simpson)


(Ken H)

[Cooper997]

Not NZ or Oz, but British soil. Links to a couple of great period Aintree photos of the RRC Walker Moss Cooper.
This Brian Tregilgas photo is a ripper paddock shot at the 1961 200 meeting with Alf Francis and Mal Simpson
https://www.flickr.com/photos/95855909@N02/12409279593/

John Williams was there too https://www.flickr.com/photos/125734368@N02/26125962986/in/album-72157648234068163/

Stephen

[khyndart in CA]

Stephen,
That is a great site for the Aintree photos from that era.
Thanks for sharing that.
Ken H

[Cooper997]

Ken,some great stuff hiding in those 2 groups of photos isn't there.Certainly worthy of more enthusiasts knowing about them. Glad you enjoyed them.

Stephen

[Kwaussie]

Last year someone was looking for colour photos of Jim Palmers Cooper - is this any help?

[Steve Holmes]

Well here she is folks, looking pretty as a picture. Following its rebuild, the Cooper was tested recently as Silverstone and ran well. The team were planning to run it at Shelsley Walsh hillclimb but ran a bit too late with testing and decided to pull out. But it'll be racing again soon.

[Paul B]

Wow, that's a beautiful restoration Steve. I see they have slightly increased the height & diameter of the roll hoop. (it was not offering much protection to Jim Palmer back then)
Its so great to these these old machines come back to their forma glory.