1962 Cooper Monaco

Following World War II, Charles Cooper and his son John began building racing cars in a small garage in Surbiton, Surrey, England, in 1946. By December of 1947, the Cooper Car Company had been formed and together with JOhn's boyhood friend, Eric Brandon, the team was soon racing at the pinnacle of motorsport, with their rear-engined, single-seaters racing in both Formula One and the Indianapolis 500, and their Mini Cooper in rally competition.

Cooper gained a competitive edge by moving the engine from the front and placing it in the rear, proving its potential when Jack Brabham placed sixth at the 1957 Monaco Grand Prix in a rear-engined Formula 1 Cooper. The following year, Stirling Moss won the Argentine Grand Prix in Rob Walker's privately entered Cooper, earning credence for the engine configuration. When Maurice Trintignant won the next race at Monaco, the racing world took notice and the rear-engine revolution began in earnest. Brabham and the Cooper Works team won the 1959 Formula One World Championship, the first to claim the title in a rear-engined car, and repeated this feat in 1960.

Having raced, and beaten, the best that Europe had to offer, Cooper turned its attention across the Atlantic, setting its sights on the Indianapolis 500. In 1960, Brabham took one of the championship-winning Cooper T53 'Lowlines' to Indy for test runs, then entered the Type T54 in the 500-mile race. The T54 was a unique vehicle based on the 1960 F1 design and compared to many other vehicles at the race, was severely underpowered with its 2.7-liter Coventry Climax engine dwarfed by the 4.4-liter Offy engines. Cooper's advantage, however, was its small size, lightweight construction, and superior fuel economy. Brabham qualified the car in 13th position within the 33-car field and ran as high as third place during the race, finishing in ninth overall (still on the lead lap). It would take four more years before front-engined Indy roadsters became obsolete, with the unique rear-engined (mid-engine) T53 being the instigator of this revolution.

The Cooper Monaco
After winning the Formula Two Manufacturer's World Championship in 1959, John and Charles Cooper returned to sports car construction, bestowing the name 'Monaco' in honor of Maurice Trignitant's victory for Cooper there. It was given the gearbox and suspension of the 1958 Grand Prix cars, clothed in sleek bodywork, and typically powered by 1.5-liter or 2.0-liter Coventry Climax SOHC aluminum engines. Driven by many of the top drivers of the era, including Roy Salvadori, Jim Russell, Jack Brabham and Stirling Moss, the Cooper Monaco quickly chalked up an enviable victory tally.

With the mid-engine layout, the Monaco did not have a central transmission tunnel, helping to reduce weight even further and maximizing power sent to the rear wheels. The engines were installed at an 18-degree angle and attached via four points on rubber bushings. On the left side of the chassis rails, the twelve-gallon aluminum fuel tank was mounted outboard, while the driver and outboard battery were located on the right-hand side, distributing the weight evenly. The rack-and-pinion steering was centrally located, and 10.25-inch Girling disc brakes provided the stopping power. 44 percent of the weight was in the front with the remaining 56 percent in the rear.

The body designs were produced in-house by chief designer Owen 'The Beard' Maddock and built there by the father and son team of Fred and Pete Bedding.

The Cooper Monaco Type 57 MKI had a wheelbase of 91 inches and a length of 141 inches. The first eight examples that were registered in 1959 sold as tax-free kit cars, with varying specifications as they were built for various racing purposes. Half of these went to the United States.

The MKII followed in 1960 and only two examples were built. They were very similar to the MKI but with a longer nose. The MKIII followed in 1961, with modifications that included straight frame tubes, updates to the suspension system with coil springs and wishbones at the rear, and a wide radiator intake. The body became more streamlined and gained tail fins. One example went to British privateer Peter Berry, another to Roger Penske, and the third and final example to Texan Hap Sharp (later of Chaparral fame), who had also received an MKI.

For the 1961 season, FIA regulations shifted focus to GT cars, so Cooper sent its Monaco to the United States to compete in the forerunner of FIA Group 7 Can-Am racing. Working directly with Carroll Shelby, the Type 61 chassis were modified in England and received its 289 cubic-inch Ford V8 paired with either a Huffaker or Colotti 4-speed transaxle state-side. Shelby received four of these 'King Cobras', and W. Mitchell and Jack Ensley each received a copy. The King Cobra was 8.5-inches wider, two inches lower, and four inches longer than the standard Type 61 Monaco chassis. Its space frame design used 1.5-inch tubing and its suspension was similar to the setup used for Cooper's Formula One program with the fronts incorporating Triumph uprights.

The success of the King Cobras was often limited due to reliability issues. Among the list of top drivers who piloted the King Cobras include Bob Holbert, Ronnie Bucknum, Bob Bondurant, Ed Leslie, Dave McDonald, Parnelli Jones, and Ritchie Ginther.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2022