1961 Cooper T-56 FJ Monoposto

This Cooper T-56 Formula Junior race car is powered by a 1098cc overhead valve four-cylinder engine with twin SU carburetors and offers 105 horsepower. There is a five-speed Citroen-ERSA transaxle and four-wheel hydraulic drums. The suspension is comprised of an independent setup in the front with wishbones and coil springs along with a transverse leaf springs and wishbone setup in the rear. The wheelbase measures a short 89-inches.

This example is one of two Works cars campaigned by Team Tyrell for Cooper during the 1961 season. It won the European Formula Junior Championship while being piloted by South African Tony Maggs. Maggs won eight races including Goodwood, Magny-Cours, Monza, Kalskoga, Rouen, Zandvoort, Oulton Park, and Montlhery. He finished on the podium on several other occasions throughout the season. Maggs tied for the championship with Jo Siffert, the individual who would later enjoy a very successful career in Formula 1 and endurance racing.

At the close of the 1961 season, Tyrell gave the car back to Cooper, who sold it to actor Steve McQueen. McQueen also purchased a Mini-Cooper and attended Cooper's race school. Both cars were taken back to California with McQueen and he began racing FJ-2-62 in California, scoring a number of victories, including the Santa Barbara street races.

McQueen's Hollywood bosses became concerned with his racing outings and gave him an ultimatum: racing or movies. McQueen reluctantly complied. His mechanic, Stanley Peterson, sold the Cooper to Al 'Buster' Brizzard. Brizzard was competitive in SCCA competition, using the car in 1963 with a BMC engine. The following year, a Cosworth powerplant was used, an finally an Alfa Romeo 1600cc engine in 1965, winning the Pacific Coast Championship and becoming one of six National Formula B Champions that year.

In 1966, Bizzard sold the Cooper to Robert Badila but reportedly re-purchased the car again in 1977, still racing, but now with wings and wide tires. Skip McLaughlin, McQueen's original mechanic, was rebuilding the car, perhaps to its original configuration, when a house fire put an end to the project.

Donald Sandy is recorded as owner in 2000, and the current owner acquired the car in October of 2003. A profound restoration soon followed, returning FJ-2-62 to its 1961 configuration of dark green with white roundels and stripes. It was restored from the ground up to race-ready condition. An original and correct five-speed ERSA gearbox was found, and the car is fitted with the appropriate 1098 cc BMC engine.

In 2012, the car was offered for sale at RM Auction's Monterey, California sale. It was estimated to sell for $150,000 - $200,000 and offered without reserve. As bidding came to a close, the car was sold for the sum of $198,000, inclusive of buyer's premium.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2012