1960 Cooper T52 MKI FJ Monoposto Racer

Cooper had established a worldwide reputation in Formulas I, II, III, and Sports Cars, and entered the Formula Junior field with a car derived from past designs. The frame is built of four longitudinal tubes with hoops at the cowl and behind the driver. Unequal length A-arms support the car with coil springs in front and transverse leaf at the rear. The rear-mounted BMC engine drives through a four-speed constant-mesh, Cooper-built transmission encased in a Citroen housing. The ring and pinion gears are integral with this assembly and a set of drop gears is incorporated for quick change of overall ratio.

It was the Cooper T-52 in which John Surtees made his four-wheel debut at Goodwood in March 1960. He finished 2nd to Jimmy Clark and both went on to become future World Champions. Ken Tyrrell ran a team of Works assisted Cooper Formula Juniors throughout the 1960 season with John Surtees, Henry Taylor, Mike McKee, Keith Ballisat, John Love, Ian Roby, Jo Schlesser and Denny Hulme as his drivers.

Originally sold in the UK and not exported to the US until 1984, this car may very well have been one of the first FJ's campaigned by Tyrrell in 1960.