14th Mar, 2009 15:10
Stoneleigh Park
1953 Cooper MG Sports
Estimated at £30,000 - £34,000
Lot details
Registration No: DEY 100
Chassis No: 1CB
Mot Expiry: March 2010
Not content with dominating Formula 3 - its rear-engined 500cc screamers won sixty-four out of seventy-eight major races between 1951 and 1954 - the Cooper Car Company set its sights on Formula 2. Introduced in 1952, the resultant front-engined Cooper Bristol lacked the power of Italian rivals but won considerable praise for its poise and chuckability. The Surbiton-based concern was quick to apply lessons learnt from its Formula 2 forays to sports-car design. Among the more tuneable powerplants available in post-WW2 Britain, the MG XPAG (1250cc) / XPEG (1466cc) pairing was favoured by small volume manufacturers and special builders alike. When either four-cylinder OHV unit was allied to a Cooper sportscar chassis featuring all-round independent transverse-leaf suspension, rack-and-pinion steering and four-wheel drum brakes, the result was typically a sharp handling and deceptively fast machine.
According to information supplied by the vendor, this particular example was supplied new as a kit (like almost all its siblings) before being clothed with a fibreglass Rochdale F-type body by first owners Niall and Ian Campbell-Blair. Interestingly, the two were also running the similarly attired 'Bristol-Barb' (registration number 'LBU 349') at around the same time. Despite being road registered as the Blair Special in 1956 (under the registration number 'DEY 100'), the Cooper-MG was apparently still being raced by Clive Doyle at the end of that decade. Laid-up following a period of road car usage, the story of its rediscovery appeared in Michael Ware's 'Lost and Found' column (Classic & Sportscar magazine, October 1991). Treated to an extensive restoration during which the decision was taken to fabricate and fit a copy of the factory aluminium body which George Cooper's Cooper-MG had originally worn, 'DEY 100' is since said to have been "used for racing and hillclimbs". Built-up by Edney, its 1500cc engine boasts a Laystall aluminium cylinder head, new competition distributor, Flamethrower coil, full-flow exhaust and twin 1.75-inch SU carburettors. While, other 'goodies' include a foam-filled fuel tank, Trident adjustable pedal assembly, flexible steel brake lines and Spax adjustable shock absorbers. Finished in blue with black upholstery, the two-seater is variously described by the vendor as being in "good" (bodywork, electrical equipment, four-speed manual gearbox), "tidy" (paintwork, interior trim) or "excellent" (engine) condition.
Registration No: DEY 100
Chassis No: 1CB
Mot Expiry: March 2010
Not content with dominating Formula 3 - its rear-engined 500cc screamers won sixty-four out of seventy-eight major races between 1951 and 1954 - the Cooper Car Company set its sights on Formula 2. Introduced in 1952, the resultant front-engined Cooper Bristol lacked the power of Italian rivals but won considerable praise for its poise and chuckability. The Surbiton-based concern was quick to apply lessons learnt from its Formula 2 forays to sports-car design. Among the more tuneable powerplants available in post-WW2 Britain, the MG XPAG (1250cc) / XPEG (1466cc) pairing was favoured by small volume manufacturers and special builders alike. When either four-cylinder OHV unit was allied to a Cooper sportscar chassis featuring all-round independent transverse-leaf suspension, rack-and-pinion steering and four-wheel drum brakes, the result was typically a sharp handling and deceptively fast machine.
According to information supplied by the vendor, this particular example was supplied new as a kit (like almost all its siblings) before being clothed with a fibreglass Rochdale F-type body by first owners Niall and Ian Campbell-Blair. Interestingly, the two were also running the similarly attired 'Bristol-Barb' (registration number 'LBU 349') at around the same time. Despite being road registered as the Blair Special in 1956 (under the registration number 'DEY 100'), the Cooper-MG was apparently still being raced by Clive Doyle at the end of that decade. Laid-up following a period of road car usage, the story of its rediscovery appeared in Michael Ware's 'Lost and Found' column (Classic & Sportscar magazine, October 1991). Treated to an extensive restoration during which the decision was taken to fabricate and fit a copy of the factory aluminium body which George Cooper's Cooper-MG had originally worn, 'DEY 100' is since said to have been "used for racing and hillclimbs". Built-up by Edney, its 1500cc engine boasts a Laystall aluminium cylinder head, new competition distributor, Flamethrower coil, full-flow exhaust and twin 1.75-inch SU carburettors. While, other 'goodies' include a foam-filled fuel tank, Trident adjustable pedal assembly, flexible steel brake lines and Spax adjustable shock absorbers. Finished in blue with black upholstery, the two-seater is variously described by the vendor as being in "good" (bodywork, electrical equipment, four-speed manual gearbox), "tidy" (paintwork, interior trim) or "excellent" (engine) condition.
Auction: Stoneleigh Park, 14th Mar, 2009
All successful bids must be paid in full by midday the day after the auction at the latest.
You can collect your new pride and joy from our venue until 1pm the day following the sale or our partners are on hand to help arrange safe transportation:
Do you have an item to sell?
If so, contact one of our friendly specialists for your free valuation by completing the form below and someone will get back to you as quickly as possible.
If you prefer to speak to humans, don't hesitate to call our office on +44 (0)1925 210035
Other lots in this sale
