1952 Cooper MK 6 Single Seater

Lot details
Registration No: N/A
Chassis No: MK6/1/52
Mot Expiry: N/A

The chassis number 6/1/52 indicates that this Cooper-JAP was the first Mk6 to have been built by the race car constructor team of Charles and John Cooper at their Surrey workshops. The vendor believes that the F3 single seater is the first Cooper to be made with a tubular chassis and also an actual works car raced by Eric Brandon, one of the two works test drivers.
He maintains that this car was raced in period and, from 1978, took part in races organised by the 500cc Owners Association at Oulton Park, Donington and Silverstone by the then owner P A Holdsworth. A bill of sale confirms Holdsworth purchased the Mk6 10 April 1978 from Le Mans winner and dealer Duncan Hamilton, who, in turn, would appear to have acquired it from David Wickens of British Car Auctions who bought it in a Christie's auction in 1977, there being a copy of the Christie's catalogue description in the history file.
Restorer Charlie Smith completed a comprehensive rebuild to FIA event standards in 1985, whilst another bill of sale copy confirms that the present owner bought the car directly from Holdsworth 30 June 1995, since when it has not been raced at all, though stored carefully.
Listed on page 57 of Doug Nye's `Cooper Cars' book, this historic F3 has an FIA Historic Identity Form issued 9 September 1991. Chassis, bodywork in aluminium and green, methanol-fuelled 498cc single-cylinder motor and Norton kidney four-speed manual box condition are rated by the vendor as A1.