|
Headmaster of the asylum
Posted 06 November 2013 - 12:48 PM
Here's an article at MotorsportRetro.com on Jack Brabham and the Cooper T54 at Indy in 1961, linking to a historical article that appeared in Sports Illustrated in 1961.
Brabham’s Cooper Climax shocks at Indy 500, 1961
The Sport Illustrated article from the SI Vault:
British Bullet At Indy
Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
Grand Champion Poster
Posted 06 November 2013 - 02:05 PM
Thanks for the links, Greg.
What wonderful reading. 
The Dokktor is IN
Posted 06 November 2013 - 02:36 PM
There were supposed to be two Cooper cars at Indy in 1961, the other to be driven by Bruce McLaren. It did not happen because Coventry-Climax told the Cooper folks that they could only build one special engine in time, that's how slow they were in the UK then, before numeric machinery...
They did come up with another engine in time for the race that was air-freighted in a BOAC jet, then from La Guardia airport in Jim Kimberly's private aircraft. That very engine was then transferred to the works Cooper Monaco sports racer and allowed Bruce to finish in second place at the Times Grand Prix at Riverside, then the richest sports car race on the planet. Bruce finished less than a few car lengths behind... Jack Brabham, himself in another Cooper Monaco that belonged to Hap Sharp, fitted for the occasion with... the practice Indy engine!
A week later at the Monterey Grand Prix, Roger Penske will purchase one of the two experimental engines and will stick it in a car that will make him famous and create the "unfair advantage" legend.
Philippe de Lespinay
Headmaster of the asylum
Posted 06 November 2013 - 02:39 PM
PdL,
Your "fountain of knowledge" never ceases to amaze me. You should write a book...
Gregory Wells
Never forget that first place goes to the racer with the MOST laps, not the racer with the FASTEST lap
Posting Leader
Posted 06 November 2013 - 09:43 PM
Love the Penske car story... the rules said it has to have a passengers seat, it does not say that anyone has to be able to SIT in the seat... with the bodywork on the chassis.
"TANSTAAFL" (There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.)
Robert Anson Heinlein
"Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word, equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude."
Alexis de Tocqueville
"In practice, socialism didn't work. But socialism could never have worked because it is based on false premises about human psychology and society, and gross ignorance of human economy."
David Horowitz
Mike Brannian
The Dokktor is IN
Posted 07 November 2013 - 08:37 AM
What do you mean, it WAS legal!
Philippe de Lespinay
Posting Leader
Posted 07 November 2013 - 09:20 AM
PdL,
Interesting stuff.
The Dokktor is IN
Posted 07 November 2013 - 10:17 AM
That engine went into four different cars, each very successful in its own right.
1) Indy, 1961:
2) Riverside & Monterey, 1961:
3) Zerex-Cooper (seen here widened and repainted in 1964):
4) Cooper-Climax (ex-Zerex, now owned and driven by Bruce McLaren):
And now, back in my shop for another rebuild...
This one is going to be costly. 
Philippe de Lespinay
Posting Leader
Posted 07 November 2013 - 10:19 AM
Was Roger Penske born to wealth or was he keen enough to arrange and finance his early efforts?
The Dokktor is IN
Posted 07 November 2013 - 01:23 PM
No, Roger was not wealthy, He earned every penny he had. But he was smart, really smart, and had an iron discipline. He was a truly great driver but retired very early. He was as fast as anyone except maybe Dan Gurney on a road course.
He was a salesman at Alcoa and talked them into sponsoring his race cars, first a Porsche RS61, then various others until he built the Zerex with Dupont money...
The Indy engine was blown off when I found it and another very famous Indy car builder, Quinn Epperly, repaired the block for me.
Now we have to put new liners and pistons as the 52 years old parts have begun to collapse.
We brought the car four weeks ago to California Speedway for all to enjoy its sight, and for kids to get a taste of being Jack Brabham:
I donated the car to a charitable foundation for disadvantaged children, so it is great for those kids to be able to sit and play in such a glorious old car.
Philippe de Lespinay
Posting Leader
Posted 07 November 2013 - 02:20 PM
The car looks really big in this picture or are you getting smaller?
Dennis David
The Dokktor is IN
Posted 07 November 2013 - 06:31 PM
I lost ten pounds. 
Philippe de Lespinay
DR Racing Products
Posted 07 November 2013 - 06:42 PM
Thank you for bringing back some fun memories and for filling in the items I didn't know.
John Andersen
John Andersen
DR Racing Products
Checkered Flag in Hand
Posted 07 November 2013 - 07:47 PM
Roy Gane on the creation of Roger Penske’s Zerex Telar Special, among other things (from Vintage Racecar Journal).
http://www.vintagera...d=70&magiid=270
Interesting.
Pete Varlan
60 years a slot racer
Posting Leader
Posted 07 November 2013 - 07:55 PM
Nice clean looking block Philippe 
Got much to do on the head?
The Dokktor is IN
Posted 08 November 2013 - 09:42 AM
Paul,
some machining as we are changing the combustion chamber sealing system that was always an issue on these engines. It now uses a fiber gasket for water and oil, and gas-filled rings for the cylinders. Staking is always an issue and water leaks in the cylinders during engine cooling. This is prewar technology and we are changing it to a modern setup. Lotsawork because we are dealing with old British sand castings, and the alloy used is not the greatest on the planet! But it MUST be done right, it is too important of a car to just abandon it as a static display only.
Philippe de Lespinay
