Cooper Car Company Car '67

[Jack of all trades]

'

Does anybody know what the reg. no. was for this car in '67, supposed to be an ex-Rhodes car in that season.

It's in the hands of a new owner on the pic that's why there's a Duckhams Q on the end of the stripe, he was an importer.

[COOPERCO]

There were very few CCC cars road registered. 188 XPG, GPH1 to 3C. There's something wrong witht the way this car looks! The side stripes did not go on the cars until '68 & did not meet at the headlight.

[Jack of all trades]

As he bought the car early '68 from CCC there could always be some difference in striping. The Duckhams and the Q were his own addition maybe he changed the stripes aswell. I don't think the spring on the bonnet is cooper aswell. The story tell that he could buy the car (he was befriended with Bruce McLaren who introduced him to John Cooper) but not the fuel injected engine as this was not availeble to the "public".
But back to the question then, did Rhodes drive a non licenced car for season '67?

[Pluto]

yes!

[Jack of all trades]

any pic's of those?

[Pete]

There's something wrong with the way this car looks!

I agree the side stripes are home made and the bonnet stripes are missing but I doubt Coopers would have let that car go with it's bonnet stripes on. There's a few details on that car that tell me it most likely was an ex CCC car including the grille, the odd bonnet strap, the original paint on the underside and the arches are spot on. However I don't recall seeing Rhodes in an Austin in 1967 but I have got a photo of Handley in a car with identical details to that one. I've also got a pic of it with a number plate on which I've sent you Jack. The story certainly does sound credible.

[Pete]

Look at the the lower right bent grille slat and the bonnet strap on this car of Handley's, identical to the one above.

[ivor badger]

Look at the the lower right bent grille slat and the bonnet strap on this car of Handley's, identical to the one above.

Look at the lack of bonnet stripes, a Cooper car company thing. The lack of over riders and what appears to be a different fuel filler cap. Plus the different coloured wheels.

[Pete]

Look at the lack of bonnet stripes, a Cooper car company thing. The lack of over riders and what appears to be a different fuel filler cap. Plus the different coloured wheels.

Thanks for the info on the bonnet stripes but as I've already said they wouldn't have sold it on with the bonnet stripes on, they didn't run with a bumper in '67 hence the lack of over riders on (!?) I can barely see the filler cap on Jack's photo and yes it's not the exact same set of wheels as the Oulton Park shot. Wheels tended to be changed quite alot on race cars.

I'm off for a lie down.

[BroadspeedGT]

Look at the the lower right bent grille slat and the bonnet strap on this car of Handley's, identical to the one above.

The grille is the same on the other side as well- looks like some quick release fittings.

Both cars have a Trico anti lift wiper blade - both cars have only one,on the drivers side.

Chris

[Pete]

Well spotted on the Trico blade Chris, it's definately THE same grille and very unusual bonnet strap which I've not seen on any other CCC car.

[ivor badger]

Look at the lack of bonnet stripes, a Cooper car company thing. The lack of over riders and what appears to be a different fuel filler cap. Plus the different coloured wheels.

Thanks for the info on the bonnet stripes but as I've already said they wouldn't have sold it on with the bonnet stripes on, they didn't run with a bumper in '67 hence the lack of over riders on (!?) I can barely see the filler cap on Jack's photo and yes it's not the exact same set of wheels as the Oulton Park shot. Wheels tended to be changed quite alot on race cars.

I'm off for a lie down.

Go look at a Cooper racing car. They all run 2 white stripes, never got sponsorship. Black mag wheels, except after they went to the wide turned silver ones in for f1 67. why would they run different bumper and paint jobs on the same team cars.

Just remember that the tennis player said "you cannot be serious" as he was right about the line call and the umpire was wrong. As for looking at John Rhodes car, we used to spend more time looking at his girlfriend, much more attractive.

[Pete]

why would they run different bumper and paint jobs on the same team cars.

The bumper would have been put on after the team sold it, the colour shot is of the car after Coopers sold it on if you read the thread. Regs abroad were different than ours so it would have been rerquired. It would make perfect sense that the bonnet stripes were gone cos Coopers wouldn't want privateers racing round in ex team cars with their bonnet stripes looking like official team cars.
Hope this makes sense.

[Ant Hines]

Another indicator that it's the same car is the spacing of the black tape on the headlights - particularly a comparison of the LH one in both photos

[Jack of all trades]

An other thing the car lacked was an engine when he bought it, but you're all wrong on the striping and the wheels that's all CCC, but everyone's a critic and most of us(me included) weren't even around when it all happened.

[Pete]

Mike does have a point about the side stripes, they didn't arrive til '68 which means for those stripes to be original this car would have had to have been a T car for '68, which would also explain the wheel colour but like Mike I've never seen the stripes meet at the headlamp rim before.
Due to the lack of jack brackets and bonnet grips maybe this was sold off pre (68) season.They did have a couple of Mk1 T cars during '68 but I thought they were both Morris (?)
You just never know with these cars, nothing's set in stone but there's certainly evidence there to link it with the CCC racer pictured at Oulton. I have a photo of GPH 2C during testing in early 1967 (also an Austin) with that same wonky grille.

[COOPERCO]

Pete's pic' does look pretty good! Could be that this is a picture taken during '68 with the side stripes in 'homage' to the current team cars. The bonnet stripes would probably have been regarded as 'taking the piss'. As for the wheels, black centers are from the 'chromate' protection often (but not always) applied to magnesium to provide a protective barrier. If the wheels were also '68 production fitted to an earlier car this is the look you'd get! As Pete points out all these things are interchangable. As for the reg' I think probably a non-registered car.

Mike.

[RS6]

You just never know with these cars, nothing's set in stone...

As with Mike Nesmith's car in this month's MCR mag...featured in Pete's (excellent) article...with its Downton engine complete with alloy rocker cover.

[Simon776]

Looking at the interior mirror stem I would say it's a pre April 1966 built car.

[Jack of all trades]

The car appeared first in a race on the 12th of April 1968 on Zandvoort in the hands of the new owner, so defenately not a T car for the CCC team in '68.
The bumpers where regulated overhere for '68 so he would probably fitted them, a reg no would be required otherways he'll have to pay the taxman. As the sidestripes only appeared for the '68 season, maybe the expirimented to get the looks they wanted on a car the where to sell off anyway.

Jack