1959 Cooper Climax T51

Loan Courtesy of Miles Collier Collections @ Revs Institute, Naples FL

• Cooper won the 1959 Formula 1 championship with Bruce McLaren in the team

• This car finished on podium at French Grand Prix

• Took 4th place at Monaco

In 1959 the Cooper Factory Team with drivers Jack Brabham, Bruce McLaren and Masten Gregory ,won the World Formula One Championship , including first place in the Monte Carlo Grand Prix. As a result, many were ordered and raced by private racing teams.

This car was one of three cars ordered by the Yeoman Credit Racing team run by Stirling Moss’ father Alfred Moss and Ken Gregory. It was distinguished by a finned tail and light green paint with a bright red flash on the nose and tail. Tony Brooks, Chris Bristow, Harry Schell, and Olivier Gendebien were in the driving seats. Brooks finished a fine fourth in Monaco and Gendebien finished on the podium later in the season at the French Grand Prix at Reims. Unfortunately, during the course of the season Harry Schell was killed at Silverstone and Chris Bristow crashed fatally at the superfast Belgian Grand Prix at Spa.

In 1988 this exciting Formula One Car was acquired by the Collier Collection at the Revs Institute in Naples, Florida, and restored to full World Championship fettle and appears occasionally at Historic Festivals.

Specifications:

Weight: 1,150 lbs

Engine:  2495 cc Coventry Climax 4-cylinder, Twin Overhead Cam

Power:  239 bhp

Brakes: Girling hydraulic discs on 4 wheels