27 replies to this topic

[GMACKIE]

My car was built up from a Lukey-built copy of a Cooper chassis, circa 1959. Known as the 'Cooper Porsche, it was fitted with a 4-cam Porsche engine, and Porsche drum brakes, and driven by Laurie Whitehead. It is most likely a 'sister' car to the Faux Pas. A Peugeot engine was fitted later, and was campaigned by various owners as the 'Cooper Peugeot'.

As the cost of a 4-cam Porsche engine was prohibitive, I have fitted a 1957 356 'push-rod' engine. At least it is now closer to original. Having driven the car [now with the Porsche engine] at the last 2 'GEAR' days, I am looking forward more fun down the track - pun intended.

Does anyone have any details of the car's early history? I would appreciate any help in finding photos etc. of the Laurie Whitehead days, in particular.

Cheers,

Greg

[David Birchall]

Interesting! There is an almost identical car in the Vancouver area. It was the Cooper Streamliner as developed by Arthur Owen before coming to Canada and being fitted with a --- 4cam Porsche engine-actually a series of them. When the Porsche engines ran out it was fitted with a Climax FWA and was raced by TNFer Mike Gee in the sixties. It disappeared and only reappeared quite recently in derelict condition but unfortunately in ownership other than mine despite my spending a lot of time searching for it--as had Mike Gee.

[cooper997]

Greg,

Was this car simply known as the 'Whitehead Special'? If so, then it's entered with #2 in the December 13th 1959 Phillip Island meeting. Event 3, Racing & Sports Car Scratch Race - 4 laps, then the Event 9, Gold Star race - 15 laps. Finally the Event 12, Division 1 & 2 Racing & Sports Car Handicap. The Faus Pas ran too.

Stephen

[cooper997]

I think I've just answered my own question, upon dragging out the March 13th & 14th, 1960 Phillip Island Trophy Meeting programme (Labour Day long weekend) - the one run with new World Champion, Jack Brabham as special feature. Laurie's again entered, this time carrying #3 and it's listed as the 'Cooper Porsche' rather than 'Whitehead Special'.

Listed in Sunday's Event 2, "B" Grade Racing & Sports Car Scratch Race - 4 laps, Event 6 "Moomba Park Trophy" - 8 laps & Event 9 "The VSCC Trophy" handicap of 60 seconds - 4 laps.

Followed by Monday's Event 14, Racing Car Invitation Scratch Race - 6 laps, then finally Event 16 "The Repco Trophy" - 16 laps.

Stephen

[GMACKIE]

Hi Stephen,

Maybe it was to avoid confusion with Whitehead's earlier supercharged VW engined special, that it was called 'Cooper Porsche'?

At Hume Weir [27th March, 1960], in AMS, April, 1960, it was called 'Cooper Porsche'.

[cooper997]

Greg,

That just confuses things, well for me anyway. Especially when both are listed with the same capacity of 1496cc.

Given you now have a couple of meeting dates and car numbers, it would be worth sending the nomadic, David Blanch an email through his www.autopics.com.au website and see what he can dig out of his Peter D'Abbs photos for you. Peter's photos were used in the March 1960 AMS report for the March 1960 PI meeting.

Stephen

[john medley]

My understanding was that there were perhaps 3 "Lukey" chassis similar to a T43 Cooper-- Phillip Island's own John French with Faux Pas to replace his motorcycle-engined Cooper(s), the Laurie Whitehead VW or Porsche, and one other. I thought the Whitehead VW or Porsche was the car with central seat streamlined body crashed at ? Phillip Island to be replaced( body only?) by a car that looked like the early Faux Pas , and the same car that TNFer Brian Lear hillclimbed all those years ago,as the Cooper Peugeot. I followed the car when that person from Deniliquin ( whose name escapes me)had it, and Terry Harris too, not least when I tried to buy the Faux Pas after Bernie Ferri had gone to Europe to work for March etc

I cant for the life of me think of who had/ what was the 3rd "T43"

[GMACKIE]

The list of owners that I have - although I cannot vouch for it's accuracy - is as follows:-

Laurie Whitehead
Warren Grace
Brian Lear
Trevor Harris
Greg Snape
Terry Harris
Ross Alexander
Greg Mackie

Paul Moxham has the 3rd chassis, I think.

David Reid [Faux Pas] 'talked me into' buying the car.

[Dick Willis]

Didn't Paul Moxham use one of these chassis when he "recreated' the Cooper Maserati.

[tlc356]

You are most likely aware of the 356 Registry. I would suggest that, if you have not yet done so, you post your question on the "Talk" forum. You may post as a guest (I believe).

http://porsche356reg.../356talk/1.html

Good luck, Tom

[Brian Lear]

Greg

When I sold the car in about 1982/3 to Trevor Harris from Deniliquin most of my files
were passed on to him.

Your record of ownership as listed in your above post is correct.

The car - less engine - was purchased by Novocastrian Warren Grace in 1960 who fitted
a Peugeot engine. Grace raced and hillclimbed it until the mid 60's and in 1969 "traded it"
with a used car dealer from East Maitland. I found it a few months later in the dealers
yard at the back of his showroom and promptly purchased it.

I used it in hillclimbs and club lap dash events until around 1982 when I sold it to raise the
funds to purchase the Elfin-Peugeot.

From the brief remains of my files its competition history included the following events
27th July 1959 - Rob Roy hillclimb
22nd November 1959 - Phillip Island races
13th December 1959 - Phillip Island races
1st February 1960 - Phillip Island races
27th March 1960 - Hume Weir races
unknown date - Phillip Island races (reported in Sports Car World May 1960) Most likely
the meeting of March 13/14 as mentioned in Stephens post
A photo of the car at Phillip Island appeared in Australian Motor Sports February 1960

Regards

Brian Lear
Newcastle

[GMACKIE]

Thanks Brian.

It looks as though I have most of the info. from the 'Cooper Peugeot' period. Hopefully some more on the earlier [Laurie Whitehead] days will turn up some day.

Cheers, Greg

[cooper997]

With Brian's mention of Rob Roy Hillclimb, I have just had a quick look at a programme for Rob Roy #56 Hillclimb held April 10th, 1960. Laurie's #3 Cooper Porsche is listed in event 19 for 'Racing Cars - 1101-1500cc'. Might have been a tough ask, as he's in the class with Bruce Walton.

Then in the Easter Saturday, April 16th, 1960 Phillip Island meeting he's again carrying #3 in event 4 - 'The Reg Hunt Trophy' - 4 laps. Looks like he came 6th (and last) going by comments written in the programme. Ahead of him were, 1st - Stillwell; 2nd - Miller; 3rd - Roxburgh; 4th - Marston; 5th - S.Jones. This race had 10 listed entries, 7 starters and 6 finishers. The French Faux Pas has "CONKED" written next to it.

Event 7 'The Lukey Mufflers Trophy Race' - 10 laps, has 12 entries, 6 starters and 6 finishers. Again going by what is written into the programme Laurie was 4th. With Stillwell, Patterson & Miller ahead, and Jones & Roxburgh behind.

For the final, event 12 of the day, 'The Esquire Motors Trophy' - 4 lap handicap. Laurie had a 30sec handicap from the 16 listed entries (and one thrown in on the day, by the looks), 11 starters and at least 8 finishers (given that is as high a result written in). With results listed as Jones, Ray Gibbs, 'Stumpy' Russell, Laurie, Marston, Jacques Sapir, Allan Staton and Reg Smith.

Stephen

[GMACKIE]

That's the sort of stuff that I'm after, Stephen - many thanks.

As it turns out, the Faux Pas lives just a couple of streets from me, so I should get these two 'old sisters' to pose for some photos together!

Better still, have Paul Moxham's car join in, if that's possible. The 'Three Sisters' - Len Lukeys creations.

Cheers, Greg

[Dick Willis]

Greg, the Moxham car "went away" some time ago.

[cooper997]

That's the sort of stuff that I'm after, Stephen - many thanks.

As it turns out, the Faux Pas lives just a couple of streets from me, so I should get these two 'old sisters' to pose for some photos together!

Better still, have Paul Moxham's car join in, if that's possible. The 'Three Sisters' - Len Lukeys creations.

Cheers, Greg

Greg,

There's a write up and photos on the Moxham recreation of the Mildren Cooper-Maserati in the AGP book - beginning page 262. It mentions the Lukey-built chassis.

Sounds like a good thing to get some photos of the Faux Pas and the Cooper-Porsche together.

Going by the July 27th, 1959 Rob Roy date, that Brian provided, it would appear your car began competing first. From what I've found thus far, Jack French debut of Faux Pas was at Fishermen's Bend 'Victorian Road Racing Championship' meeting, over the weekend of October 10th - 11th, 1959. Winning a handicap event.

Stephen

[275 GTB-4]

The fabulous 1961 Elfin Peugeot at Eastern Creek on Sunday...it's a credit to you Brian
 

Edited by 275 GTB-4, 08 December 2013 - 22:19.

[GMACKIE]

Not confirmed as yet, however the Cooper Porsche and the Faux Pas could well be 'playing' together at the AGP at Albert Park next year.

[austmcreg]

Good to see this thread bumped. I wondered if the Cooper Peugeot mentioned is the same one that featured recently in the Australian photos thread re its Hume Weir accident? There are similarities to a previous ownership mentioned here  (Deniliquin owner), but the ownership chain given by Brian Lear does not fit, so likely a different car

 

I think there was at least one more Lukey-built replica Cooper frame made, to add to those already nominated on this thread.  Austin Miller's T51 Cooper was badly damaged in an accident at Phillip Island (1960 without looking it up), after which the original Cooper chassis was replaced by a Lukey replica. That car was subsequently restored in 1980s and has I think been overseas for many years.

 

Rob Saward

Edited by austmcreg, 09 December 2013 - 11:53.

[Rudernst]

Cooper-Porsche

 

were they not sometimes called "Pooper" ?

 

R.

[GMACKIE]

I think a 'Bob-tail' in the USA has this unfortunate nick-name.

[David Birchall]

There were several "Poopers" in the US.  Ken Miles built one on a "Bob Tail",  Peter Lovely built one using a former streamliner,  another former streamliner was converted in Vancouver and went through three four cam engines in succession! plus there were others I have heard of.  I think "Pooper" is a better choice than "Coorsche". 

[Catalina Park]

At a historic bike meeting I was looking at a Triton and I was thinking that Norumph was a much better name.

[Lee Nicolle]

The fabulous 1961 Elfin Peugeot at Eastern Creek on Sunday...it's a credit to you Brian
 

That is a pretty little car. looks like it would be a lot of fun to drive too.

[DanTra2858]

The Ken Miles Popper Special

[GMACKIE]

Giving the 'Cooper' Porsche some exercise at Wakefield Park [GEAR Club day].

 

Edited by GMACKIE, 28 August 2014 - 22:09.

[cooper997]

Given John Medley's post during the week about the recent Ken Meadows Lukey-chassis reappearance in the Oz photos 2 threadI http://forums.autosp...art-two/page-13

I thought it worth linking that (post 626 - and comments afterwards) to this, Greg's sister chassis thread.

 

I've also dug out this advert from the 1960 CAMS Manual, that might be of interest to those concerned.

 

Stephen

[GMACKIE]

Nice work, Stephen. Thank you for taking the trouble to 'dig out' this information.