In 1959, the Cooper-Borgward was all conquering in F-2. My understanding is that the Borgward Company entered into an agreement with Rob Walker and Stirling Moss to run the Borgward engine in their cars.
If the Borgward engine was so good, why did it essentially disappear from use in 1960 and why didn't anyone try in 1961 ? For 1960 F-2, Walker/Moss reverted to the Climax engine as used by everyone else.
1960 F-2 and 1961 F-1 saw such abominations as a Cooper- Maserati (150s engine) and a Cooper Alfa (slightly reduced 1.6L 4cyl).
Thanks !!
Ross
Cooper- Borgward
Started by
rl1856
, Nov 29 2003 05:00
6 replies to this topic
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#2
Bladrian
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Posted 29 November 2003 - 05:53
Round here we used to call it the Cooper Bokfart. ('Bok' is a goat in Afrikaans.) 
#3
Roger Clark
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Posted 29 November 2003 - 08:23
The Borgward engines were also used in formula 2 by BRP. They were works developed engines and when Borgward withdrew from racing in 1960 the engines were no longer available. The company went bankrupt in 1961.
#4
ry6
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Posted 29 November 2003 - 11:43
The Borgward seemed to have the edge in power in F2 at the time but I understand that it was very difficult to tune, more so in the hands of the privateers who may have acquired the odd scarce engine as did Helmut Menzler in South Africa.
The Cooper-Alfa was hardly an abomination. For a racetuned version of a basic production car engine it gave a good account of itself at a fraction of the cost of a Climax and was very reliable.
The Cooper-Alfa was hardly an abomination. For a racetuned version of a basic production car engine it gave a good account of itself at a fraction of the cost of a Climax and was very reliable.
#5
GIGLEUX
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Posted 29 November 2003 - 13:12
The Alfa engine was not a "slightly reduced 1.6" but a rised up 1.3 L. The Giulia ( 1600 cc) appeared in 1962.
#6
Allen Brown
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Posted 29 November 2003 - 19:06
Was this the 1500cc engine that appeared in all those South African F1 cars during the 1500cc era?Originally posted by GIGLEUX
The Alfa engine was not a "slightly reduced 1.6" but a rised up 1.3 L. The Giulia ( 1600 cc) appeared in 1962.
Allen
#7
ry6
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Posted 30 November 2003 - 11:25
The "South African" Alfa engines were usually bored out 1290 Guiletta engines.
The drivers/constructors usually acquired them from scrapyards. (breakers yards.)
Going back to the Borgward - I don't think the factory made very many F2 engines. Somewhere I heard about only 8 were made.
However, Borgward sport racing cars were pretty competitive I gather in the late 50's and maybe this engine was a derivative. The designers name was Karl Brandt.
A friend of mine had one of these rare engines - ex Helmut Menzler, which he inserted in a Lotus 18 copy. It was very difficult to tune and had fuel injection in the time when that was a bit of a mystery. It also had a twin ignition I think. It was also very susceptible to exhaust modifications.
I remember the Walker-Moss Cooper-Borgward having a distinct megaphone back in 1960.
As an aside my mate took out the Borgward and put in an Alfa because a) the Borgward was too tricky to tune, very peaky for the hillclimbing he did b) he was worried he might ruin a rare engine.
He then left the Borgward engine under an oily sack in his unlocked garage. Many years later he found out how valuable the thing was an cleaned it up and kept it inside the house! (I am sure his wife, "the one who must be obeyed", agreed with keeping it inside the house!)
The drivers/constructors usually acquired them from scrapyards. (breakers yards.)
Going back to the Borgward - I don't think the factory made very many F2 engines. Somewhere I heard about only 8 were made.
However, Borgward sport racing cars were pretty competitive I gather in the late 50's and maybe this engine was a derivative. The designers name was Karl Brandt.
A friend of mine had one of these rare engines - ex Helmut Menzler, which he inserted in a Lotus 18 copy. It was very difficult to tune and had fuel injection in the time when that was a bit of a mystery. It also had a twin ignition I think. It was also very susceptible to exhaust modifications.
I remember the Walker-Moss Cooper-Borgward having a distinct megaphone back in 1960.
As an aside my mate took out the Borgward and put in an Alfa because a) the Borgward was too tricky to tune, very peaky for the hillclimbing he did b) he was worried he might ruin a rare engine.
He then left the Borgward engine under an oily sack in his unlocked garage. Many years later he found out how valuable the thing was an cleaned it up and kept it inside the house! (I am sure his wife, "the one who must be obeyed", agreed with keeping it inside the house!)
