barrett's #109 - Solved - Cooper-Bristol Mk1 sports-racer

barrett · January 13, 2011, 06:58:25 AM

Who knows this car? I need to know what car it is based on, when it was built and by whom (or at least, for whom). A complex history this one, so a fully detailed answer is, as usual, very welcome.

barrett · January 19, 2011, 08:45:05 AM

An expert should know...

Carnut · January 27, 2011, 02:43:21 PM

Cooper-Maserati?

barrett · January 27, 2011, 04:13:57 PM

Cooper yes, Maserati no!

D-type · January 27, 2011, 05:31:08 PM

Thanks to Carnut I can now identify it in Cooper Cars which says .

This is the ex Mike Hawthorn driven, Bob Chase owned Cooper-Bristol Mk 1 which was converted into a sports car by Bernie Rodger and raced by Alan Brown. Registration number HPN 665. Later fitted with an Aston Martin engine and raced by Tony Everard.

barrett · January 27, 2011, 07:55:25 PM

Excellent answer, well done. A very pretty little car I think, I'l try and get a decent front-end shot up over the weekend

Bad luck carnut, you were halfway there!

Carnut · January 28, 2011, 04:57:13 AM

Quote from: barrett on January 27, 2011, 07:55:25 PM
Excellent answer, well done. A very pretty little car I think, I'l try and get a decent front-end shot up over the weekend

Bad luck carnut, you were halfway there!

I have a front-end shot if you can't find it; I actually meant to bring it with me today and scan it in.
It was on the previous page from the Cooper-Maserati picture and would have been my next guess. If I'd studied the pictures more carefully I would have seen the port-holes and rubbing strip but I just didn't have time (I had to go out for a pressing snooker match!) so plumped for the Maserati option..
I thought I'd be able to check again when I got back in as no-one had posted on this puzzle for over a week but by then the obviously correct answer had already been posted!

Quote from: barrett on January 27, 2011, 07:55:25 PM
Bad luck carnut, you were halfway there!

Perhaps almost worth a lock...

barrett · January 28, 2011, 09:17:57 AM

Sorry Carnut, usually I would lock if someone got half the make correct, but in previous experience of puzzles saying 'Cooper' usually precipitates a long-winded guessing game as to which car it actually is, the same goes for guessing if a car has a Bristol engine. The possibilities are too wide (unless you have that book, it seems). I hope you understand!

Carnut · January 28, 2011, 09:39:01 AM

Quote from: barrett on January 28, 2011, 09:17:57 AM
Sorry Carnut, usually I would lock if someone got half the make correct, but in previous experience of puzzles saying 'Cooper' usually precipitates a long-winded guessing game as to which car it actually is, the same goes for guessing if a car has a Bristol engine. The possibilities are too wide (unless you have that book, it seems). I hope you understand!

No problem!

D-type · January 28, 2011, 03:48:35 PM

In fairness I think the point rightfully belongs to Carnut. I didn't think it was a Cooper until he said so.

Carnut · January 31, 2011, 08:03:25 AM

And here are those contemporary shots of Alan Brown racing his HPN 665 as promised:

Carnut · March 14, 2011, 07:20:54 AM

HPN 665 is currently advertised For Sale in Classic & Sports Car magazine, for those with deep pockets...

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barrett's #109 - Solved - Cooper-Bristol Mk1 sports-racer