Tag Archives: CAPA

Impecunious Royal Winner – Iota P1.01

Last Saturday I mentioned that Dick Caeser of the informal group CAPA and later Bristol Aeroplane Co Motor Club is credited with the idea for using 500 cc / 41.5 cui motor cycle engines for a new open wheel formula, which became known as Formula Three for the “impecunious enthusiast.”.

Iota P1.01, Stuart Barnes, 5th Tony Marsh Memorial Weekend, Gurston Down

To help get the new 500 Formula off the ground Dick designed a kit that comprised a chassis frame and suspension, but neither motor nor body work that could be built up by an enthusiast into a complete racing car known as an Iota.

Iota P1.01, Stuart Barnes, 5th Tony Marsh Memorial Weekend, Gurston Down

12 of these kits were distributed by Iota Racing Cars of Alma Vale, Clifton, Bristol and most raced with little success until they were developed into specials racing under a variety of names chosen by their owners.

Iota P1.01, Stuart Barnes, 5th Tony Marsh Memorial Weekend, Gurston Down

In 1949 Dick improved the Iota design which became known as the Iota P1 of which six are believed to have been built along with a couple of spares.

Iota P1.01, Stuart Barnes, 5th Tony Marsh Memorial Weekend, Gurston Down

The #138 seen here, chassis #P1.01, driven by Stuart Barnes at Gurston Down last year was the first production P1 built after the prototype and was originally built up by Wing Commander Frank Aiken.

Iota P1.01, Stuart Barnes, 5th Tony Marsh Memorial Weekend, Gurston Down

Costing £390 less motor Frank drove the car, powered by a non standard Triumph motor driving through a Burnham gearbox, to record Iota’s biggest circuit triumph on the 13th of May 1950 when he drove #P1.01 to victory over Stirling Moss driving a Cooper in the “Royal” meeting run at Silverstone.

Iota P1.01, 5th Tony Marsh Memorial Weekend, Gurston Down

Clive Lones bought the prototype P1 and developed it into the Tiger Kitten II with which he broke the class record at Prescott Hillclimb in 1951.

Thanks for joining me on this “Impecunious Royal Winner” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow for a look at another concept car. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Can You Help Us Dad ? – Cooper 500 Prototype

In 1932 John Newton Cooper probably became the luckiest 9 year old in Surbiton when his Dad, Cooper Garage proprietor Charles Cooper, built him a car with a motor cycle engine and gearbox in the front and a chain drive to the rear axle.

Cooper 500 Prototype, Peter Harvey, Cholmondeley Pageant of Power

By the time John turned 14 in 1936 his dad had built him another car using Austin Seven components which many years later would be retrospectively given the name T1.

Cooper 500 Prototype, Peter Harvey, Cholmondeley Pageant of Power

At the same time as Charles was building cars for his son an informal group of motoring enthusiasts known as CAPA were formulating idea’s for an affordable motor sport category and Dick Caesar, the C in CAPA is credited with the idea of using 500 cc motorcycle engines to power specials that could be devised for the category.

Cooper 500 Prototype, Peter Harvey, Cholmondeley Pageant of Power

A second group of enthusiasts competing at Shelsley Walsh were also turning to using motor cycle engines for their specials which included David Fry who built a vehicle known as the Freikaiserwagen.

Cooper 500 Prototype, Cholmondeley Pageant of Power

During the ’39 – ’45 war some members of CAPA and others found themselves working at the Bristol Aircraft Company where they formed a motor sports club to further think through their ideas, in 1946 this club was wound up in favour of a non works ‘500 Club’ aimed at organising events for their “500 Formula” which eventually became an internationally recognised category known as Formula 3.

Cooper 500 Prototype, Cholmondeley Pageant of Power

When 23 year old John Cooper and his friend Eric Brandon were looking for a way into motor sport they decided that the new 500 Formula was the way to go and turned to John’s Dad Charles for help.

Cooper 500 Prototype, Cholmondeley Pageant of Power

Charles helped John and Eric build two Cooper 500’s which featured FIAT Topolino 500 suspension front and rear connected by a simple frame and a JAP motor, prepared for speedway competition, behind the driver with a gearbox and chain drive to the rear wheels.

These two cars became the first two of an eventual 320 Formula 500 vehicles Cooper Cars are thought to have built between 1946 and 1959, by which time Jack Brabham was on his way to the first of two consecutive world championships driving Coopers latest mid engined Formula One cars.

Peter Harvey is seen at last years Cholmondeley Pageant of Power driving the second Cooper 500 Prototype built for Eric Brandon which was retrospectively given the T3 tag.

Thanks for joining me on this “Can You Help Us Dad ?” edition of ‘Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I be starting a short series of blogs on concept cars. Don’t forget to come back now !

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