The Cooper 500, also referred to as the T2/T3 (Type 2/Type 3), was a prototype 500cc (predecessor to Formula 3) open-wheel racing car designed and built by the Cooper Car Company in Surbiton, Surrey, England, and was their first ever car. The first post-war prototypes were built in 1946, shortly after the end of the Second World War. Since materials were in short supply immediately after World War II, the prototypes were constructed using two Fiat Topolino independent front suspension assemblies, these having effectively a double wishbone arrangement, the upper "wishbone" in this case being a transverse leaf spring which provided the supension spring medium as well as locating the top part of the suspension upright/hub carrier. Fiat Topolinos were manufactured between 1936 and 1955. [1] It was powered by a 45 hp (34 kW)500 cc (31 cu in) JA Prestwich Industries (JAP) 4B Speedway single-cylinder motorcycle engine, which drives the rear wheels through a Triumph Speed Twin gearbox, via chain. It was succeeded by their first successful production car, the Mk.II, in 1948. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
The MacPherson strut is a type of automotive suspension system that uses the top of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot. It is widely used in the front suspension of modern vehicles. The name comes from American automotive engineer Earle S. MacPherson, who invented and developed the design.
The Fiat 500 is an economy / city car that was manufactured and marketed by Fiat Automobiles from 1957 until 1975. It was sold as a two-door semi-convertible or saloon car and as a three-door panel van or estate car.
The Cooper Car Company was a British car manufacturer founded in December 1947 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. Together with John's boyhood friend, Eric Brandon, they began by building racing cars in Charles's small garage in Surbiton, Surrey, England, in 1946. Through the 1950s and early 1960s they reached motor racing's highest levels as their mid-engined, single-seat cars competed in both Formula One and the Indianapolis 500, and their Mini Cooper dominated rally racing. The Cooper name lives on in the Cooper versions of the Mini production cars that are built in England, but is now owned and marketed by BMW.
The Volkswagen Transporter, initially the Type 2, is a range of light commercial vehicles, built both as vans, pickups, and cab and chassis variants, introduced in 1950 by the German automaker Volkswagen as their second mass production light motor vehicle series, and inspired by an idea and request from then Netherlands VW importer Ben Pon.
The Fiat 500, commonly known as "Topolino", is an Italian city car produced and manufactured by Fiat from 1936 to 1955.
The Fiat Dino was a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sports car produced by Fiat from 1966 to 1973. The Dino name refers to the Ferrari Dino V6 engine, produced by Fiat and installed in the cars to achieve the production numbers sufficient for Ferrari to homologate the engine for Formula 2 racing.
Independent suspension is any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically independently of the others. This is contrasted with a beam axle or deDion axle system in which the wheels are linked. "Independent" refers to the motion or path of movement of the wheels or suspension. It is common for the left and right sides of the suspension to be connected with anti-roll bars or other such mechanisms. The anti-roll bar ties the left and right suspension spring rates together but does not tie their motion together.
The Volkswagen Type 4 is a compact / midsize family car, manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen of Germany as a D‑segment car from 1968 to 1974 in two-door and four-door sedan as well as two-door station wagon body styles. The Type 4 evolved through two generations, the 411 (1968–1972) and 412 series (1972–1974).
Economy car is a term mostly used in the United States for cars designed for low-cost purchase and operation. Typical economy cars are small, lightweight, and inexpensive to both produce and purchase. Stringent design constraints generally force economy car manufacturers to be inventive. Many innovations in automobile design were originally developed for economy cars, such as the Ford Model T and the Austin Mini.
The Chapman strut is a design of independent rear suspension used for light cars, particularly sports and racing cars. It takes its name from, and is best known for its use by, Colin Chapman of Lotus.
The Fiat 600 is a small, rear-engined city car and economy family car made by Italian carmaker Fiat from 1955 to 1969 — offered in two-door fastback sedan and four-door Multipla mini MPV body styles. The 600 is considered a pop icon of the Italian economic miracle, and the three-row seating Multipla, though diminutive and odd-looking, is seen as one the first mass-produced minivans.
Dante Giacosa was an Italian automobile designer and engineer responsible for a range of Italian automobile designs — and for refining the front-wheel drive layout to an industry-standard configuration. He has been called the deus ex machina of Fiat.
PZInż 403 Lux-Sport was a car designed by the Państwowe Zakłady Inżynieryjne (PZInż).
The T3 tanker, or T3, are a class of seaworthy large tanker ships produced in the United States and used to transport fuel oil, gasoline or diesel before and during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The T3 tanker classification is still used today. The T3 tanker has a full load displacement of about 24,830 tons.
The Cooper Mark IV was a Formula Three, Formula Two and Formula One racing car designed and built by the Cooper Car Company at Surbiton, Surrey, England, in 1950.
The Fiat 1100 is a small family car produced from 1937 to 1953 by the Italian car manufacturer Fiat. It was introduced in 1937 as Fiat 508 C or Balilla 1100, as a replacement for the Fiat 508 Balilla. Under the new body the 508 C had more modern and refined mechanicals compared to the 508, including independent front suspension and an enlarged overhead valve engine. In 1939 it was updated and renamed simply Fiat 1100. The 1100 was produced in three consecutive series—1100, 1100 B and 1100 E—until 1953, when it was replaced by the all-new, unibody Fiat 1100/103.
In relation to motorsport, Group T1 is a set of technical specifications for prototype cross-country cars used in off-road Cross-Country Rallying. The group is governed by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and defined in appendix J, article 285 of its International Sporting Code. The cars are single unit builds and may be based on a spaceframe chassis unlike the strict series production bodyshell requirement in Group T2. However, the engine must come from, or be derived from a production car able to be homologated in Group A, Group GT or Group T2. The cars must be powered by one engine and without driving aids such as traction control or ABS.
The Cooper Mark II, also known as the T5 , was a 500cc open-wheel racing car designed and built by the Cooper Car Company at Surbiton, Surrey, England, in 1948, and was the first production car made by Cooper. It was a successor to 1946 Cooper 500, which was a prototype. 12 cars were built. It was powered by a 45 hp (34 kW) 500 cc (31 cu in) JA Prestwich Industries (JAP) 4B Speedway single-cylinder engine, but had the option of being converted to a lengthened wheelbase version, to be able to use a 70 hp (52 kW) 1,000 cc (61 cu in) JA Prestwich Industries (JAP) or Vincent-HRD V-twin. It also notably won the first ever Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1948, competing in the 500 cc class, being driven by Spike Rhiando.
The Cooper Mark III is a Formula Three open-wheel racing car designed and developed by the Cooper Car Company in Surbiton, Surrey, England, and built in 1949. It was the successor to the Mk.II, and was offered in two versions. The first option was the T7 ; which was powered by a powered by a 40 hp (30 kW) 500 cc (31 cu in) JA Prestwich Industries (JAP) 4B Speedway single-cylinder OHV motorcycle engine. The second option was the T9 ; which featured a longer chassis, with an elongated wheelbase, and used a larger and more powerful 70 hp (52 kW) 1,000 cc (61 cu in) JA Prestwich Industries (JAP) V-twin motorcycle engine. For the first time ever, a ZF limited slip differential was also offered as an optional extra for customers.
The Cooper Mark I, also known as the T4 , was a lightweight sports car, designed, developed, and built by British manufacturer Cooper in 1947. It was based on the chassis of the open-wheel Cooper 500, but with enclosed bodywork. It was powered by a Triumph Twin engine, making about 27 hp (20 kW). It shared many Fiat parts and components, like its predecessor. An aluminum panel body covered the tubular space frame chassis. Only one car was ever built, which is still in existence.