Powered by JAP and Manx Norton motorcycle engines, Cooper's innovative mid-engined racing cars dominated the 500cc Formula 3 scene in the 1950s, providing many future stars, most notably Stirling Moss, with their first taste of 'real' motor racing.

What had been a strictly pragmatic solution to the problem of accommodating the motorcycle transmission's chain final drive resulted in a superbly well balanced car, and this demonstrably superior arrangement was continued on the next generation of Coopers built for the nascent Formula Junior.

The first of these was the T52, one of which was driven by future F1 World Champion John Surtees on his four-wheel debut.

The T52 followed Cooper's established layout, being built around a tubular steel spaceframe with independent suspension at both ends: by double wishbones and coil-spring dampers at the front, with a single lower wishbone and transverse leaf spring at the rear.

BMC's A-Series engine was the standard fitment, driving via a Jack Kn...