Thurston reports
Paul asks the questions you want answered
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Thurston reportsPaul asks the questions you want answered |
A few (many ;o) weeks ago I collected questions to ask John Cooper regarding GP racing in the 60's. Today (Friday 2/9/99) I put those questions to him.
When reading these, please bear in mind that my heroes are nearly all engineers and JC is near the top of that list. Consequently it was a great thrill for me to talk to him and brain wise I may not have been on top form ;o).
I did however get answers to the majority of the questions. The answers are _not_ verbatim (I don't do shorthand and couldn't record the conversation). I also combined questions where I thought it was appropriate and expanded on a few others. I only spoke to him for 25 minutes so I tried to get as much information as I possibly could. I apologise if I missed some people's questions out.
I explained what GPL was and what information we were trying to get. He commented that Cooper weren't included in the game.
I said that they were but not under the name Cooper and asked why that was. He answered that he had been contacted a while ago and asked if his name could be used. He said fine, no problem. Later though a letter came which seemed to be asking him to sign over the Cooper name to (he couldn't remember the name of the company but it wasn't Papyrus or Sierra - maybe there's a holding company). He obviously wasn't willing to do that so he said no and heard no more about it. It sounds like Beaurocracy meant the Cooper name isn't in GPL. What a pity. I commented that people had amended the game to include Cooper and he seemed pleased. Anyway, to the main questions.
When arriving at a Grand Prix, how would you go about setting up the cars? For example could you take us through the way you would set up the car for a particular track, say Monza or Silverstone?
They would turn up at the circuit and start with the settings from last year's race if possible. The drivers would then go out and the mechanics would adjust the setup to their liking.
Basically, the driver's opinion was the most important thing when setting up the car. It was definitely not a case of dropping the driver into the car and telling them to get on with it. The team apparently only took FOUR mechanics to the races. That was for both cars.
What static ride heights did you use? How were they determined?
Initially he said 2-3 inches, but on a moments reflection he changed his mind to 3-4. I think the new minimum of 2.5" is probably a realistic minimum.
Were changes (springs, roll bars, dampers) made on race weekends, or was the car driven "as delivered" to the track?
The team would adjust anything the driver wanted. He mentioned Springs, Dampers, Roll Bars, Ride Height and several other things I didn't have time to write down.
How much did you test compared with today?
Not as much. They would test a bit at Goodwood and Silverstone but not often.
Did the set-ups differ between the drivers?
Yes.
Who in your opinion was the most interesting driver to drive a Cooper in 1967; RINDT, RODRIGUEZ, ICKX, SIFFERT, BONNIER, LIGIER?
Mr Cooper immediately said Jochen Rindt. He compared him to Schumacher, describing him as a charger. He said that Brabham and Mclaren (who drove for him in 59/60 when they won the championship twice) drove with their heads. Rindt would just go for it.
Did the drivers brake with the right foot (presumably), sometimes the left or even with both?
Right. He doesn't believe left foot braking really came in until the rally minis of the sixties. In fact, on most of the Coopers it would be impossible as the steering shaft was in the way.
Did the drivers usually/seldom/always use the clutch when changing gear?
The drivers would usually use the clutch, but not always.
Did the drivers talk/complain much about safety?
Short answer - no. He remembered that at Spa in '59 (or Reims, he couldn't quite recall) - three drivers were killed.
What is the true colour of the works Coopers, "Blue/Black or Green/Black"? What was the colour of the Cooper in the F2 1967 European entry.
Dark British Racing Green. They used the white stripes to differentiate the Coopers from all the other green cars on the grid. They have always used exactly the same colour scheme for all the works cars, even the minis (not the rally cars which were run by BMC, not Cooper and were red).
How much was the Cooper down on power in 1967 compared to the others? Was it's weakness not handling, but power?
Basically, yes. He recalled the Maserati engine produced around 350HP which was around 70HP less than the front of the grid. He commented that when the Ford engine became available they would have used it, but for the fact that Cooper were heavily involved with BMC at the time who didn't want a Cooper/Ford on the grid.
How long did the tyres last? 1 race? 3 races? 1 session?
One race. They always used new tyres, but they lasted the whole race.
Are any drawings of the cars available anywhere?
Not any more, no.
Were the pedals bottom or top hinged?
They were always bottom hinged.
How far did the steering wheel turn each way? 1 full turn, 1.5, etc.
Two turns lock to lock.
Was much attention paid to pedal position for heel & toeing, etc?
Yes, the pedals were adjustable.
How far did the wheels turn each way in degrees...or (another way)...How tight COULD they turn in the pits, etc.?
He said the steering had "good lock". He couldn't remember precisely.
How long was the throttle pedal travel, etc.?
"Shortish". I suggested 1-2 inches and he said that 2" was about the maximum.
Was a hand clutch ever used or tried, or would it have been a needless complication?
No, never.
What diameter steering wheel was used? What was it's rake angle? Was it adjustable at all?
The cars used 15" wheels (Similar to the Minilites). The steering wheel varied between 13 and 15 inches, but mainly 15".
How was your team financed without ads on the cars?
They built cars to sell (hence the plethora of Coopers in all the classes). At the end of the season Mclaren would take a couple of cars to Australia, race them there then sell them at the end. Cooper's total budget for a season back then was around 50,000 pounds - including everything.
Was the 3-litre format a difficult adjustment for teams/drivers?
The switch to the 1.5 litre formula was worse. Cooper were much happier with the previous 2 litre formula when the Coventry Climax engines were so competitive.
Do you think aerodynamic grip as opposed to mechanical grip has spoilt F1 racing?
Yes. He remembered seeing Fangio at Spa drifting the car around a corner smiling. He described the difference between the cars then and now as the difference between "a tiger moth and Concorde".
Do you feel that the 67 season was the last of the "pure" seasons before corporate sponsorship became so pervasive?
Yes. In those days, the only advertising allowed was that connected with the car, Castrol, Shell etc. He mentioned that they did have a contract with Ribena. There's a story about that but it's dealt with elsewhere better than I could.
Were you aware of, or familiar with, GPL? If so, what were your thoughts/impressions of it?
He hasn't seen it and asked if I would send him a copy to look at. I said it was the least I could do for the time he had given me.
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