Description
This lot will be auctioned via Iconic Auctioneers, The Iconic Sale at the BRDC Classic 2026 - Competition Cars on Friday the 24th of July, The Wing, Silverstone Circuit, NN12 8TN. Powered mainly by JAP and Manx Norton motorcycle engines, the Cooper Car Company's innovative rear-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. While production of the 500cc racers was getting under way, company founder Charles Cooper's son John decided to build a sports car for road use. Following an abortive attempt using a Triumph twin-cylinder motorcycle engine, a prototype was assembled during the winter of 1948/ 49 to accommodate a four-cylinder Vauxhall Ten power unit. Despite the Coopers' tuning efforts, the Vauxhall engine was deemed insufficiently powerful and so a deal was concluded with MG for the supply of 1250cc XPAG engines as found in the TC-type Midget. Production of the Cooper-MG – designated ‘Type T14’ – got under way in 1950, though most customers purchased their cars in kit form for home assembly, thereby saving on purchase tax. Although intended for road use, the Cooper-MG was raced extensively by enthusiastic owners and also by the Works, the car's first win coming at Goodwood in the final Members' Meeting of the 1950 season, fittingly with John Cooper himself at the wheel. Production of the MG-engined Cooper sports car, latterly in Type T21 form, ended by 1953. In his typically excellent history of the marque, 'Cooper Cars', Doug Nye states that 'Proper records of how many of these cars were produced have not survived, but several were completed with alternative engines...' Some authorities estimate that between 17 and 24 were completed. The Cooper T14 and T21 actively competed in motor racing between 1950 and 1961; in that period, the MG-powered Coopers scored a total of 23 wins, and 82 podium finishes between the two cars, and two pole positions. The car presented here is a 1951 Cooper-MG T14 – ‘DEY 100’ (VIN# CB1 – Campbell-Blair). ‘DEY 100’ is a two-seater Cooper-MG T14 ‘production sports’ from 1951 and was originally purchased by Denys Wolstenholme and built for the then well-known Campbell-Blair brothers who raced it’ (Ref. Cooper Cars by Doug Nye – page 95) According to information supplied by previous owners, this example was supplied new as a kit before being clothed with a fibreglass Rochdale F-Type body by first owners Niall and Ian Campbell-Blair. Interestingly, the brothers were also running the similarly attired 'Bristol-Barb' (registration number 'LBU 349') at around the same time. Despite being road-registered as the ‘Blair Special’ in 1956 (under the registration number 'DEY 100'), the Cooper-MG was apparently still being raced by Clive Doyle at the end of that decade (Ref. copy of letter and photographs from Clive Doyle to then-owner John Pescett in August 2010). ‘DEY 100’ was laid-up following a period of road car usage, the story of its re-discovery appearing in Michael Ware's 'Lost & Found' column (Classic & Sportscar magazine, October 1991). Treated to an extensive restoration during which the decision was taken to fabricate and fit a copy of the factory aluminium body which George Cooper's Cooper-MG had originally worn, 'DEY 100' has since been used for racing and hill-climbs. Now in superb condition throughout with a 1500cc MG XPAG engine by Edney, a Laystall Lucas aluminium cylinder head, a MG TC gearbox, and correct ENV differential. All chassis/ suspension components are correct and to original specification, with an adjustable Trident pedal assembly, SPAX adjustable shock absorbers and a foam filled fuel tank. In 2011, the car was issued with a 10-year MSA/ FIA HTP (Period: E – 1947 to 1960, FIA Class: TSRC3) which has now lapsed but should be straightforward to renew. The current owner commissioned and fitted a stainless-steel exhaust including new inlet and exhaust manifolds. A bottom-end engine refresh was carried out in 2019 with new pistons, bearings and seals fitted and, at the same time, the SU carburettors were completely overhauled as was the dynamo and voltage regulator by Classic Dynamo in 2024. The car is shod with Avon 155R15 A29 CR6ZZ Tyres, with less than 200 miles on them. Two large history files come with the car detailing its history, development, correspondence with previous owners, references to races and many publications featuring ‘DEY 100’ specifically, plus other Cooper-MG examples. Similar T14 examples, notably, ‘NTO 650’, was offered for sale by US dealer Orrie Simco in 2020, with an asking price of $126, 500, whilst another example ‘KOY 500’ was for sale stating it’s eligible at Goodwood and placed 6th in Group C at the 2008 Monaco Historic Grand Prix. This is an...
