1960 Mk1, T52
Original Specification.
Wheelbase   7’ 2”
Track            3’10” front, 3’9” rear
Engine          BMC-XSP,  64.4mm bore x 76.2mm stroke, capacity 994cc.
                      Wet sump.  Twin SU carburettors.
Gearbox       Citroen-ERSA 4 speed, with 3 pairs of quick-change
                      alternative ratio final drive drop gears.
                      Sliding spline drive shafts.                
Wheels         15” cast magnesium.
Brakes          8” drums integral with wheels, hydraulic twin leading shoe.              

This first Cooper Formula Junior design drew heavily on parts from other models ~~ the 15” wheels came from the F3-500 cars whilst the gearbox, transverse rear leaf spring and cast magnesium uprights all came from F2.
The chassis was a Cooper trademark all curved tube spaceframe and the aluminium body, typically simple to remove, was a nicely proportioned whale back style. Front suspension was by double wishbones with coil springs and hydraulic telescopic dampers were fitted all round.
BMC engines were the factory standard but other makes such as FIAT, Lancia & DKW were fitted and a few cars had the newly developed Ford engine, including one which was raced by Jonathan Seiff of the Marks & Spencer family. He was to become MD of the Chipstead Group when they bought out the Cooper firm some years later.
First race victory fell to the BMC engined car of Jack Dalton at Stockton, California and Kurt Ahrens’ FIAT powered example won at Trier in Germany just a few weeks later and he took 3 more victories including one at Dresden. 
Henry Taylor won the prestigious Monaco Junior GP race and won again at Albi and then at Silverstone.
Notably John Surtees made his single seater debut in this model, finishing 2nd to Jim Clark at Goodwood and he went on to fame & fortune as the only man, so far, to be a World Champion racing cars and motorcycles.
Rising star Mike Spence won two races in England and Walt Hansgen a similar number in USA, driving Briggs Cunningham’s car.
The Lancia engined car is one of the 15 cars known today.

1960 Cooper FJ Mk1 T52 Mike Spence, Cooper Mk1 Formula Junior T52, Goodwood Mar'60

Courtesy of the Cooper Car Club Archive