1961 Cooper T61 Monaco Mk.III

History

This is the ex-Alan Connell 1961 Cooper T61 Monaco, chassis number CM-3-62. Connell, a friend of fellow Texan Hap Sharp, raced Coopers, Ferraris, Maseratis, and more in the late 1950’s and early sixties. He even raced in the 1962 Mexican Grand Prix in a Cooper T53 Formula One car that he purchased from Sharp.

For an overview of the history of this well-known Cooper Monaco, chassis CM-3-62, including period and recent photos, please see Daniel Vaughn’s summary article at ConceptCarz, as well as the Bonhams description of the car when it was sold in 2007. The car remains in the same condition as seen in the Bonhams listing. 

Since its most recent purchase the Monaco has also won first place in the Historic Race Car category at the 17th annual Radnor Hunt Concours d’ Elegance.

For a current T61 Monaco comparison, another T61, the ex-Briggs Cunningham car, is on the market for $489,500.

Research by the Cooper Car Club (“CCC”) shows that Connell raced this Monaco at Riverside, Laguna Seca, Road America, Bridgehampton, and more with good results. In 1963, Connell sold the Cooper to Louisianan, Harry Washburn. At Sebring the FPF engine expired. It was then that Washburn had his mechanic, Adrian Flores, install a small block Chevy V8 into the car, mating it with a four speed Hewland gearbox. The opening at the front was widened for better cooling, and the rear fender wings were flared to accommodate the new larger tires. Washburn did many races with the Cooper in this configuration through 1965. 

The Monaco’s complete ownership history thereafter, including the additional racing history mentioned in the above-mentioned articles, was summarized by CCC president Richard Neale in February 4, 2004. The CCC summary will accompany the car.

The Monaco will come with additional extensive documentation. This includes the original May 25, 1962 Invoice to Alan Connell for CM-3-62, ,and the May 30, 1962, Cooper Car Company Ltd. letter that accompanied the invoice. Period racing photos, articles, race results, and more are also included. Further, the Monaco comes with HTP papers issued in 2006, by the Royal Automobile Club Motor Sports Association.

Description

The Cooper is powered by a 2.5 liter Coventry Climax engine on 58 Webers. The engine, built by KTR Motorsports, has approximately 4.5 hours on it.

The engine’s power is currently driven through an all new Taylor Race Engineering  Hewland FT 200, 5 speed, gearbox. Like the engine, the Hewland now has 4.5 hours on it. This gearbox was installed for strength and reliability. New gearbox mounts were made to install the Hewland, and no changes were made to the actual Monaco frame. The car’s original spec Cooper C5S gearbox, with a new ring & pinion, comes with the car, and can be bolted back in its original position.

The entire suspension system of the car has been gone through, including crack testing, new bearings, re-chromating, plating and polishing, etc.

The Monaco’s entire braking system has also been gone through including new master cylinders, new lines, rebuilding of the calipers, new pads, etc.

The Monaco is also equipped with a full AIM data system.

The Monaco is beautifully presented, and has the patina of having been on the track, not in a museum. It is a thrill to drive, with amazing power and excellent low-end torque for getting out of corners.

These Monacos were driven by some of the greats, including such names as Bruce McLaren for the works Cooper team, Roger Penske, Jackie Stewart, and more. They raced at the famous races; the Targa Florio, the Sebring 12 Hour, the Lavant Cup at Goodwood, and the Silverstone International. They also raced at the Nassau Bahamas Speed Weeks, the Guards Trophy at Brands Hatch, the American Road Race of Champions at Daytona, the United State Road Racing Championship series, and more.

The Monacos were right in the thick of the early to mid-1960’s sports car racing scene, and they were winning. These cars are the paradigm-changing mid-engine sports racers that ushered in a whole new era of high performance world class sports car racing that we see today.

If you enjoy driving cars that are well balanced with power, handling, and braking, and enjoy comfortably drifting cars through corners and hammering down the straights, this authentic Cooper Monaco is a great choice.

All vehicle descriptions are accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing. Corrections, and supplemental information, are always welcome. Buyers are responsible for confirming vehicle histories, condition, and authenticity to their own satisfaction prior to purchase. Motorsports Market is not the owner of the vehicle and assumes no liability for errors and omissions.

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