The Bob Wenz Cooper 500

CAR: 1956 Cooper Mk X Serial Number 8
Motor: Francis Beart 500cc Norton Manx
FUEL: Alcohol
Transmission: AJS 7r racing transmission

Mystery years 1956-1958

We are currently investigating the cars history for this time frame and attempting to reconnect with Jack Newton's family. The car has many unique features. The car had a works long stroke bottom end short stroke top end Francis Beart built motor. The cars seat is very low and light weight. the tank was lowered and the front has more caster that standard. Prior owners could have been Ivor Bueb, John Brown, or Dick Hett.

The Jack(AJC)Newton period 1958-1961

Jack (AJC) Newton was the second owner of serial number 8. Here is Jack (AJC) Newton at Brands Hatch. Jack was sixth in the point British Racing & Sports Car Club Championship in 1959 but was well known for running number 21 in the BRSCC. Jack was extremely tall for a Formula III driver 6'4" or so, so the seat was lowered in the car. Jack raced mainly at Brands Hatch. Below is a list of races we have documented that he raced MKX 8 56 at:

1958

	Date	Track	Event	Car	Entrant	Results
	August 4th	Brands Hatch	World Sports Trophy Click Here >>	# 21 Cooper Mk X (green)	AJC Newton	Heat 9th
	August 9th	Silverstone	BARC Commander Yorke Trophy	# 21 Cooper Mk X (green)	AJC Newton	Failed to qualify in heats
	August 30th	Brands Hatch	Lewis Evans Trophy	# 21 Cooper Mk X (green)	AJC Newton	Heat 9th Final Grid 9th
	September 27th	Goodwood	BARC	# 23 Cooper Mk X (green)	AJC Newton	Race 5th
	October 5th	Brands Hatch	World Sports Trophy Click Here >>	# 21 Cooper Mk X (green)	AJC Newton	Race 5th
	December 26th	Brands Hatch	Francis Beart Trophy	# 7 Cooper Mk X (green)	AJC Newton	Race 2nd

1959

Jack at Oulton Park 1959

	Date	Track	Event	Car	Entrant	Results
	April 11th	Oulton Park	Empire Trophy	#15 Cooper Mk X (green)	AJC Newton	Race 6th
April 19th	Snetterton	BARC	#? Cooper Mk X (green)	AJC Newton	Race 4th
May 10th	Brands Hatch	BRSCC Meet	# 7 Cooper Mk X (green)	AJC Newton
May 18th	Crystal Palace	Redex Trophy	# 78 Cooper Mk X (green)	AJC Newton	Grid 17th, Race 4th
June 20th	Aintree	BARC	# 7 Cooper Mk X (green)	AJC Newton	Race 2nd
July 12th	Brands Hatch	BRSCC	# 7 Cooper Mk X (green)	AJC Newton	Heat 2nd, Race 2nd
August 8th	Silverstone	Commander Yorke Trophy	# 7 Cooper Mk X (green)	AJC Newton	Race 4th

Image of Jack at Brands Hatch 1959

	Date	Track	Event	Car	Entrant	Results
August 3rd	Brands Hatch	Bank Holiday Meet Lewis-Evans Trophy Click Here >>	# 7 Cooper Mk X (green)	AJC Newton	Race 1 2nd, Race 2 3rd
September 19th	Mallory Park	BARC	# 7 Cooper Mk X (green)	AJC Newton	Race 2nd
	October 4th	Brands Hatch	BRSCC Meet Click Here >>	# 7 Cooper Mk X (green)	AJC Newton	Race 4th

1960

Images of the Car Prior to Shipping to the US

This images shows the race damaged nose from landing on the hedge at Brands Hatch. These are the images that Bob was sent when he was purchasing the car from Jack.

Bob got the car with a Francis Beart Motor, here are the Beart spec with Jack's notes:

Bob Wenz Cooper 500 1961-1986(?)

We are Fortunate to live close enough to Bob that he has been able to come by and confirm every detail of the car. He has confirmed that other than some touch up painting it is exactly as he drove the car. He even gave us some spares he still had for the car.
Bob was a very successful racer on the west coast. He is one of the original Low Flyers from Santa Monica. He was a pioneering hot rodder and dry lakes racer. While an amateur racer he raced cars for himself and other including Bunny Ribbs. Bob owned Cooper Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 3, and Formula Juniors. Bob owned Cooper mkV, Cooper- Special, two mkX (one he race other he sold), type 43,Type 56,type 76,etc..

Bob is a founding member of the Formula Racing Association which was started by Harry Morrow. He is member number seven. Bob decided to build his own formula III car after his friend Phil Hill came back from Europe and told Bob about the cars. His own 500cc Formula car the Wenz Ariel Special was based on Fiat Topolino components. It only had an 80" wheel base and a very impressive iron cylinder speedway based Ariel motor Bob says it was scary and eventually cut the car in half. This was the first 500 believed to have been built in the US and it was raced at Pebble Beach, Torrey Pines etc... Next Bob bought his first Cooper a mkV. He then purchased a (Cooper Copy) Special in the UK which he tested it at Brands Hatch before importing it to race. Bob imported quite a few FIII cars along the way.In 1960 Bob purchased this Cooper mk X.

Bob Wenz's Race Record (We are still trying to track more down)

1961

1962

1963

Stockton 1963

Bob chasing down those Formula Juniors and kicking their butts. Note the cone waded up under the right front suspension. Bob and Bob Korst used to consistently beat the bigger Formula Junior cars on race track like this. He raced all over the state, running against Corvette's, Formula Juniors,etc... He and Bob Korst at one event started at the back of a 30 car field racing, passed all the formula bigger formula car and sports racing cars. They were promptly protested by the Huffaker factory BMC race squad. Jack Flaherty thought the 500's were "dangerous".

Note the front suspension and Cone in this close up:

Santa Barbara 1963

"Those Guy's in Santa Barbara hated us. The Cooper was great down there."-Bob

Bob Wenz's Log

The Car at Harry Morrow's House in Burbank

The car on it's way to race in San Diego. This image ws taken in 1968 and show the car exactly as we got it In 1990 from Jim Wellington.

Frank Family 1990-current

Monterey Pre Historic 2006!

Monterey Historic 2006!

Hilsborough Concours 2007

Laguna Seca Raceway Invitational 2007

Harry Morrow Award 2008

Pixar Car Show 2008