There is a nice tale by Doug Nye in his Goodwood blog about noted designer Gordon Murray’s recent purchase of the ex Ian Garmey one-time pulse-jet-engined Mk5 Cooper car. It has been for sale in the UK for some time and was on display at the Cooper birthday at Prescott (below) where it looked splendid in fine condition with what looked like period leather trim.

Doug’s blog, with some fine photos of the car when it was driven on display at Goodwood in June 1957 can be read at http://www.goodwood.com/grrc/columnists/doug-nye/2017/1/doug-nye-jet-engined-1951-cooperthe-jet-age-racing-car/. Doug has kindly allowed Loose Fillings the use of one of GP Library’s pics of Gordon at home with the Cooper (below).

Wikipedia tells us that  Gordon moved from South Africa to England in 1969, and was offered a job at Brabham after meeting  Ron Tauranac. When Bernie Ecclestone took over the Brabham team, he appointed Murray Chief Designer. There Murray designed many Grand Prix cars, some of which were World Championship Grand Prix winners. These designs include the extraordinary BT46B, also known as “the Brabham fan car”, as well as the World Championship winning BT49 and BT52. Murray developed a reputation for an innovative approach to design, applied not only to car concepts and details but also to race strategy.

Between 1973 and 1985 Murray’s Brabhams scored 22 Grand Prix wins, finished 2nd in the Constructors’ Championship in 1975 and 1981, and gave Nelson Piquet Drivers’ Championships in 1981 and 1983. After leaving Brabham, Murray joined McLaren as Technical Director.  Over the period 1988–91 the McLaren team won four consecutive Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships: Alain Prost won the Drivers’ Championship in 1989, Senna won further Drivers’ Championships in 1990 and 1991.