Power Without Glory: Racing the Big-twin Cooper by Terry Wright was published on 2 November 2015 in Australia by Loose Fillings Sydney. It was printed in Britain by Lavenham Press who distributed it to booksellers and online buyers.

This book is a new look at the early history of the modern racing car. It explores the influences behind the first Coopers including V-twin engined record breaking motorcycles, hillclimb and sprint specials and dirt track speedway cars. The engine and chassis designs and the racing and hillclimbing of the early post-war years are described and illustrated by hundreds of previously unpublished photographs and drawings.

The pedigree of the modern racing car is usually considered to have originated with the classic marques of Europe. In this book, the author suggests that the clearest line of descent started before World War 1 with the ‘boy’ racers of California and was developed between the wars by the ‘special’ builders of England. In building their first car in 1946, Charles and John Cooper were strongly influenced by these antecedents. When they mated their offspring with JAP motorcycle engines a new breed emerged. Motor racing was never to be the same again.

Power Without Glory is printed four-colour on 150gsm satin-coated paper and is hard-back bound with a laminated colour jacket. There are 352 pages, 254 x 203mm, and 300 colour or duotone racing, car, engine and document images. The photos have come from some of the very best photographers including the collections of Guy Griffiths, Louis Klemantaski, Autocar, Motor and Motor Sport.

Features

• Foreword by Mike Cooper
• History of JAP racing engines in motorcycles and cars
• History of car racing with V-twin engines
• History of V-twin engined Cooper racing cars
• Analysis of JAP and Vincent engines with factory photographs
  and drawings
• Analysis of Cooper and other chassis developments leading up to Coopers’ 1959 World Championships
• Coverage of big-twin Cooper racing and hillclimbing in Britain and Europe from 1948  to 1951
• Photographs from the Autocar, Motor Sport, Louis Klemantaski and Guy Griffiths archives

Published on 2 November 2015
ISBN 9780994366108 (hardback)
PRICE £55.00 plus packing and postage.