# Cooper 500

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{{Short description|Open-Wheel Racing Car}}
thumb|Cooper 500
The '''Cooper 500''', also referred to as the '''T2/T3 (Type 2/Type 3)''', was a prototype 500cc (predecessor to [Formula 3](/source/Formula_3)) [open-wheel](/source/Open-wheel_car) [racing car](/source/racing_car) designed and built by the [Cooper Car Company](/source/Cooper_Car_Company) in [Surbiton](/source/Surbiton), [Surrey](/source/Surrey), [England](/source/England), and was their first ever car. The first [post-war](/source/post-war) prototypes were built in 1946, shortly after the end of the [Second World War](/source/World_War_II). Since materials were in short supply immediately after [World War II](/source/World_War_II), the prototypes were constructed using two [Fiat](/source/Fiat) [Topolino](/source/Fiat_500_%22Topolino%22) independent front suspension assemblies, these having effectively a double wishbone arrangement, the upper "wishbone" in this case being a transverse leaf spring which provided the suspension spring medium as well as locating the top part of the suspension upright/hub carrier. Fiat Topolinos were manufactured between 1936 and 1955.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Edsall |first1=Larry |title=Well-told tale of the first three Shelby Cobras |url=https://journal.classiccars.com/2018/03/23/well-told-tale-first-three-shelby-cobras/ |website=The ClassicCars.com Journal |date=23 March 2018 |access-date=21 November 2018}}</ref> It was powered by a {{cvt|45|hp|kW}} {{convert|500|cc|cid|abbr=on}} [JA Prestwich Industries](/source/JA_Prestwich_Industries) (JAP) 4B Speedway [single-cylinder](/source/Single-cylinder_engine) [motorcycle engine](/source/motorcycle_engine), which drives the rear wheels through a [Triumph Speed Twin](/source/Triumph_Speed_Twin) [gearbox](/source/gearbox), via [chain](/source/Chain_drive). It was succeeded by their first successful [production car](/source/production_car), the [Mk.II](/source/Cooper_Mark_II), in 1948.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://500race.org/marques/1946-prototype-t2-t3/|title=1946 Prototype (T2/T3)|website=500race.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.coopercarcompany.com/cooper-history|title=Cooper History|website=www.coopercarcompany.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://500race.org/marques/cooper/|title=Cooper|website=500race.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.goodwood.com/grr/columnists/doug-nye/2019/8/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-single-seater-cooper/|title=The rise and fall of the single-seater Cooper|website=www.goodwood.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sportscardigest.com/cooper-cars/|title=Cooper Cars|date=June 23, 2010}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Cooper Car Company}}

Category:Cooper racing cars
Category:1940s cars
Category:Cars of England

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Cooper 500](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooper_500) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooper_500?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.