Was it? With this "counterfeit MINI" advertising gimmick, I was wondering whether the Mini was in fact the first car to sport bonnet/hood stripes.

Any car enthusiasts know the answer? :smile:

 

Bonnet stripes are "hood stripes", nothing new there.

Early classic minis had stripes.


Even this 69' Camaro has stripes-

 

Yes, I was wondering though who was the first car manufacturer that made cars with the stripes from the factory. I presume that (at least some of) those classic Minis with the stripes got them from the factory.

(For example, did those Camaros come with stripes. And did they before the Mini?)

Just wondering!

 

The Mini wasn't the first but John Cooper used the bonet stripes for many years to help identify his cars on the track (since all the formula cars looked alike and most were BRG. He also painted the Mini roofs white for the same purpose:

 

SWEEEET RIDE!

 

no, the roadrunner in the backround is sweeeeter!!!!

MOPAR OR NO CAR!!

 

Were the double stripes Cooper's design then? When and on what car(s) were they first used?

(Coming up with some great trivia here )

 

Read about Shelby
http://www.uniqueperformance.com/shelbyhistory.aspx
He was a "chicken farmer"! And known for being very very calm at the race track.

By 1966 he was making Shelby Cobra GT 350s with double blue stripes on white!

Great car.

 

Yes. It was a very nice car, until Ford decided to make it into a comfortable car instead of the racecar it was designed to be.

 

Although the double stripes appeared on a few of the Cooper F3 cars of the late 1940s and early 1950s, they were not standard on all the Cooper race cars until the Formula-1 cars of late 1957 and early '58. I believe they appeared on nearly every Cooper car from that point on (except for a few privately owned cars.)

Some good photos: http://www.motifwebs.com/gallery/formula_cars

The double stripes down one side were actually the design of a custom scooter builder from England. That is the reason that style of stripe is called the Lambretta stripe. Also, the Ford Mustang side grates were inspired by the Lambretta Silver Special side panels. http://www.lambrettaclubsicilia.it/regi/lispe.html

 

The 67 Z-28 Camaro came with factory stripes. I bought a black 68 Z-28 in 68. Owned it about 6 months and traded it for a 67 Corvette. The Corvette was a much better car in every way.

 

Thanks for bringing up Shelby. I've been wondering why CooperFlags, etc call such stripes "Viper Stripes" as if Dodge invented them. They should be called Shelby Stripes! (until someone points out that Shelby copied them, too)

 

My 1969 AMX had 'em.

 

Looks like the earliest double stripes on the hood go back to the 40s then! Anything earlier? If not, then they should be called John Cooper stripes!

 

I've seen old film of 30's and 40's racing cars and salt flat test cars that had the stripes, so I think this one is going to be hard to figure out who was first....I can't recall which ones from the 30's though. I do know it was before 1940.


Dave.

 

Since this last post, I have been to a couple of libraries and scoured the internet and have not been able to find any evidence of double parallel bonnet stripes on a car prior to Cooper's cars in 1959. (Please post sources/links if you do find something ).

I decided to write JCW and see if anyone there had an answer. Guess, what--Mike Cooper (John Cooper's son) replied. Here's his reply:

"Dear John – thank you for your e mail which has been forwarded to me and with reference to the original bonnet stripes that were on my father’s racing cars in the 50s and
60s, in the 50s the car companies tended to run their cars in their country’s colours, i.e. green for Great Britain, red for Ferrarri, silver for Mercedes. With the British
contingency all entries together with Vanwalls and BRMs’ entries were distinguished by the two white stripes running down the front of the cars. I believe the first cars that
ran with the white stripes were in 1959 on F1 and F2 cars. The white stripes continued on the Cooper Car Co. cars right through the 60s and of course included the Works
Mini Cooper Saloon cars. This was even transferred to the Classic Mini and even adorns new MINI Coopers sold by BMW today. As for the reason as to why my father put
two white stripes on I am not absolutely sure but I will endeavour to find out.

Regards
Mike Cooper
Chairman
John Cooper Works
North Lane
East Preston
West Sussex BN16 1BN
Tel: 01903 784784
www.johncooper.co.uk

 

Interesting!

If you look up pics of the original AC Cobra (Shelby) you will see the double racing stripes.

I think they are there for a reason ... keeping the car lined up on the correct line around the track ... pretty sure that is why they are they. Its not bling. (IMHO)

 

What about the old Triumphs or Renaults? At least a single bonnet Stripe??

 

What about the 74 gremlin x,the ugliest bonnet stripe in history.More like a hockey stick than bonnet stripe.

 

That's awesome that he took the time to reply personally to your email!

 

Yeah, I guess he was curious about the question as well!

(I had posted the e-mail to the "contact us" address on the JCW website and asked whoever answered if they could forward it to Mike Cooper.)