Cooper T56 F Jr

The fabled car’s first glimpse of daylight in 25 years. Note the color and also, to the left of the front wheel, and below the side view mirror, a Pabst Motors sticker.

Story by Bob Birmingham

Read Part 1

After his impressive drive at Marlboro, finishing a close second to the Alfa engined Cooper, there occurred a major renovation to Dick Eisenmann’s Cooper.

From time to time, he frequented a foreign car repair shop just down the road from his office. In anticipation of a lengthy business trip, he took his Cooper there for a little “mechanical sweetening and anything else that was needed.” Upon returning, he found the car painted — a tomato orange had replaced the historic Team Cunningham blue over white. [Read more…] about Cooper-Fiat Part 2: Resurrection

Driving fast, having fun….

Story by Bob Birmingham
Photos courtesy Bob Birmingham

Augie Pabst biographer Bob Birmingham is a long-time friend of Dick Eisenmann, who has raced and cared for a very special Cooper Fiat since 1963. This is Dick’s story as told to Bob.

It was during a Christmas party in December of 1962 at Augie Pabst’s home in suburban River Hills, Wisconsin, that raucous guests were enjoying fine food, libation and good conversation, mostly related to sports car racing. Late in the evening, one young man named Richard Eisenmann slurred to our host, “Augie, I’m gonna race some day and when I do, I’ll whip your ass.”

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