In 1961, Cooper Car Company constructed chassis F1-16-61 for the United States Grand Prix. Built to the T53 specification, the car was driven by Walt Hansgen, who competed with Briggs Cunningham's team. However, he crashed out of the race after 14 laps, becoming the second driver to retire from the race. The wreck was sold by Cunningham to Roger Penske, who replaced the damaged chassis tubing and added full-width enveloping bodywork and named the car the Zerex Special. Penske would then use the car in Formula Libre races that year, and Timmy Mayer would do the same in 1962. Sold to Bruce McLaren in 1964, the car was rebuilt with a widened chassis. A 2.75-litre Coventry Climax FPF straight-four engine was used in the new car, which was officially known as the Zerex Special, and unofficially as the Jolly Green Giant. In 1964, Bruce McLaren purchased the car, and replaced the chassis with a tube frame unit of his own design, as well as fitting a 3.5-litre Traco-Oldsmobile V8 engine in place of the Cooper Climax unit; as a result, he named it the Cooper-Oldsmobile. The car was sold again at the end of the 1964 season to Dave Morgan, who would use it for a further two years. At the end of the 1966 season, Leo Barboza purchased the car, and used it in Venezuela.