The 1959 Cooper Climax, chassis number F2-20-59, had a Chevrolet Corvette engine. It was first owned by Stan Jones, and then Austin Miller.

The car started life as an unsuspecting single seat racing car in Australia owned by Stan Jones and the engine was the usual 4 cylinder Coventry Climax FPF. Miller installed a Corvette V8 engine and created an enclosed cockpit & rear bodywork for the record attempt, after which the car was returned to standard specification and Bib Stillwell raced it for a number of years. Miller's record stood until 17th July 1964 when Donald Cambell surpassed it on his way to the new World Land Speed record set at 403mph on the dry salt Lake Eyre in southern Australia.

Just an update for your records on the Miller Cooper Corvette that held the Australian Land Speed Record set on November 19, 1961 at Bakers Beach in Northern Tasmania. The car only raced twice on the Corvette engine, once at Longford in Tasmania and once at Sandown in Victoria. The handling qualities in this vogue were unmentionable and the car fell out of service and was sold to Syd Fisher and eventually restored by David Rapley. In 1974 the car went to John Caffin who swapped a MG TC with a 161 Holden engine in it and I believe this car lives in the USA and its history is lost. This car was never raced by Bib Stillwell while responding to Peter Jacksons for more info on the matter I have drafted my reflections on the event below. Geoff Smedley

Source - Land Speed Racing Historians